Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of complications. By its sheer nature, it is a cluster of health conditions that occur simultaneously, and as such, complicates your health in many other ways.
If you have three or more of the following conditions, abdominal obesity, high triglyceride levels, low HDL cholesterol, high blood sugar (resulting from insulin resistance), and high blood pressure, you may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Now, each of these has its own set of complications! By adding three or more to the mix you can develop even more serious complications.
The presence of any one of the five conditions does not immediately signify metabolic syndrome, so your doctor will conduct a series of tests. However, the presence of at least three can lead to metabolic syndrome and increase your risk of developing grave health problems that can ultimately be life-threatening.
Here are some of the health complications that can occur with, or as a result of metabolic syndrome:
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Steatosis)
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) results from the buildup of extra fat in the liver cells. NAFLD is not caused by alcohol, but by the presence of too much fat in the liver. It is typically normal for the liver to contain fat, but in excess amounts, it becomes a serious condition known as steatosis or fatty liver.
Fatty liver is closely linked to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. This condition poses serious health risks and can be one of the complications resulting from metabolic syndrome.
Hardening of the Arteries (Atherosclerosis)
Arteries carry blood to many other parts of the body. However, arteries can become hardened and grow narrow as a result of high cholesterol causing plaque to build up. When the arteries are hardened and blocked by plaque, this disease is known as atherosclerosis. This condition limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart, the organs, and several parts of the body causing a blockage that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and possibly even death.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
According to a study from the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology, people with metabolic syndrome have a 55% chance of developing chronic kidney disease, particularly lowered kidney function. Kidney disease is one of several health complications caused by metabolic syndrome.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS symptoms include irregularities in the menstrual cycle, fertility issues, hyperandrogenism (which is when the female has high levels of androgen), and hirsutism (a problem with hair growing on the back and face, etc., similar to a man’s hair growth pattern.)
Many women diagnosed with PCOS also exhibit features of metabolic syndrome, such as visceral obesity, insulin resistance, and hyper-insulinaemia. This puts PCOS diagnosed women at an equally greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This doesn’t mean that if you have metabolic syndrome you will get PCOS, but if you do have PCOS you have to take preventative measures to avoid the complication of developing metabolic syndrome.
Diabetes Mellitus (DM)
Metabolic syndrome can lead to the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In fact, type-2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and obesity are closely linked conditions that all often lead to cardiovascular complications.
Insulin resistance precedes type 2 diabetes. It may be affected by genetics and aging factors, but the main driving force behind insulin resistance is really from eating a poor, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, and related bad lifestyle habits.
If you don’t aggressively change your unhealthy habits and lifestyle, insulin resistance can progress into type 2 diabetes mellitus. At the onset of diabetes, further health complications can develop. It can become a vicious circle of health complications.
As you can see, having three or more conditions that make up metabolic syndrome is bad enough, but to develop further complications can be extremely debilitating.
