Insulin Resistance, Syndrome X and Metabolic Syndrome

By Steve Lankford

What do high blood sugar, abdominal obesity, hypertension, high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides have in common? They are all symptoms of insulin resistance, also known as Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance.

Insulin Resistance, Syndrome X and Metabolic Syndrome are terms that are unfamiliar to many. They all refer to the same condition and are used to give a name to this cluster of symptoms. I tend to prefer the term insulin resistance as it helps most people understand the problem. Insulin resistance is a problem that may affect as many as 60 million Americans and yet it is rarely addressed as the cause of many common symptoms. The suggestion is – if you have three or more of the symptoms listed, you should consider the possibility of insulin resistance as a causative factor.

There are multitudes of people who have several of these symptoms and are struggling to get these symptoms under control. The modern medical approach is to prescribe one drug upon another in the hopes of getting the symptoms under control. Getting the symptoms under control may be useful in reducing your risk however it rarely gets you closer to being healthier. In order to see the kinds of changes that improves your symptoms and reduces your need for medication you must look to nature and helping the body heal itself. Even when using natural approaches to healing we can make the same mistakes as doctors. If we only target cholesterol or blood pressure and we miss the cause as being insulin resistance then we will only partially successful. You must understand this one important concept: if your symptoms are driven by insulin resistance, and you only treat the symptoms and not the insulin resistance, then you cannot be truly successful in becoming healthier.

In this article we will look at what insulin resistance is, the likely causes and what you can do about it.

What is Insulin Resistance?

About 1 in every 4 Americans has some of the markers for insulin resistance. If you have three or more, you should consider treating for insulin resistance. Insulin resistance describes a condition where the cells of the body become resistance or de-sensitized to insulin. Insulin is the hormone that is secreted by the pancreas and acts as the carrier of glucose into the cells. As the cells become resistance to insulin, the pancreas will produce more insulin and the excess of insulin causes the cells to become even more resistant to insulin. What follows in the body are dramatic physiological changes leading to the symptoms described. These symptoms increase our risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems. What is hard for many to understand is how these more serious problems spring from insulin resistance and that your diet and lifestyle can reverse these dramatic symptoms.

If you have three or more of the following markers, you should consider insulin resistance as a foundational cause of these symptoms:

• Central obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen, as demonstrated by a greater waist to hip ratio)

• Low levels of HDL cholesterol

  • Men: Less than 40 mg/dl

  • Women: Less than 50 mg/dl

• Fasting blood triglycerides greater than 149 mg/dl

• Elevated blood pressure (130/85 mmHg or higher)

• Insulin resistance as demonstrated by the presence of pre-diabetes (glucose between 101 and 125 mg/dl)

(For a more thorough discussion of the causes and implications of insulin resistance, see the new book Hunger Free Forever by Dr. Michael Murray.)

In 2002, the NIH (National Institute of Health) designated Insulin Resistance as a new target for the prevention of coronary heart disease. High blood sugar is associated with a whole host of serious complications. Cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease, amputations, pain, depression and auto-immune disease.

What Causes Insulin Resistance?

There is little doubt that the standard American diet (SAD) is a major factor in the development of insulin resistance. On average more than 50% of our calories are derived from high glycemic foods and/or highly nutrient deficient foods. Refined sugars, refined and over processed grains and other carbohydrates and the wrong types and amounts of fat. You must take a close examination of your diet. If you are unwilling to change your diet, your results will not be as successful. The good news is there are supplements that can help normalize your insulin/glucose metabolism, even if you don’t change your eating habits.

What Can You Do?

There is a lot you can do to change your health status when it comes to insulin resistance. Diet and lifestyle are critical elements and sometimes the hardest to change. Even when you can’t make a lot of dietary changes you can make some that would be to your benefit. Small changes made over time can add up to some significant benefits. You will also find that as you improve your glucose metabolism that you will not crave foods in the same way. As you improve the nutrition that your body receives, your body will respond by being satisfied. The supplements recommended below will be of great benefit in moving you to your goal.

Dietary Guidelines for Insulin Resistance

• Watch your calorie intake. Log your food intake for a couple of weeks if you really want to know what you are consuming.

• Avoid trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils.

• Limit saturated fat.

• Increase omega-3 fatty acids, esp. fish oil.

• Increase fiber, esp. soluble fiber with meals to minimize the blood sugar spike.

• Reduce sugars and refined sweeteners

• Reduce refined grains and over processed carbohydrates

Supplement Guidelines for Insulin Resistance

There are two supplements that I’m aware of that have significant scientific and clinical evidence of their benefits on insulin resistance. They are each unique and they exert their effects in totally different ways. I recommend them both.

The first is SX Fraction by Maitake Products. SX Fraction is a specific and unique glycoprotein found in maitake mushrooms. (Maitake mushroom is one of the most potent medicinal mushrooms, with wide ranging benefits). Studies at Georgetown University and New York Medical College confirm that SX Fraction possesses potent ability to enhance insulin sensitivity. Dr. Harry Preuss, MD, PhD and professor of Physiology, Medicine and Pathology at Georgetown University considers this an important breakthrough for controlling high blood sugar as well as other disorders related to disturbed glucose/insulin metabolism. (For more information on SX Fraction, see the book Syndrome X and SX Fraction by Mark Kaylor and Ken Babal.)

The second product is PGX Daily by Natural Factors. PGX is an amazing fiber matrix supplement proven to promote healthy blood sugar management by slowing digestion and reducing the glycemic index of meals. What a lot of people are going to like about PGX Daily is that PGX Daily can help you lose weight and stabilize insulin safely and gradually, even if you are not ready to make other positive diet and lifestyle changes. However, the benefits of PGX will be greatly enhanced by a healthier diet and exercise.

The clinical benefits of PGX:

• Supports healthy blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides levels

• Lowers the glycemic index of your meals by up to 50%

• Supports and sustains healthy weight loss

• PGX is stimulant free.

• PGX is available in capsules, powders and meal replacement drink mixes.

For more information on PGX, see the book Hunger Free Forever by Dr. Michael Murray. You can also listen to interviews with Dr. Murray and Mark Kaylor on the topics of insulin resistance and what you can do to improve your health on our new website www.hqrs.info.

Of course there are other nutrients that play a role in normal glucose metabolism and you should be sure to include these in your supplement program. These include B-Complex vitamins, chromium and the herbs bitter melon and gymnema sylvestre. However, as important as these nutrients are, they don’t give us the same benefits as SX Fraction and PGX Daily.

Conclusion

Make an analysis of your overall health. If you have three or more of the symptoms described as insulin resistance, then follow a protocol designed to improve your insulin/glucose metabolism. Within three months (and often sooner) you should see significant improvements. If you are taking medication, you should discuss your plans with your doctor. If you are taking medications for diabetes you should monitor your blood sugar since naturally lowering your blood sugar may reduce your need for medication. Your doctor can advise you when to lower your medications.

Author

Steve Lankford is the president and owner of Family Nutrition Center, 850-A Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, WI 54304 - 920-432-6886.

Steve also hosts Health Quest Radio Show on Sundays, 8-8:30 am on WTAQ 1360 AM, also on the Internet at www.healthquestradioshow.com and more recent interviews can be found at www.hqrs.info.