What Is Metabolic Syndrome and Can It Be Reversed Naturally?

Abdominal Fat Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic Makeover: Holistic Hacks for a Healthier You

Are you a metabolic mess? What exactly do we mean by that? Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes elevated blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and excess body fat around your waist. These conditions indicate a problem with your body’s metabolism. Maybe you only have one of these conditions but stick around – this article is still for you!

If you want to know what plagues a population, just look at the top 5 drugs prescribed. In the US these include blood pressure medicine, statins for high cholesterol, diabetes medicine, and levothyroxine for low thyroid hormone levels.[1] Read on to learn how these conditions are related and how a holistic approach to your health can help reverse these conditions.

Metabolic Syndrome Causes and Complications

Metabolic syndrome is the result of a domino effect with excess abdominal weight kicking things off:[2]

Excess weight in your abdomen directs fat to accumulate in your liver and muscle cells. This leads to fatty liver disease and high blood cholesterol levels.
This fat accumulation also leads to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means your cells stop responding to insulin normally. This causes higher insulin and blood sugar levels which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Insulin resistance can raise blood pressure levels.

Metabolic syndrome complications include hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), diabetes, heart disease, stroke, fatty liver disease, gallstones, asthma, sleep apnea, gout, and some forms of cancer.[2,3]

The good news is that metabolic syndrome can be reversed! Many patients come to us on multiple drugs to treat each condition. Each condition doesn’t necessarily have to be addressed individually – a root-cause approach is best to tackle metabolic syndrome. Many patients can discontinue their medications and lead healthier lives.

How Do I Fix Metabolic Syndrome?

At GlowSpring Health, we have a proven system addressing 5 areas to resolve health issues. We find that patients have imbalances in one or more areas which include (1) natural hormones, (2) nutrition, (3) toxins, (4) mind/heart, and (5) body. Since excess abdominal weight is a strong trigger causing other conditions and complications, a weight-loss program is one of our top recommendations.

The Hormonal Connection to Metabolic Health

What is insulin resistance?

Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that shuttles glucose (sugar) into your cells where it’s used for energy. The more glucose that’s present, the more insulin is released and over time, the cell’s response to insulin fatigues. Insulin resistance is when your cells don’t respond to insulin, and glucose can’t get into the cells from your bloodstream. This results in increased blood glucose levels and eventually a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Physical activity and weight loss are the best therapies for reversing insulin resistance.[4]

Did you know that many other hormones play a role in your metabolic health?

Thyroid hormone controls your metabolic rate. Optimal thyroid levels are important for normal cholesterol levels, fat burning, and maintaining a healthy weight.[5]
Low testosterone in men predisposes to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and high blood pressure.[6] Optimizing testosterone with testosterone replacement therapy in men correlates with lower cholesterol measurements and decreased insulin resistance.[7] In women, however, higher testosterone predisposes to obesity and diabetes, particularly in women diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).[8]
Progesterone and estrogen in women are linked to blood sugar regulation. Menopausal hormone replacement therapy improves insulin sensitivity and delays the onset of type 2 diabetes.[9]

Some of these hormones decline as you age. We are seeing hormones decline as early as people’s 30s, so it’s important to get levels checked and optimized. Women experiencing menopause and men going through andropause are at risk of cardiovascular and metabolic complications. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is a safer hormonal therapy that we prescribe to balance and optimize levels.

Elevate Your Nutrition for Better Metabolism

A Mediterranean-style diet is discussed a lot nowadays because of the studies showing benefits for multiple health conditions, including metabolic syndrome. You don’t have to live in the Mediterranean region to eat healthy. You can include more whole grains, healthy protein, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil. This diet doesn’t include a lot of red meat, sweets, pastries, or soft drinks.[10]

In addition to overall diet, certain nutrients are used therapeutically in metabolic syndrome. For example, omega-3 fish oil has been shown to reduce triglycerides and cholesterol. 2-4 grams is recommended daily from diet or supplements.[11,12] Insulin requires vanadium, chromium, and magnesium to function properly and supplementing can improve insulin resistance.[13]

We use insightful nutritional testing so you don’t have to guess about your nutritional status. You learn your body’s exact needs.

Mind and Body Connection to Metabolic Health

When you’re stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol. Over time, chronic stress and cortisol secretion increases abdominal fat and blood glucose levels. Abnormal blood sugar levels can also trigger higher cortisol.[14,15] Correcting cortisol with stress management techniques contributes greatly to metabolic health.

Moving your body can ease your mind and protect against the negative consequences of stress.[16] Mind-body practices like yoga, meditation, tai chi, acupuncture, and qigong are useful interventions for weight loss, lowering blood pressure, improving blood lipid levels, and reducing blood glucose levels.[13,17]

Regular aerobic exercise improves your HDL or “good cholesterol” levels and can reduce blood pressure.[18,19] Regular activity improves breathing and circulation through your blood vessels to deliver nutrients and oxygen to all your cells and tissues.

Detoxification and Liver Health

Your liver is a major detoxification organ. Fatty liver disease develops with metabolic syndrome and damages the liver. A sluggish liver can’t adequately detoxify environmental chemicals. Furthermore, the liver produces and clears cholesterol, which explains the connection between abnormal blood lipid levels in metabolic syndrome. The most effective treatment for fatty liver disease is weight loss, which decreases fat in the liver and inflammation caused by the fat.[20]

Your Path to a Healthier Future

Reversing metabolic syndrome is not just a possibility, but an achievable goal with the right mindset and strategies. Our Integrative Health Coaching Program includes weekly visits to help you reach your goals and learn strategies for long-lasting results. Remember, every small change counts and contributes to a larger transformation – we’re rooting for you!

We’re here for you in your journey to Vibrant Health! To learn more, call us at 407-478-9797 or fill out our contact form and we’ll respond promptly by the next business day.

Located in Longwood, Florida, we serve Seminole County, Orange County and nearby counties and cities such as Longwood, Lake Mary, Winter Park, Orlando, Oviedo, Heathrow, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Winter Springs, Casselberry, Sanford, Windermere and more. We also offer telemedicine for all Florida residents.

References

[1] Fuentes AV, Pineda MD, Venkata KCN. Comprehension of Top 200 Prescribed Drugs in the US as a Resource for Pharmacy Teaching, Training and Practice. Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland). 2018;6(2).

[2] Grundy SM, Brewer HB, Jr., Cleeman JI, Smith SC, Jr., Lenfant C. Definition of metabolic syndrome: Report of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/American Heart Association conference on scientific issues related to definition. Circulation. 2004;109(3):433-438.

[3] Huang PL. A comprehensive definition for metabolic syndrome. Disease models & mechanisms. 2009;2(5-6):231-237.

[4] NIH. Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes. 2018; https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance.

[5] Mullur R, Liu YY, Brent GA. Thyroid hormone regulation of metabolism. Physiological reviews. 2014;94(2):355-382.

[6] Ottarsdottir K, Nilsson AG, Hellgren M, Lindblad U, Daka B. The association between serum testosterone and insulin resistance: a longitudinal study. Endocrine connections. 2018;7(12):1491-1500.

[7] Jones TH, Arver S, Behre HM, et al. Testosterone replacement in hypogonadal men with type 2 diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome (the TIMES2 study). Diabetes care. 2011;34(4):828-837.

[8] Morford J, Mauvais-Jarvis F. Sex differences in the effects of androgens acting in the central nervous system on metabolism. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience. 2016;18(4):415-424.

[9] Mauvais-Jarvis F, Manson JE, Stevenson JC, Fonseca VA. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention: Evidence, Mechanisms, and Clinical Implications. Endocrine reviews. 2017;38(3):173-188.

[10] Castro-Barquero S, Ruiz-León AM, Sierra-Pérez M, Estruch R, Casas R. Dietary Strategies for Metabolic Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients. 2020;12(10).

[11] Skulas-Ray AC, Wilson PWF, Harris WS, et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Management of Hypertriglyceridemia: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2019;140(12):e673-e691.

[12] Wang T, Zhang X, Zhou N, et al. Association Between Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake and Dyslipidemia: A Continuous Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2023;12(11):e029512.

[13] McBenedict B, Orfao AL, Goh KS, et al. The Role of Alternative Medicine in Managing Type 2 Diabetes: A Comprehensive Review. Cureus. 2024;16(6):e61965.

[14] Guilliams TG, Edwards L. Chronic stress and the HPA axis. The standard. 2010;9(2):1-12.

[16] Childs E, de Wit H. Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in physiology. 2014;5:161.

[17] Li S, Wang P, Wang J, Zhao J, Wang X, Liu T. Effect of mind-body exercise on risk factors for metabolic syndrome including insulin resistance: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in endocrinology. 2024;15:1289254.

[18] Franczyk B, Gluba-Brzózka A, Ciałkowska-Rysz A, Ławiński J, Rysz J. The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on HDL Quantity and Quality: A Narrative Review. International journal of molecular sciences. 2023;24(5).

[19] Lopes S, Mesquita-Bastos J, Alves AJ, Ribeiro F. Exercise as a tool for hypertension and resistant hypertension management: current insights. Integrated blood pressure control. 2018;11:65-71.[20] Vilar-Gomez E, Martinez-Perez Y, Calzadilla-Bertot L, et al. Weight Loss Through Lifestyle Modification Significantly Reduces Features of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Gastroenterology. 2015;149(2):367-378.e365; quiz e314-365.

[20] Vilar-Gomez E, Martinez-Perez Y, Calzadilla-Bertot L, et al. Weight Loss Through Lifestyle Modification Significantly Reduces Features of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Gastroenterology. 2015;149(2):367-378.e365; quiz e314-365.

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