Metabolic Syndrome: What It Is and How It’s Treated
Key takeaways:
Metabolic syndrome is a collection of health conditions that puts people at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
In some cases, metabolic syndrome is reversible with diet and lifestyle strategies.
Regular health checkups are key to screening for metabolic syndrome.
What is metabolic syndrome?
A syndrome is a collection of symptoms or findings. When clustered together, they show that something might be going wrong with our health. Metabolic syndrome is having a cluster of health conditions that affects our metabolism.
Our metabolism is how we use the calories we take in. Together, this cluster of health conditions can be a sign that we are at risk for worse health outcomes. In other words, metabolic syndrome is really a collection of health problems, rather than being a disease on its own.
Is metabolic syndrome common?
Metabolic syndrome is very common. In fact, 34% of adults in the U.S. have it, and the numbers have been rising globally. This change seems to be linked with people around the world becoming less active and having more access to fast food.
How is metabolic syndrome diagnosed?
Metabolic syndrome can be diagnosed by a healthcare professional after a physical exam, blood pressure check, and laboratory tests.
Based on your results, you may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome if you have at least three of the following five health issues.
Larger waist size
One of the criteria for metabolic syndrome is a waist that measures more than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women. While excess weight is a risk factor for many health conditions, carrying extra weight in your belly area can be especially hard on your body. Belly fat has been linked to high cholesterol, heart problems, and issues managing blood sugar.
How does metabolic syndrome increase your risk of heart disease? Learn more about how metabolic syndrome affects your heart and blood vessels.
What does it feel like to have hypertension? Three people share their experiences of living with high blood pressure.
Can you be overweight and healthy? Here’s why waist size might matter more than BMI alone.
High triglycerides
Your body takes extra calories and converts them into triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. This particular type of fat is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.
A triglyceride level is included when you get your cholesterol checked. And if your triglyceride level is over 150 mg/dL, it can be considered part of metabolic syndrome. If you’re taking a medication for high triglycerides this qualifies you for metabolic syndrome, too.
Low HDL
HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is a kind of “good” cholesterol. If you don’t have enough HDL, it can be easier for other types of cholesterol to build up in your arteries. This can cause problems with blood flow.
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HDL is also included in your regular cholesterol screening. And if it’s lower than 40 mg/dL in men and 50 mg/dL in women, then it counts as part of the metabolic syndrome cluster.
High blood pressure
Healthy blood pressure is when systolic (the top number) is 120 mmHg or lower and diastolic (the bottom number) is 80 mmHg or lower. Here are the numbers that meet criteria for metabolic syndrome:
Systolic: greater than 130 mmHg
Diastolic: greater than 85 mmHg
Over time, high blood pressure can cause problems in your body. A single reading that’s high isn’t usually too dangerous. But when your pressure stays high for a long time, the arteries become stiff from handling the strain. This stiffness makes them more fragile, and makes it harder for them to do a good job carrying blood and oxygen.
If you take medicine to lower your blood pressure, this can also qualify for metabolic syndrome.
High fasting glucose
This is a blood sugar check done at least 8 hours after the last time you had anything to eat. A high fasting blood sugar level may be an early warning sign of diabetes. If your fasting glucose is more than 100 mg/d, or you take medicine for high blood sugar, then it counts for metabolic syndrome.
What are the health risks associated with metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome increases your risk for many health conditions, including:
People with metabolic syndrome are five times more likely to have Type 2 diabetes than people without it. Metabolic syndrome can also double the risk of heart disease and stroke, both of which can be disabling or even fatal.
What are the signs or symptoms of metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome doesn’t usually have noticeable signs or symptoms — except for a larger waist. That’s part of why it’s so important to have regular checkups with a healthcare professional to screen for it. This involves checking your weight and blood pressure, and ordering important blood tests.
Can you have metabolic syndrome without having obesity?
In short, yes. Metabolic syndrome and obesity aren’t the same thing.
Remember: If you have three of the five conditions above, you have metabolic syndrome. Obesity is not on the list, but it’s somewhat likely that if you have metabolic syndrome, you’ll also have obesity. And if you have obesity, you have double the risk of having metabolic syndrome.
The CDC defines obesity according to a number known as body mass index (BMI). It’s calculated using your height and weight. That number can help you figure out if your weight is at a balanced and comfortable level, too high, or too low. You can find your BMI with this online calculator.
Can you have metabolic syndrome without high total cholesterol?
Yes. A person only needs to have three of the five findings above to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The finding on the list related to cholesterol is for low HDL, the good cholesterol, since it helps protect against heart disease and stroke.
Can you be obese but not have high cholesterol?
Yes. There are many people who have obesity (BMI greater than 30, based on the CDC’s definition) but who don’t have high cholesterol. However, obesity does increase your risk of high cholesterol. It also increases your risk of:
High blood pressure
Stroke
Metabolic syndrome
What are the best treatments for metabolic syndrome?
The good news is that metabolic syndrome is considered reversible. The best approach is to focus on making heart-healthy lifestyle changes. These include:
Weight loss: Weight loss can turn the tide on metabolic syndrome — whether it’s through diet changes, exercise, medications, or surgery.
Diet: Eating a heart-healthy diet can also help to reverse metabolic syndrome. This means eating a variety of nutritious foods that support your heart health and help fight inflammation in your body. Great foods for metabolic syndrome include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean meats. You can also choose to follow a heart-healthy eating plan, like the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet.
Physical activity: Getting regular physical activity can help with metabolic syndrome, too. Exercise is good for your heart and can help to reverse prediabetes. It can also help you lose weight, and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.
Stress management: Stress can affect your body in many ways, including your blood pressure, weight, and blood sugar. It’s linked to many health conditions, too, including heart disease. If you have metabolic syndrome, adding stress management techniques into your daily life may potentially help.
Medication options
If diet and exercise alone are not enough, don’t give up. There are medications available to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, and elevated triglycerides. Prescription weight-loss medications like GLP-1 agonists may be appropriate for some people, too. Work with a healthcare professional to come up with a plan that’s best for you.
Surgery
No surgery specifically treats metabolic syndrome. But surgical options that target weight loss can help — especially if you haven’t gotten results with diet, exercise, and medication. Surgical procedures include reversible options like gastric bands, which can reduce the size of the stomach. Another option may be gastric bypass surgery, which reroutes the way food moves through the body.
Surgery comes with some risks, though these procedures are safer than they have ever been in the past. That’s why it’s usually only considered after other options have failed. It’s important to speak with a healthcare professional about your options and what’s best for you, if surgery is needed.
The bottom line
Metabolic syndrome is a warning sign that you are at a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. It can often be reversed with heart-healthy lifestyle choices, like diet and exercise. And for some people, medications or surgery can also be helpful.
Why trust our experts?
References
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