 | More About Metabolism | The endocrine system is a complex collection of hormone-producing glands that control basic body functions. Many of the hormones produced by the endocrine glands interact with each other to maintain balance. The amount of hormones produced by each gland is carefully balanced. Too much or too little of a certain hormone can have effects throughout the body and cause various endocrine disorders. Metabolism is the chemical activity that occurs in cells, releasing energy from nutrients or using energy to create other substances, such as proteins. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a measurement of energy required to keep the body functioning at rest. Measured in calories, metabolic rates increase with exertion, stress, fear and illness. |
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Healthy aging requires knowledge of risks for the development of diseases. There has been recent research that identifies a constellation of health status findings as the metabolic syndrome. The name comes from the fact that the syndrome is made up of a number of factors that are a direct result of disordered or abnormal body metabolism functions. As we all know, the human body is a miraculous machine that allows us to think, see, run, play, work, and sleep. To make the machine work, many important metabolic processes occur. When we eat, raw materials we ingest become energy. Fluids we drink help keep the circulatory system full so that the heart can pump energy laden materials to various tissues. However, as we age, things begin to go wrong with these highly organized processes, and many of us develop the metabolic syndrome. What is the metabolic syndrome?
The metabolic syndrome exists in a person if three or more of the following physical findings and laboratory risk factors are found at the doctor’s office: - It exists if central obesity — defined as a waist circumference in women of greater than 35 inches and in men of greater than 40 inches — is present.
- It exists if fasting blood triglycerides are greater than 150 mg/dL.
- It exists if blood high density lipoprotein is less than 50 mg/dL in women and less than 40 mg/dL in men.
- It exists if blood pressure is greater than 130/85.
- It exists if fasting blood glucose is greater than 110 mg/dL. As we age, our body works less ideally. The major change is the way that the body responds to insulin. With ineffective use of insulin, more is secreted and blood sugars rise. This leads to increased weight, retention of salt and hypertension, and a host of other problems.
What is significant about this syndrome?
Being labeled as a person with the metabolic syndrome means a significantly higher risk of many debilitating or life-threatening diseases. These diseases include type II diabetes, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, liver failure, sleep apnea, dementia with aging, and cognitive decline in the elderly. In other words, a diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome is an important call for action since it can be both prevented and treated. Prevention and treatment
The best preventive approach is to diet and exercise. Goals should be to stay within normal gender and age weight profiles. The best diet is rich in fiber, fruits, lean meats and “good” fats such as olive oil. Some risk factors of the metabolic syndrome have specific treatments such as statins for high cholesterol, various prescribed drugs for high blood glucose, and a wide variety of anti-hypertensive drugs for the control of hypertension. Naturally, a combination of diet, lifestyle choices, and medications prescribed by your physician are important. Who is likely to develop metabolic syndrome?
The people most likely to develop the metabolic syndrome have a family history of type II diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Approximately 20 to 30 percent of the population will develop metabolic syndrome. As many as one in four American adults and 40 percent of adults 40 or older have the syndrome. Adults who gain 5 or more pounds per year raise their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by as much as 45 percent. Conclusion
It is important to prevent or aggressively treat the metabolic syndrome. Prevention and treatment are best done by living a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise 30 minutes a day and with careful eating. Regular check-ups with your physician are important to prevent, diagnose, avoid, and treat this potentially deadly cluster of symptoms. Additional online resources outside MUSChealth.com:
(MedlinePlus, is an excellent source of health information from the world's largest medical library, the National Library of Medicine. Health professionals and consumers alike can depend on it for information that is authoritative and up to date. MedlinePlus has extensive information from the National Institutes of Health and other trusted sources on over 650 diseases and conditions.) Please note that by searching MEDLINEPLUS you will be leaving the MUSChealth.com web |
