A Comprehensive Guide To Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is an elusive and
complex condition that’s very easy to misunderstand. As any other
syndrome, metabolic syndrome is actually a cluster of a few different
conditions, which, when occurring together, can significantly increase
the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The most alarming part is
that this syndrome is anything but uncommon, with around a quarter of
the population overall and 60% of adults past the age of 50 suffering
from metabolic syndrome.
These alarming rates aren’t constant
either, and according to medical research, more and more people,
including teenagers and young adults are diagnosed with metabolic
syndrome each year. In this article, we provide essential information
about metabolic syndrome, including its symptoms, causes, and
prevention.
Signs and Symptoms
Metabolic syndrome occurs as a result of an abnormal way your body
processes and distributes energy, hence the link to metabolism. An early
sign of metabolic syndrome is central obesity or the accumulation of
excess body weight in the waist and trunk area. The term is used
synonymously with the so-called "apple body shape", illustrated below.
People with central obesity are overweight
(have a BMI of 25 or more), but they have slim limbs and a round belly. A
waist circumference over 37 inches (94 cm) in males or over 31.5 inches
(80 cm) in females can be considered as central obesity and can be a
reason for your doctor to test you for metabolic syndrome, especially if
you're over 50 years old.
Apart from central obesity, metabolic syndrome at its early stages is
asymptomatic and the remaining signs of the condition are usually
discovered during routine health checks.
These signs include:
High blood pressure (130/85 and more)
Insulin resistance
Abnormal glucose levels
Low HDL cholesterol levels
High triglyceride levels.
At more advanced stages, symptoms similar to diabetes can occur, such
as fatigue, blurred vision, increased thirst, and urination. Keep in
mind that having any one of these signs and symptoms doesn’t mean you
have metabolic syndrome, a person is diagnosed with the condition only
when they exhibit all or most of these signs.
Complications.
A lack of treatment and weight management can result in
severe complications, such as the development of type 2 diabetes and
heart disease (heart attack, coronary heart disease, etc.). Alarmingly,
metabolic syndrome is considered to be the greatest predictor of these
conditions. Recent research also established a possible link between
metabolic syndrome and cognitive decline and dementia.
Causes and Risk Factors
As we have mentioned in the introduction,
about 25% of the population suffer from metabolic syndrome, but the
distribution of patients is not random, and some people have a higher
risk of developing metabolic syndrome than others. The following
increase your chance of suffering from metabolic syndrome:
Age. The older you get, the more likely you are to suffer from
metabolic syndrome, with 60% of Americans over the age of 50 being
diagnosed with the syndrome.
Obesity. Overweight individuals are significantly more likely to
suffer from metabolic syndrome, with obesity being the second largest
risk factor after age.
Ethnicity. Ethnic minorities, particularly Hispanic women have the
greatest risk of having metabolic syndrome in the United States.
Other diseases. People with a family history of diabetes, or those
suffering from sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, or polycystic ovary
syndrome are more likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome.
As for the causes of metabolic syndrome, they are a matter of active
medical research, but we know that a sedentary lifestyle, being
overweight and stress are all significant contributing factors. In
particular, a diet rich in omega-6 fats (saturated fats) and added
sugar, especially sweet drinks, was associated with the condition.
Medical research also shows that good lifestyle choices can delay and
prevent the progression of metabolic syndrome.
Prevention and Treatment
To treat metabolic syndrome, your doctor
will address each symptom you exhibit separately, likely prescribing
medications to treat hypertension and manage cholesterol. These are
prescription medications necessary for you to take to prevent the
dangerous complications of metabolic syndrome. But since one of the main
known causes of metabolic syndrome is inactivity and being overweight,
healthy lifestyle choices can help prevent it.
A healthy diet and exercise are likely to improve prediabetic symptoms,
too, if you already have the syndrome. Although a licensed dietitian and
your doctor will be able to give you the best recommendations, here are
some basic, and yet effective, lifestyle choices you can make to
prevent and manage the development of the disease:
1. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days.
2. Eat a lot of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean protein.
3. Limit the amount of saturated and trans fat, as well as salt.
4. Stay away from sweetened beverages.
5. Strive towards keeping a healthy weight.
6. Don't smoke or drink alcohol.