Understanding Metabolic Health

Simply put, those who are metabolically healthy lack metabolic disease. Metabolic disease is any disease with symptoms that can be corrected through metabolic treatment, such as therapies based on controlling the diet or the enzymes and hormones. Diabetes is a prime example of metabolic disease, as its disruption of the glucose-insulin axis leads to global metabolic changes.
According to a study published in the journal Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, only one in eight adults in the U.S. is in optimal metabolic health. In this context, being in optimal metabolic health entails having ideal levels of blood sugar, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, and waist circumference without the help of medications.

Understanding Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is an all-encompassing term for a cluster of conditions that occur simultaneously. It is also sometimes known as Syndrome X, dysmetabolic syndrome, hypertriglyceridemic waist, insulin resistance syndrome, and obesity syndrome. Patients with metabolic syndrome are at an increased risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. These conditions all involve increased blood pressure, excess body fat around the waist, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
While having just one of these conditions does not necessarily mean a patient will have metabolic syndrome, it does mean that the patient is at an increased risk of developing serious disease. One's chance of complications also goes up after developing one of these conditions. The syndrome is increasingly common, affecting up to one-third of U.S. adults.

Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome

The vast majority of disorders associated with metabolic syndrome do not have any apparent signs or symptoms. However, a large waist circumference is often a telltale sign of metabolic disorder. High blood sugar is also often associated with diabetes symptoms. Patients who know they have at least one component of metabolic syndrome should consult with their doctor about whether they require testing for other components of the syndrome.
According to the National Institutes of Health, an official diagnosis of metabolic syndrome necessitates that the patient has at least three of the following:

  • A large waist (at least 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men)
  • Elevated fasting blood sugar
  • High triglyceride levels
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Reduced “good” or HDL cholesterol

Causes of Metabolic Syndrome

While the causes of metabolic syndrome are not widely known, patients with this condition are frequently obese, overweight, or inactive. Metabolic syndrome is also closely linked to insulin resistance, a condition in which the digestive system has trouble breaking down foods into sugar. When this occurs, the cells have a hard time letting glucose enter, and the blood sugar levels rise despite the rising insulin levels.
According to Mayo Clinic, some populations are at higher risk for metabolic syndrome than others. This includes older adults, adults who are obese, and patients with other diseases (such as diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, or polycystic ovary syndrome).

Preventing Metabolic Syndrome

Preventing metabolic syndrome necessitates a lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle. This involves getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days, eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains (and limited in saturated fat and salt). It can also help to maintain a healthy weight and cease smoking.

InBody 570

At Nuceria Health, we are proud to use the InBody 570 to help get you into prime metabolic health. This body composition analyzer allows us to transcend traditional body composition analysis by letting us measure muscle, fat, and total body water. The latter can be further divided into intracellular water and extracellular water. With this information, we can understand a patient's fluid distribution in various contexts and personalize treatment.

Call Us Today

Metabolic health treatment offers a personalized weight loss and health maintenance system. We at Nuceria Health can help. Call us today at (305) 398-4370 to schedule an appointment or learn more about our services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Open and honest rapport are at the heart of every successful doctor-patient relationship. If you are worried about metabolic syndrome, be sure to ask your doctor if you have any metabolic syndrome risk factors and if you will need medicine to control them. You may also want to ask if you need blood tests to determine if you are at an increased risk of blood clots and inflammation. Our team can help determine and minimize your unique risk profile.

Metabolic syndrome can increase your risk of developing heart and blood vessel disease and type 2 diabetes. As such, it is essential that patients with metabolic syndrome make deliberate attempts to control their excess weight and eat a healthy diet.

Calorie calculators are based on population-wide data. It assumes average energy needs based on age, height, sex, and weight. This does not allow for a personalized approach, which we can do by measuring your metabolic rate and using the InBody 570 to take further measurements.

Despite being identified less than 20 years ago, metabolic syndrome affects nearly one out of every six Americans. This number totals out to 47 million people. The condition is becoming more common across the world, affecting 25% of adults in Europe and Latin America. Rates of the condition are also on the rise in developing East Asian countries. It is more common for older adults to be affected by the syndrome, and approximately 40% of older adults over the age of 60 are affected.