Fenugreek & Syndrome X

All the risk factors associated with syndrome X, also called metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance syndrome, are related to obesity, according to PubMed Health. If you are diagnosed with syndrome X, you have a higher chance of cardiac disease and diabetes. Fenugreek, an Asian spice, appears to lower blood glucose levels and stimulate the immune system. Do not attempt to treat yourself with fenugreek without speaking with a qualified health professional.

About Syndrome X

Syndrome X is a collection of risk factors that together raise the possibility of type-2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and stroke. Two risk factors, insulin resistance and abdominal obesity, are the most significant in predicting the disease. Other factors include genetic inheritance, aging and insufficient exercise. Signs of syndrome X include high blood pressure, high fasting blood glucose, large waist measurement and high cholesterol. Conventional treatment consists of lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking and increasing exercise. Your doctor may also recommend drugs to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

About Fenugreek

Ancient physicians such as Hippocrates understood the medicinal value of fenugreek over 2,500 years ago. Fenugreek is a legume that can be cooked into a nutritious porridge for invalids. It is also used by traditional healers to sooth upset stomachs and calm chest coughs and congestion, according to Deepak Chopra, M.D., author of "The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook." Fenugreek seeds contain an aromatic volatile oil along with alkaloids, flavonoids, polysaccharides and saponins.

Antioxidant Properties

Oxidation occurs when unstable oxygen molecules known as free radicals remove electrons from other molecules in order to achieve stability. In doing so, free radicals can cause a cascade of chemical damage in your body. Oxidative stress is the cumulative effect of oxidation and other stressors in your environment, including pollution, pesticides and tobacco smoke. It is now acknowledged to be a risk factor in conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Fenugreek appears to relieve oxidative stress in animals with syndrome X according to a study published in a 2009 issue of the "British Journal of Nutrition."

Scientific Studies

In the "British Journal of Nutrition" study, syndrome X was artificially created in both diabetic and obese rats. Researchers then administered Egyptian fenugreek seed powder to both groups. Fenugreek reduced syndrome X symptoms in both the diabetic and obese animals. Specifically, it lowered high blood glucose levels and high lipid, or fat, levels. Fenugreek seed powder also reduced body weight, improved liver function and combated factors leading to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Scientists concluded that in addition to benefiting animals with syndrome X, fenugreek can stimulate their immune system and may be eventually prove useful for patients with compromised immunity.