Metabolic syndrome, also called Syndrome X, is a combination of factors that increase risk of cardiovascular disease. This syndrome also puts you at risk for diabetes and stroke. The cause is unknown, but contributing factors include genetics, aging, poor diet and mental stress. Few symptoms are visible, so diagnosis requires medical tests such as cholesterol and blood sugar tests.
Abdominal Fat
Excess abdominal fat is a strong indicator of metabolic syndrome. A waist measurement of more than 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women is a concern. While fat around the hips and thighs, or subcutaneous fat, appears to pose minimal health risks, belly fat, or visceral fat, may raise your risk for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Hypertension
Obesity and high blood pressure often appear together. Normal blood pressure is around 120/80 mm Hg. Blood pressure of 130/85 or higher, combined with other symptoms, could indicate metabolic disorder. This level indicates prehypertension, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. If your blood pressure is in this range, though, you're likely to develop hypertension unless you take action to improve your health.
Hyperglycemia
Another sign of metabolic syndrome is hyperglycemia or high blood sugar. A fasting blood glucose level of 150 mg/dl or more is associated with metabolic syndrome. A healthy, fasting blood sugar level is under 126 mg/dl, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Levels that remain above 160 mg/dl for long periods pose significant health risks. Increased thirst and urination may indicate high blood sugar.
Cholesterol Problems
While excess LDL cholesterol may harm your health, sufficient levels of HDL cholesterol may protect your heart, according to the American Heart Association. If you're a man with HDL levels of less than 40 mg/dl or a women with levels of less than 50 mg/dl, you may have metabolic syndrome. Triglyceride levels of more than 150 mg/dl are another sign of this syndrome.
Fatigue and Pain
If you are fatigued constantly and have less tolerance for physical exercise than you used to, this could indicate a risk for metabolic syndrome, according to New York University's Langone Medical Center. Back pain and pain in the knees can also point to metabolic syndrome.
Breathing Difficulties
Shortness of breath is among the symptoms of metabolic disorder. Another sign is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs either when soft tissues in the throat briefly close and impair breathing or when the brain doesn't correctly signal the lungs to breathe. This condition alone can lead to weight gain and cardiovascular problems.
References
- University of Chicago Medical Center: Metabolic Syndrome
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: Belly Fat or Hip Fat -- It Really Is All In Your Genes
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Pressure
- Joslin Diabetes Center: What is High Blood Glucose?
- American Heart Association: Good vs. Bad Cholesterol
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