Metabolic Syndrome includes:

1. Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
2. Type 2 Diabetes
3. Obesity
4. Non alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
5. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
6. Gout
7. Vascular conditions including vascular dementia
8. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

This flow chart shows how high blood glucose causes more insulin release, storing glucose in the body as fat, including in the liver and pancreas ( a normal physiological process).  In some people this system is overloaded, which can lead to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.  

This video is by two GPs.  Although it is for a different clinic, your NHS GP Team can help with all these different aspects of your metabolic health.  Just ask... 

Insulin drives glucose into liver and muscles cells, and coverts the remaining

glucose to be stored as fat.  Both images from Kelly, Unwin and Finucane 2020

So where is the good news? 

What can I do about it?

 We can each optimise our own metabolic health, reverse the conditions caused by insulin resistance and feel better, by addressing the following lifestyle factors. 

• Nutrition: Eat ‘real food’, avoid processed foods, lower sugary foods and starchy carbohydrates.   Include essential 'healthy' natural fats.  Our lower carbohydrate page gives some helpful information on different aspects of healthy eating and drinking.  There are links to some alternative switches too.     
• Physical Activity: Move more, be less sedentary 
• Stress: Reduce stressors on mental and physical health
• Sleep:  Optimise sleep.  Check out our Resource resource.

Markers of Metabolic Health

Markers of metabolic health used by your GP Practice Team:

1. Blood glucose
2. Blood lipids including Triglycerides, HDL and LDL
3. Liver function tests
4. Increase waist circumference and BMI > 30
5. Raised blood pressure

Specific numbers suggestive of metabolic syndrome can be found here. 

You can ask your GP for a copy of your own results.

In this video Dr Campbell Murdoch (GP) explains metabolic health 

What Has Glucose Got To Do With It?

The average total blood in the human body is about 5L.  Within that blood at any one time should be around just one teaspoon of glucose. 

1. Glucose is found in food and drinks. Starchy foods are also glucose: starch is made glucose molecules “holding hands!”   When digested, starch is broken down to GLUCOSE. Click here to see some ‘sugar’ equivalents in every day foods.  You might be surprised. 
2. Insulin (the hormone) is released to push energy from the glucose and carbs that we eat, into cells to fuel our body. It reduces the amount of glucose circulating in the blood stream, as too much circulating glucose can be toxic. It is released in response to eating sugars and cabs. Insulin is the MASTER HORMONE. We cannot burn fat when Insulin is circulating. 
3. Insulin:                                                                                      a) Shuts off burning fat reserves                                         b) Stores excess glucose that isn’t used in your liver as glucose stores (glycogen) and                                             c) Converts the reamining glucose to fat in your body (increasing obesity) and in your liver.  Insulin also makes you feel more hungry e.g. a biscuit causes a spike in insulin, which dramatically shoots up and pushes the glucose into cells, overshoots, and you feel hungry again.  Other foods with lower glucose, cause a slower, lower rise in insulin so you feel fuller for longer e.g. less starchy veg, proteins, healthy fats (See the Lower Carb Section).
4. Increased fat in your liver, causes ‘Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease’ and around your pancreas, both leading to insulin resistance and onto Type 2 Diabetes.  Both of these led to increased glucose in your blood (return to point 2).  
5. Physical activity will also ‘utilise’ some of the glucose (muscles).  Being more sedentary reduces the uptake into muscles.  
6. Cortisol (stress hormone) increases glucose availability for energy use in the short term, but prolonged stress and poor sleep leads to prolonged high glucose levels

Dr Dan Maggs (GP) explains 5 ways you can lower your insulin levels

Dr Rangan Chaterjee (GP) discusses 4 simple tips to reverse Type 2 Diabetes.  Guess what  - it's the same things that can help metabolic syndrome!