Nearly 42% of Americans are dealing with obesity, and around 70% of Americans are either overweight or obese.

62% of adults struggling with obesity have Metabolic Syndrome, as do 25% of overweight adults and around 10% of normal-weight individuals. The worst part is, these numbers are steadily increasing, as more and more of us are struggling with our weight and our health in general.

Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of signs and symptoms that significantly increase your risk of chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, neurological disease, liver disease, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Since the pandemic, rates of obesity, weight issues, and Metabolic Syndrome are growing at an increasing rate, in kids as well as adults. Some estimates are suggesting that kids and teens today have a 57% chance of becoming obese by age 35.

One final stat to highlight the importance here: since 2019, our average life expectancy has dropped from 79 years to 76 years.

If the way we’re doing things is working, why are these rates increasing, and why is our life expectancy decreasing?

This information isn’t meant to be “fat-shaming.” We need to understand the impact that bearing excess weight can have on our health, and all of us need to realize that our American lifestyle is placing us at a huge risk for chronic disease and early death and disability.

What Is Metabolic Syndrome?

Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of signs and symptoms that put you at high risk for a variety of chronic diseases, also called Insulin Resistance Syndrome or Syndrome X. Metabolic Syndrome itself is not a disease, just a group of signs and symptoms that tell us that something is wrong and that you’re at a much higher risk for chronic illness.

In general, there are 5 major signs of Metabolic Syndrome:

• Abdominal obesity - Having a waist circumference of more than 35 inches for women and more than 40 inches for men

• High blood pressure - Blood pressure at a level of 130/80 mmHg or higher is considered high blood pressure or hypertension. Taking medication for high blood pressure is also considered a sign of Metabolic Syndrome.

• Impaired fasting blood glucose - Fasting blood glucose (blood sugar) 100 mg/dL or higher is considered impaired; this is also called prediabetes. Taking medication to control your blood sugar is also considered a sign of Metabolic Syndrome.

• High triglyceride levels - Triglyceride levels higher than 150 mg/dL are considered high. Taking medication to manage your triglyceride levels is also considered a sign of Metabolic Syndrome.

• Low HDL cholesterol - Less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women is considered low. Taking medication to manage your cholesterol is also considered a sign of Metabolic Syndrome.

If you have 3/5 of these risk factors, you meet the criteria for having Metabolic Syndrome (note that this is not a diagnosis, as you must see a healthcare provider to check these things and properly diagnose you with Metabolic Syndrome).

What Causes Metabolic Syndrome?

The exact cause of Metabolic Syndrome varies from person to person and from case to case, but there are a number of contributing factors.

1. Insulin Resistance - Insulin Resistance is the most prominent factor contributing to Metabolic Syndrome. Insulin is a hormone that primarily controls your blood sugar; normally, when your blood sugar rises (like after a meal), your pancreas will secrete insulin to tell your cells to absorb that sugar. However, if, like most Americans, you’re eating too many carbs or eating too frequently, your cells get tired of responding to the insulin and stop absorbing the sugar, so your blood sugar remains at a high level. This insulin resistance also contributes to a number of other health issues, including polycystic ovarian syndrome, weight gain, and fatigue.

2. Poor Sleep & High Stress - Poor sleep and high stress both impact how your body’s metabolism functions. In our American society, most people have issues with sleep and their circadian rhythm due to artificial light/screens, irregular sleep schedules, and the constant availability of food. Our body’s operate on a variety of “clocks,” most prominently our 24-hour sleep/wake cycle. This cycle is naturally regulated by the sun, so we wake up when it gets light out and get tired when it gets dark, but artificial lighting and screens tell your brain that it’s the middle of the day, so this cycle gets thrown off. As a result, your body has a harder time to function your metabolism, as your metabolic pathways operate a lot off of the time of day and what you should be doing at that time. Sleep deprivation and circadian rhythm issues can lead to increased hunger and decreased satiety (i.e. you’re always eating), increased cravings for carbs and sugar, and decreased tolerance to glucose (meaning your body has a harder time managing the sugar you’re eating). Stress also plays a role in this, changing your sleep cycles and impacting how your body manages sugar and glucose.

3. Visceral Adipose Tissue - Visceral adipose tissue is fat that’s collected around your organs. Research has shown that this visceral adipose tissue or central obesity can create serious health issues, as it changes how your organs function. Additionally, this fat tissue will secrete hormones that make you less satiated by food and create a proinflammatory environment, priming you for disease and dysfunction.

4. Blood Sugar Dysregulation - Blood sugar dysregulation is a factor in multiple diseases, including diabetes and reactive hypoglycemia. Many Americans struggle with blood sugar regulation issues, meaning that their blood sugar will surge too high then crash, creating issues with your brain and hormones. Your brain operates primarily off of your blood sugar/glucose, and when that suddenly crashes after you ate too many carbs, your brain is running on low fuel, so it gets tired, creating that fatigue/tiredness after lunch or another large meal. Additionally, these surges and crashes cause the release of stress hormones in your body, creating issues with stress, anxiety, and overall cortisol and adrenal function.

5. Unregulated Nutrient Flux - Certain nutrients, like fructose, alcohol, and trans fats, can only be metabolized by your liver. Basically, any time you eat any of these foods, your liver has to get rid of every molecule you eat on its own, with no outside help. This puts a huge strain on the liver, and can quickly lead to issues like fatty liver disease, as the liver may not have time to properly get rid of the byproducts of dealing with these nutrients. Your liver is a critical part of your body, and when it starts to have issues, the rest of your body will often follow. This unregulated nutrient flux will happen every time you eat something with a notable amount of fructose (high-fructose corn syrup, table sugar, agave syrup, and most other processed sugars), alcohol (any “adult beverage”), or trans fats (most processed foods, and anything with the words “hydrogenated” in the ingredients). Over time, the strain of these nutrients on your liver can increase your amounts of visceral fat, increase your overall hunger/cravings, and increase your uric acid levels (which is associated with gout, Metabolic Syndrome, and fatty liver disease).

6. Microcirculatory & Vascular Dysfunction - A significant aspect of Metabolic Syndrome and cardiovascular disease is microcirculatory and vascular dysfunction, basically meaning that your blood vessels and capillaries aren’t functioning right. Your blood vessels and capillaries can be damaged by high blood sugar and oxidized fats (usually fats eaten with processed carbs, like from a hamburger on a white bun with French fries). When the blood vessels are damaged, they tend to get less elastic and your heart must work harder to push blood through them, leading to hypertension/high blood pressure. Damaged capillaries and other small blood vessels can impair nitric oxide production, which keeps the blood vessels tight and constricted, further increasing pressure on your heart.

7. Metabolic Disrupting Chemicals - Artificial compounds are often structurally similar to the hormones in your body, and thus can often act like or block these hormones, changing how your body functions. In terms of Metabolic Syndrome, these chemicals can increase the number and size of your fat cells, decrease your metabolic rate, and change your microbiome (more on that in the next point). Bisphenol A (BPA) is a prominent example of a metabolic disrupting chemical, commonly found in plastics and papers. DDT is another example, commonly used in pesticides and herbicides. There are a number of other problematic chemicals, including PFAs and phthalates, but that’s not what this is about. These metabolic disrupting chemicals are typically “dose-dependent,” meaning that their effects are proportional to how much you’re exposed. If you try to limit your exposure, you don’t have to be perfect, as the occasional exposure may not be a big deal.

8. Gut Dysbiosis & Endotoxins - Research is finding that your gut and the little bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in it are complexly tied into the rest of your body and your overall health and function. Your microbiome regulates many aspects of your body, including your nervous system, your hormones, and your overall metabolic function. Certain bacteria promote obesity, weight gain, metabolic dysfunction, and ultimately Metabolic Syndrome and other diseases, while others are highly associated with health, normal weight, and ideal metabolic function. Making the gut and microbiome happy and healthy is often the first step to promoting health elsewhere in the body.

There are a number of other factors that can contribute to Metabolic Syndrome. One of the most prominent of these other factors is genetics. Many people believe that your genetics are your destiny, meaning that just because one of your parents had diabetes (or heart disease, or high cholesterol, or Alzheimer’s, or whatever), you’re definitely going to get that disease as well. This is true in a minority of cases. More often, another saying is more relevant: your genetics load the gun, but your choices and your environment pull the trigger. This means that even though your genetics might put you at higher risk for developing some disease, your lifestyle choices play a huge role in whether or not you actually develop that disease. If you lead a healthy lifestyle (managing stress, eating well, exercising, etc.), your risk for developing these diseases will drop significantly in most cases. (That said, your genes can inform your lifestyle choices. We offer nutrigenomic testing, which looks at your genes and the processes they impact to provide personalized lifestyle and diet recommendations. Click here to read more about the benefits of nutrigenomic testing.)

In addition to genetics, two other issues are likely contributing to our increasing rates of obesity and Metabolic Syndrome: too much high-calorie/low-fiber/low-nutrient foods (like McDonalds and potato chips and pop), and too little or no physical activity. The processed foods are not designed to fill you up, rather they are meant to keep you eating as much as possible, for as long as possible, without providing you any notable nutrients or health benefits (and no, despite what the internet or anyone at Tufts says, Lucky Charms are NOT healthier than steak). Additionally, so much of our society promotes sedentary behavior - sit at your desk from 9-5, then go home and sit in front of the TV binging the latest trendy show until you wake up tomorrow and do it all over again.

How Do I Manage Metabolic Syndrome?

The management of Metabolic Syndrome can be challenging, as it requires a unique and individualized approach based on the risk factors/signs that you have. Controlling blood sugar will require a different approach than controlling blood pressure, for example. That said, there are some things you can do regardless of what exactly your risk factors are:

• Eat a healthy diet - Diet is the single most important thing you can change to help mange your Metabolic Syndrome, as it is the thing we do most wrong as Americans. But what does “eating a healthy diet” mean? We usually define a healthy diet as one that focuses on whole foods, meaning primarily meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and some seeds. Basically, nothing from McDonalds, and almost nothing out of a box or a bag. Whole foods are more nutritious, have less chemicals in them, and aren’t designed to make you addicted to that food, like processed foods are. They make you feel full faster and keep you fuller for longer. An added bonus is that you usually have to prepare these meals yourself, which can be a great opportunity for family time and bonding with your spouse or kids. Read more about eating a healthy diet in this blog post about In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan.

• Exercise - Exercise doesn’t have to mean going the gym and pumping iron for two hours a day, five days a week (but if you want to do that, then great!). The general recommendation is that you get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, minimum 5 days per week (but more is better, as the American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 210 minutes of exercise per week to promote weight loss). This can be a walk around the neighborhood or around an indoor track, a bike ride, snowshoeing, a yoga flow (many classes are available on YouTube, I personally enjoy Five Parks Yoga), or anything else you enjoy that gets you up and moving around. Some research has suggested that you can get your 30+ minutes of activity in by doing 3 10-minute bouts of exercise, which works if a 30 minute walk feels daunting or doesn’t fit well in your schedule. Regardless of what you choose to do, the fact is that you need to move more.

• Get good sleep - Getting good, high-quality sleep will help your body heal like it’s supposed to, while also managing your cravings and hunger. Most adults need at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night, but some need as much as 8 or 9 hours. If you have sleep issues, there are a number of factors that can contribute to that, like using screens/electronics before bedtime, not having a consistent bedtime or wake-up time, and drinking too much caffeine. You need to find what works for you, but avoiding screens for at least an hour or two before you go to sleep, using a sunrise alarm clock, and avoiding caffeine after 2 PM might be some good places to start.

• Manage stress - Most Americans exist in a high-stress lifestyle. Between work, family, money, health, and whatever else you have going on, there’s always a lot to worry about. Finding healthy ways to decrease and manage this stress is essential. Typically, you should first look at what things you do that you can trim - what’s stressing you out and not helping you at all? If you can get rid of that, then do; make the jump, and cut that out of your schedule/life. If you can’t find anything to trim, then start brainstorming ways to manage your stress. That might be meditation, or enjoying a slow cup of coffee to center yourself before work. It might be spending time with a friend or your family. It might be running or some other form of exercise. Whatever it is, you need to decrease your stress and learn how to manage it well.

Note that none of these recommendations are “lose weight.” While weight loss certainly helps to manage metabolic syndrome, losing weight is just not as easy as deciding to do it. Some people can drop weight without trying too hard, while others can do everything right but still end up at the same weight they started. What’s more important than weight loss is making the right choices, making choices that will support your health and well-being. If you start building a healthy lifestyle, focusing on things you can control (like your diet and exercise), weight loss will naturally follow. Focusing on the scale can be discouraging, so we always recommend making goals based on things you can easily control, like making 5 whole-foods-based, healthy meals at home each week, or getting a 30 minute walk in 6 days a week.

Parting Thoughts

Metabolic Syndrome is a complex condition that has many different causes and contributing factors. While it’s possible to manage it on your own, it may be worthwhile to see a healthcare professional to get an accurate diagnosis, rule out anything concerning, and point you in the right direction.

At Northbound Chiropractic, we are here to help you get on the right path, whatever that is for you. Click the button below or call or text us at (763) 373-9710 to learn more about scheduling an appointment with us.

Giving you my best,
Dr. Nicholas Carlson
Northbound Chiropractic
Serving Delano, MN, Maple Plain, and the rest of Wright and West Hennepin Counties