What is Metabolic Syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome (also known as Syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome) is technically not a disease, but a cluster of risk factors that increases your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. According to the American Heart Association, around 47 million adults in the United States currently suffer from metabolic syndrome, and this number continues to grow. While no one can say for sure what causes metabolic syndrome, a condition called insulin resistance is at the heart of it.

Understanding Insulin Resistance

Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas. This hormone helps your body use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. If your body is resistant to the effects of insulin, your pancreas will overcompensate and produce additional insulin. If your cells continue to resist even high levels of insulin, glucose will keep building up in your blood. This ultimately results in high blood glucose or type 2 diabetes. Being overweight, failing to engage in regular physical activity, and eating a poor diet can all play a role in a patient’s development of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

Risk Factors Involved in Metabolic Syndrome

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the following risk factors are involved in metabolic syndrome:

• Excess abdominal or belly fat
• Low levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL)
• High levels of triglycerides
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High blood glucose

Patients with three or more of the above risk factors are considered to have metabolic syndrome.

Treating Metabolic Syndrome with Weight Loss Surgery

For patients who are severely obese, weight loss surgery can play a significant role in controlling and eliminating metabolic syndrome, effectively reducing your risk of stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. A study in the Archives of Surgery reveals that obese individuals who underwent bariatric surgery experienced a 95.6% resolution of metabolic syndrome components (blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol levels) only a year after surgery. The study also reports that metabolic syndrome was completely resolved in:

• 95% of patients who underwent laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy
• 98.4% of patients who underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery

If you have further questions about metabolic syndrome and weight loss surgery, please contact us today to schedule a consultation with experienced bariatric surgeon Dr. Shyam Dahiya. Our practice serves patients in the Irvine, Riverside, and Los Angeles areas of California.