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Metabolic syndrome is a collection of different progressive risk factors that are increasing significantly worldwide and provide the breeding ground for numerous serious health risks. In addition to the visually visible increased abdominal girth, it often remains undetected without a blood test and medical assessment. In this article, we explain what metabolic syndrome is, how it is diagnosed, what causes it and what you can do to reverse the processes that have been set in motion.
Published in General Health
5 min read ยท Aug 29, 2024
Metabolic syndrome describes a group of risk factors that together significantly increase the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (3-4-fold relative risk increase) [1]. It is defined by the syndrome-typical simultaneous occurrence of (abdominal) obesity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance with a sugar metabolism disorder and a lipid metabolism disorder (HDL cholesterol and triglycerides). Mostly promoted by lifestyle habits such as lack of exercise, a high-calorie diet and stress. A familial accumulation can also be observed here.
Metabolism comes from the Greek word metabolฤ and means transformation. In this sense, metabolism describes the chemical transformation processes in the body and is basically a term that can be used for any bodily process. The term is most commonly used to describe the utilization, storage and excretion of nutrients in our body.
As a result of increasing metabolic dysregulation due to overstimulation (โoversaturationโ) or a lack of stimuli from physical activity, these complex processes no longer run smoothly over time. Increased abdominal fat (visceral or abdominal fat) and increased blood pressure are often observed initially. This is followed by blood sugar levels that indicate insulin resistance, whereupon the triglycerides increase and the HDL cholesterol decreases, which is responsible for the recycling of bad fats (LDL and apolipoprotein B).
The whole cycle reinforces each other in the form of a vicious circle and ultimately forms the basis for metabolic syndrome. At the beginning of the changes, individual processes may only become apparent in different ways. What they have in common - fortunately or unfortunately - is their reversibility and strong dependence on the lifestyle components mentioned above.
There are five standard criteria that are used worldwide to diagnose metabolic syndrome. If three of them are met, it is called metabolic syndrome. The standard criteria are as follows:
At CARE, a full-body check-up gives you valuable insights into your health status and allows you to identify and act on risk factors at an early stage.
The full-body check-up measures 44 blood values, including cholesterol, triglyceride and blood sugar levels, analyzes your body composition and performs an ECG and blood pressure measurement.
In fact, metabolic syndrome initially shows no symptoms. The โdeteriorationโ of the risk factors develops gradually and usually goes unnoticed until serious health problems, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, occur. As a result, it is often only recognized when serious complications have already occurred and it is already too late.
When symptoms do occur, they are often non-specific and include
The metabolic syndrome includes the modern diseases of civilization. Accordingly, the typical causes are [2] :
The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is usually based on a physical examination and laboratory tests. At CARE, we measure all relevant biomarkers, including visceral fat. A comprehensive health questionnaire provides additional information on lifestyle and any genetic predispositions.
Once the laboratory values have been received, they are assessed at CARE and checked for abnormalities such as an emerging or existing metabolic syndrome. If you are affected, the doctor will contact you personally and discuss the metabolic syndrome with you.
In an initial (acute) phase, the treatment of metabolic syndrome focuses on reducing the risk factors with the aim of keeping the cardiovascular risk as low as possible and eliminating insulin resistance. Depending on the severity, the focus is on the following measures:
In a second phase, the necessary lifestyle measures are discussed. The best prevention is to adopt healthy lifestyle habits in the long term.
The metabolic syndrome continues to rise worldwide [3]. In Switzerland, it is estimated that around 20-25% of adults are affected by metabolic syndrome, with obesity and lack of exercise being among the main causes. Considering that 43% of the population in Switzerland is overweight or obese, this is not surprising. [4]
The increase among older people and in certain ethnic groups is particularly worrying. Although the increase has been slowed down thanks to high standards in healthcare and greater awareness of prevention, there is still an urgent need for greater prevention.
Jris is a health coach (nerd) and blog author at CARE. She has many years of experience as a coach for classic lifestyle conditions such as diabetes and women's health. She enjoys facilitating health challenges and courses. Fasting, keto, sleep, women's health and biohacking - Jris feels at home in these topics. When she's not working for CARE, she loves to listen to health podcasts and try out new (health) gadgets. Her credo: "It's never too late to start living a new lifestyle."
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