Metabolic Syndrome – What it is, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
Metabolic Syndrome – What it is, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments that many are unaware of. In addition, Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of conditions: increased blood pressure, high blood sugar , excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels that occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease. , stroke and diabetes .
Having just one of these conditions doesn’t mean you have Metabolic Syndrome . However, any of these conditions increase the risk of serious illness. Having more than one of these can increase your risk even more.
If you have Metabolic Syndrome or any of its components, aggressive lifestyle changes can delay or even prevent the development of serious health problems.
Metabolic Syndrome is a set of metabolic risk factors that come together in a single individual. These metabolic factors include insulin resistance, high blood pressure (high blood pressure), cholesterol abnormalities, and an increased risk of blood clotting.
Affected individuals are usually overweight or obese. An association between certain metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease has been known since the 1940s.
Causes of Metabolic Syndrome: Metabolic Syndrome is closely linked to being overweight or obese and inactivity.
It is also linked to a condition called insulin resistance. Normally, your digestive system breaks down the foods you eat into sugar (glucose). Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that helps sugar get into your cells to be used as fuel.
In people with insulin resistance, cells do not respond normally to insulin, and glucose cannot easily enter cells. As a result, blood glucose levels rise despite your body’s attempt to control glucose by churning out more and more insulin.
Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome: Most disorders associated with Metabolic Syndrome have no symptoms, although a large waist circumference is a visible sign. If your blood sugar is too high, you may have signs and symptoms of diabetes including increased thirst and urination, fatigue, and blurred vision.
When to see a doctor: If you know you have at least one component of Metabolic Syndrome , ask your doctor if you need testing for other components of Metabolic Syndrome .
Diagnoses of Metabolic Syndrome: Several organizations have criteria for diagnosing Metabolic Syndrome . According to guidelines used by the National Institutes of Health, you have Metabolic Syndrome if you have three or more of these traits or are taking medication to control them:
Large Waist Circumference – A waist that measures at least 35 inches (89 centimeters) for women and 40 inches (102 centimeters) for men
Elevated triglyceride level – 150 milligrams per deciliter, (mg/dL), or 1.7 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), or higher of this type of fat found in the blood
Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol – less than 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L) in men or less than 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) in women of this “good”
cholesterol
Increased blood pressure – 130/85 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher
High fasting blood sugar – 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) or higher.
Metabolic Syndrome Treatments : If aggressive lifestyle changes like diet and exercise aren’t enough, your doctor may suggest medications to help control your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood glucose.
The main goals are to treat both the underlying cause of Metabolic Syndrome , to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes , and also to treat cardiovascular risk factors if they persist. As already discussed, most people with Metabolic Syndrome are overweight and live a sedentary lifestyle.
Style modification is the preferred treatment of Metabolic Syndrome . Weight reduction usually requires a specifically tailored multifaceted program that includes diet and exercise. Smoking cessation is an important component of treatment, and medication can sometimes be helpful.