Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions, one of which is obesity. Obesity has been noted as one of the highest risk factors. Abdominal obesity is as it sounds, the excessive accumulation of fat within the abdominal cavity. This massive burden that obesity causes to people’s health and lives go beyond its effect on several body organs.
Obesity can also cause ‘meta-inflammation,’ which is metabolically-triggered inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s natural defense process. It is how the body’s white blood cells naturally protect itself from harmful pathogens, infections, viruses, and toxins. It is a coordinated body response to harmful stimuli, to ultimately restore the body to a healthy state.
The immune system perceives toxins resulting from poor diet in the same way as a viral attack, and inflammation results. Unfortunately, the resultant inflammation does not help resolve the problem and generally makes it worse.
Meta-inflammation is a low-grade, chronic inflammatory response by the immune system that disrupts the metabolic homeostasis in the body over time. Obese children are at risk of meta-inflammation throughout their lives.
Although the link between inflammation and metabolic syndrome has not been clearly established, meta-inflammation in the body is a certain outcome brought on by obesity.
Here are other potential triggers of inflammation in the body that are all linked to metabolic syndrome:
Fatty Liver
A fatty liver results from having too much fat in the liver caused by high triglyceride levels. The liver is the second largest body organ, which mainly helps filter toxins from your blood, as well as process nutrients from the food you consume. High triglyceride levels are a contributor to metabolic syndrome, which likewise can cause fatty liver disease.
A fatty liver goes through 4 stages, with cirrhosis of the liver being the most advanced stage. This stage can lead to liver failure. Liver failure causes irreversible organ damage. The scarring which occurs is caused by inflammation, a by-product of excessive fats in the liver cells, which can be a symptom of metabolic syndrome.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovarian syndrome / PCOS is a hormonal disorder among some women, characterized by irregular menstruation, excess androgen hormones, and the ovaries failing to release eggs on time. PCOS causes a low-grade, chronic inflammation that stimulates the polycystic ovaries to produce excess male hormones known as androgen.
This condition may further trigger cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke. Metabolic syndrome and obesity are closely linked to PCOS, also a likely complication of the condition.
Excess Belly Fat
You may think that excess belly fat is just flab. You may even laugh about it. However, it is no laughing matter because belly fat has dangerous fat cells that are in close proximity to the organs, such as the liver and the pancreas.
The presence of excess belly fat (or abdominal obesity) is a huge risk for developing metabolic syndrome. The fat cells are highly active, and they secrete hormones and chemicals that cause other metabolic syndrome symptoms, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin insensitivity, and inflammation throughout the body.
High Triglyceride Levels
Very high levels of triglycerides are known to cause acute inflammation within the pancreas, a condition known as pancreatitis. A serum triglyceride level beyond 1000 to 2000 mg/dl is a risk factor for pancreatitis.
Are metabolic syndrome and inflammation linked? They certainly appear to be.
