The Dangers of Metabolic syndrome

The biggest epidemic in America is caused by the food we eat, and it has already affected upwards of 50 million American adults, most of whom have no idea they have it. Doctors refer to the condition as Metabolic Syndrome, Syndrome X, or Insulin Resistance Syndrome.  If you have it and don't do anything about it, you'll be on the fast track to diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems including stroke, cancer, and prostate disorders. You can diagnose the telltale sign- a pot belly-all by yourself, standing in front of a mirror.  The bigger the belly, the worse off you probably are.  Other key signs include, but are not limited to- high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides, low levels of the "good" high density(HDL) cholesterol, and high levels of either blood sugar or insulin, and slow clearing of blood fats after meals.  High insulin levels point to insulin resistance, a characteristic of glucose intolerance, which hampers the body's ability to properly use the hormone to burn sugars and carbohydrates.

The Carbohydrate Quandary

Although the calories from fat, protein, and carbohydrates all affect your blood glucose level, carbohydrates affect it the most.  So why not just avoid carbohydrates altogether?  Foods that contain carbohydrates are among the most healthful available-vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low or no fat dairy foods.  Eliminating these foods could compromise your health.  Metabolic Syndrome results from eating too many sugars, simple and refined carbohydrates, including fruit juice and soft drinks.  What exactly happens?  Sugary foods and refined carbs- candy bars, desserts, bread, pizza, pasta, and soft drinks, break down rapidly in the body, leading to a surge in blood sugar levels ( sugar rush), followed by a rush of insulin.  Insulin helps cells burn blood sugar for energy.  But after years of dealing with high insulin levels, the body becomes resistant to it.  Over time, your body needs more and more insulin to do it's job.  When both blood sugar and insulin levels remain elevated, this can lead to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.  Eating too many sugars and refined carbohydrates also leads to liver problems, which also has a hand in regulating blood sugar in tandem with the pancreas( which makes insulin).  At this point, the liver can become fatty and liver function decreases, and it has trouble regulating blood sugar levels.

What Causes Metabolic Syndrome?

It's the result of a series of metabolic changes that tend to occur in people who are insulin resistant. Obesity worsens all the manifestations of Metabolic Syndrome.

• The more obese you are, the more insulin resistant you will be.
• The more insulin resistant you become, the more insulin you secrete, the more insulin you secrete, the more weight you gain.
• The higher your insulin levels, the more likely you are to develop the manifestations of Metabolic Syndrome, and the greater your odds of developing cardiovascular disease

Not every obese person is insulin resistant, and not all slender people are insulin sensitive. Obesity is but one of the factors interacting with your genes to determine the ability of your tissues to react to insulin.  If you are genetically more insulin sensitive to begin with, weight gain will have a less pronounced effect on your risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome.  Unfortunately, the opposite is equally true.  If you are genetically more insulin resistant, becoming obese can create far more damaging effects.

Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome

As always, consult with your doctor before beginning any treatment.

While drug therapy may be required, weight loss, exercise, and appropriate nutrition and nutraceutical supplements are important to treat Metabolic Syndrome.  Eat a diet rich in high complex carbohydrates, fiber, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as Omega 3; which aids in reducing serum triglycerides.  Chronic consumption of refined simple carbs (sodas, candy, etc) increases postprandial glucose and insulin, elevates serum triglycerides, lowers HDL, increases dense LDL and LDL particle number, and increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Weight reduction, decrease in total body and visceral fat improve all components of Metabolic Syndrome.  Both endurance and resistance exercise have a significant impact on improvement of all components of Metabolic Syndrome.

Cinneplex Contains:

• Cinnamon - Studies report bioactive compounds in cinnamon that can inhibit PTP-1, and enzyme that inactivates insulin receptors. Recent studies have determined that daily consumption may significantly reduce blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides levels in non-insulin dependent type 2 Diabetes patients following 40 days of cinnamon supplementation.
• American Ginseng - promotes significant reduction in blood sugar levels  disclaimer...may potentiate the stimulant effects of caffeine when consumed concurrently and is not recommended during pregnancy and lactation...
• Gymnema Leaf Extract - has been shown to enhance the glucose lowering effects of insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents. Also was shown to reduce serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, VLDL, and LDL.
• Green Tea Poly phenols - The erythrocytes of individuals with diabetes have high levels of markers for oxidative stress.  A handful of tea catechins have been shown to protect the erythrocytes from oxidative stress, with EGCG being the most effective.  Research shows that tea poly phenols, especially EGCG, enhance insulin activity.
• ALA - Diabetes is associated with an increased production of free radicals, a key factor in the development of hypertension in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  A study reported in 2005 found that high blood pressure and vascular oxidative stress only occur when elevated glucose occurs with high insulin levels, as typified by Metabolic Syndrome.  Researchers concluded that treatment with ALA may help to prevent both oxidative stress and hypertension.
• Chromium - Blood chromium levels tend to decrease with age and are typically found to be deficient in type 2 diabetes Studies show that chromium supplementation enhances the metabolic action of insulin and may reduce some of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially for overweight individuals.