The metabolic syndrome identifies a condition in which several factors contribute to a greater probability of developing heart disease and diabetes. Some natural ingredients, typically contained in high quality supplements, can prove to be excellent allies in restoring normal physiological functions, working in synergy with traditional drug therapy.
The metabolic syndrome was identified in 1988 by an American doctor who identified a correlation between the frequency of type-2 diabetes mellitus and other common cardiovascular diseases. It is an increasingly present pathological condition and its prevalence grows parallel to that of obesity and those defined as “well-being diseases”.
The metabolic syndrome does not identify a specific pathology but a condition in which several factors contribute to a greater probability of developing heart disease and diabetes. Among these we find insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, central obesity, carbohydrate intolerance or type-2 diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia and high blood pressure. Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when an individual has 3 of the following 5 conditions:
- Waist circumference greater than 102cm for men and 88cm for women;
- Blood values of triglycerides equal to or greater than 150mg / dl;
- HDL cholesterol blood levels lower than 40mg / dl for men and 50mg / dl for women;
- Blood pressure equal to or greater than 130/85mmHg;
- Fasting blood glucose levels equal to or greater than 110mg / dl.
It is an extremely dangerous condition because sufferers have a double risk of developing heart disease and a five times higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
The therapeutic path is based on three actions:
- Balance diet, aimed at reducing abdominal fat;
- Physical activity, to help weight loss, improve the state of hypertension and restore a normal carbohydrate and lipid metabolism;
- Specific drug therapy for hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridemia and weight loss.
Some ingredients contained in food supplements can prove to be excellent allies, working in synergy with traditional drug therapy.
Among these ingredients we find:
- Forskolin: active ingredient present in a plant of oriental origin, Coleus Forskohlii, which according to scientific studies acts on several levels: it mobilizes fats from the body’s deposits, stimulates the thyroid by increasing metabolism and increases the release of norepinephrine, improving the metabolic profile;
- Quercetin: flavonoid that reduces inflammation in the adipose tissue, promoting greater mobilization and use of fat stores;
- Fermented red rice (Monacolin K): monacolin obtained from the fermentation of red rice by a yeast capable of controlling the levels of cholesterol in the blood, reversibly inhibiting the endogenous production of cholesterol;
- Omega 3: polyunsaturated fatty acids that contribute to the maintenance of normal levels of triglycerides in the blood, to the maintenance of normal blood pressure and to normal heart function;
- Probiotics: probiotics are widely used in the health field due to their ability to restore the composition of intestinal bacteria, repair damage to the intestinal muscle and produce molecules (short-chain fatty acids) with a strong anti-inflammatory action.
The use of supplements, associated with an active lifestyle and proper nutrition, can therefore be a winning approach, always under the supervision of a doctor.