What Is Metabolic Syndrome?
The term is used for a set of conditions:
- Abnormal cholesterol levels.
- High level of blood sugar.
- Elevated blood pressure.
- Excessive fat around your waist.
All the aforementioned conditions arise together, raising the chances of diabetes, stroke and heart disease. In case of having any of the conditions does not indicate towards the presence of metabolic syndrome. Though, any of such do tend to increase the chances of life-threatening disease. Indeed, the chances of experiencing serious complications are more, if these arise in combination with each other.
Clearly, in case of suffering from a component, or metabolic syndrome itself, then aggressive modifications in the lifestyle can help avert or delay the occurrence of complications.
What Are The Symptoms Of Metabolic Syndrome?
Most of the conditions linked with it tend to have no indications; however a large circumference of waist is the obvious symptom. Moreover, increased levels of blood sugar with source the signs associated with diabetes such as:
- Blurred vision.
- Increased urination and thirst.
- Fatigue.
What Causes Metabolic Syndrome?
Inactivity and obesity tend to be the main triggers of metabolic syndrome. Moreover, metabolic syndrome is related to insulin resistance. In the normal course of action, food is break down into glucose by the digestive system. A hormone produced by the pancreas, called insulin, helps glucose to enter the cells. The glucose then serves as a fuel.
The cells fail to respond insulin, in individuals with insulin resistance. Consequently, glucose becomes unable to enter their cells as smoothly as they do in the cells of healthy people. This leads to the increase of glucose level in their blood, in spite of the body’s effort to control it through churning out as more insulin as it can. Such can ultimately result in diabetes when the body fails to produce sufficient insulin for keeping the level of glucose normal in the blood.
What Are The Risk Factors Of Metabolic Syndrome?
A number of factors are known to raise the risks of metabolic syndrome, these are as follow:
- Age: metabolic syndrome is more common in individuals older than 60 years of age. Therefore, the chances increases as you age.
- Races: as compared to other races, Asians and Hispanics are more prone to experience metabolic syndrome.
- Certain disease: A history of certain diseases including polycystic ovary syndrome and cardiovascular disease.
- Obesity: people who are obese are more at a risk than people with normal weight.
- Diabetes: diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, also known as gestational diabetes puts you at an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Also, if an immediate relative or you have had type 2 diabetes.
How Is Metabolic Syndrome Diagnosed?
It is detected on the basis of a set criterion. Having more than two or more of the below mentioned traits indicates the presence of metabolic syndrome:
- High triglyceride level.
- Large weight circumference.
- Reduced HDL cholesterol.
- Elevated blood pressure and fasting blood sugar.
How Is Metabolic Syndrome Treated?
In case considerable changes in lifestyle are not sufficient enough, then the health care provider might recommend drugs to control:
- Blood glucose.
- Cholesterol levels.
- Blood pressure.
By : Natural Health News
