Metabolic Syndrome Part 1

Metabolic Syndrome Part 1

By Patricia Ryan MD, CCN

     Concerned about your expanding waistline, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol?  These are all signs that there are significant changes happening to your cardiovascular system, your kidneys, and your brain.  It’s called Metabolic Syndrome and it means that you are at risk to develop diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

     The one thing that is common between all of the above maladies is an elevated insulin level or “insulin resistance”.  Insulin tells the cells of your body to absorb glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids.  It tells your body to store fat instead of turning it into fuel, and to store sugar as glycogen in your liver.  It also tells your body to make triglycerides.  So if someone is “insulin resistant” they cannot use the insulin in their blood.  Therefore there is too much insulin circulating in their blood.

     An insulin resistant individual will then begin to store fat on their abdomen, will start having elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, and will start getting fatty infiltration of the liver (this is a cause of cirrhosis!).   In addition, elevated insulin levels are associated with elevated blood pressure; and inflammation, decrease in kidney function, and plaque begins to form in your blood vessels.

     How does someone become insulin resistant?  You may have a genetic predisposition.  So if it runs in your family, you may be at risk.  Eating too many simple carbohydrates will cause a rapid blood sugar rise.  When this occurs, your body releases the amount of insulin that it thinks it needs to handle the sugar load you just ate.  However, if it is a rapid rise in the sugar, the body will over-secrete insulin, and you will have too much insulin circulating in your blood.  This is when insulin resistance begins. When this happens repeatedly, the body quits responding to insulin.  At this point, you are still just insulin resistant.  It this continues, it worsens and you have Type II Diabetes.  But don’t wait until you have diabetes to do something about it!

     In addition to a diet high in simple sugars, lack of exercise will contribute to an elevated insulin level.  It turns out that our muscle cells can absorb sugar directly from our blood without the need for insulin!  Exercise will lower your blood sugar and lower your insulin level.  It turns out that sleep makes a difference as well.  While we sleep we secrete the hormone melatonin.  Melatonin is a powerful immune regulator.  If we do not sleep well, melatonin secretion gets disrupted, which causes our prolactin level to rise, and subsequently a rise in insulin.  You therefore can get fat just from lack of sleep (remember insulin tells the body to store fat).

     Let’s look at a hypothetical person named “Joe”.  Joe is 35 years old, 30 pounds over-weight, has elevated triglycerides and cholesterol, has a blood pressure of 135/90, a blood glucose of 100, GERD, poor dietary and exercise habits.  Where is Joe headed?

·  In 1 - 5 years:  Statin (cholesterol lowering med), Proton pump inhibitor (ex: prilosec), and ACE/HCTZ (blood pressure medicine).

·  In 5-10 years:  Statin, PPI, ACE/HCTZ, and now METFORMIN (diabetes med) and NSAID (arthritis med).

·  In 10-20 years:  Statin, PPI, ACE/HCTZ, Metformin, NSAID, and one or two more blood pressure meds -- Calcium Channel Blocker, and/or Beta Blocker.

     The above drugs commonly prescribed for Obesity/Insulin Resistance cause nutrient depletions that create additional health problems:

·  Thiazide diuretics  - depletes CoQ10, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, and Zinc.

·  Potassium sparing diuretics (HCTZ) - depletes Calcium, Folate, and Zinc

·  Statin Drugs (Lipitor, etc) - depletes CoQ10, selenium, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Omega 3 fatty acids, and cholesterol.

·  Metformin (glucophage) - depletes Vitamin B12, Folate, CoQ10, Vitamin B6

·  Sulfonoureas (diabetes med) depletes CoQ10

·  ACE inhibitors (lisinopril) - depletes sodium and zinc

·  Beta Blockers (metoprolol) - depletes CoQ10, and Melatonin!

·  NSAIDS (Aleve, Aspirin) - cause kidney dysfunction and weakens the junction between the cells in your gut, therefore contributing to food allergies and leaky gut.

·  Proton pump inhibitors (Nexium) - depletes Beta Carotene, Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, protein.

     What is CoQ10 used for and why is it important?  CoQ10 protects against the aging of muscle tissue and the heart is a muscle. It is an anti-oxidant and protects you cells against damage.  It is a nutrient required to make ATP to supply every cell in the body with ENERGY.  A deficiency is directly correlated with damage to the kidney and the cells lining your blood vessels.  It reduces cardiac arrhythmias and helps congestive heart failure.

     How about Vitamin D?  The more Vitamin D in your blood, the less insulin resistance, so it is protective of potential Type 2 diabetes risk.  It has been documented to protect against 15 different cancers, prevents hypertension, and osteoporosis.  It also seems to be an immune system regulator.

    

     Magnesium is a mineral that the majority of Americans are already deficient in BEFORE they take any of the above medications.  Studies suggest that magnesium intake is inversely related to the risk of hypertension and Type 2 diabetes.  Symptoms of magnesium depletion include:  muscle cramps, migraines, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, increased blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, blood sugar dysregulation, and more.

     Zinc is needed to make both the insulin receptor and the insulin molecule itself.  It is also very important for wound repair and collagen synthesis.  It is extremely important for normal immune system function.

     Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, red blood cell abnormalities, and affects many functions of the body.

     Cholesterol is a nutrient needed for healthy brain cells.  It is also the precursor molecule for not only Vitamin D, but all of your steroid hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, DHEA, aldosterone, and pregnenalone.

     Given the nutrient deficiencies caused by prescription medications, and the importance of these nutrients in body functions and overall health- Need I go on?  Does anyone see a potential problem here?

     There is something you can do about it.  In fact there is a lot you can do about it.  YOU can reverse insulin resistance, bring your cholesterol down, lose you abdominal fat, help your joint pain, and lower your blood pressure.  In Part 2 of this article Kathi Bratberg, RN and Holistic Nutritionist, will explain how our new “Low Carb Lifestyle” program can help you halt and even reverse Metabolic Syndrome. Find out why Metabolic Syndrome and the diseases that come of it are affecting more Americans than ever at younger and younger ages. Almost everyone is at risk, so learn how you can help yourself and your family. We are here to empower you! It’s all in your hands – and this is the meaning behind the logo I designed for Alternatives.  The power to heal is in your hands. –Patricia Ryan, MD, CCN