The Metabolic Syndrome

How Metabolic Syndrome is Defined and What it Means for You.

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Since my PhD project concerning the brain control of blood glucose and energy balance, whatever research I’ve been into, it related, in one way or the other, to metabolism. I can boldly state that all processes in the body are served by or work to support metabolism. From this standpoint, you could call any set of bodily functions “metabolic syndrome” but it will hardly describe anything practical. Notwithstanding, the term exists, does make sense, and can help doctors and patients alike.

So what is the metabolic syndrome — a disease, a cluster of symptoms, a combination of health risk factors, or all of these? Whatever it may be, it is recognized as a hot concept of today’s medicine. Learn more about this hot concept.

Do You Have These Signs?

According to the National Cholesterol Education Program, you have the syndrome if you have at least three of the following five symptoms:

1. Waist circumference greater than 40″ (men) or 35″ (women)

2. Blood (serum) levels of triglycerides above 150 mg/dL

3. “Good” cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins, HDL) below 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women.

4. Blood pressure above 130/85 mm Hg.

5. Fasting glucose above 110 mg/dL.

This definition reflects the experience and concerns of doctors that deal with cardiovascular diseases. However, there’s no consensus in medical world about the syndrome definition.

Opinions.

There are two major problems concerning metabolic syndrome:

• How it is defined
• What it means for the doctors and patients alike

Opinions of cardiologists and diabetologists are divided over the description and even the significance of the very idea of metabolic syndrome.

“There is no magical combination of risk factors that further boosts a person’s cardiovascular risk or constitutes a separate disease,” stated Ele Ferrannini, President of European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

The Diagnosis is Useful!

So, what does it all mean to you if you are diagnosed with, or speaking broadly, designated as having the syndrome? No matter how they call it, it’s a useful diagnosis because it alarms your doctor before a full-blown heart disease or diabetes occurs. One other good thing about the Metabolic Syndrome is that it can be reversed by lifestyle changes such as weight loss and exercise.

Says Dr Eckel, professor, University of Colorado Health Science Center: “Because of the increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the metabolic syndrome provides an even higher incentive for lifestyle modification.”

Sources:

1. National Cholesterol Education Program, Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, May 2001

2. Kahn R, Buse J, Ferrannini E, Stern M. The metabolic syndrome: time for a critical appraisal. Joint statement from the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Diabetologia. 2005; DOI: 10.1007/s00125-005-1876-2