You can Google it or just keep reading.
Metabolic syndrome is simply a name for a group of risk factors that influence your risk for health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
If you have 3 of the 5, you may have metabolic syndrome.
- A large waistline, aka” abdominal obesity,” or being “apple-shaped.”Belly fat is a greater risk factor for heart disease than excess fat in other parts of the body.
- High triglyceride level (or you’re on meds to treat high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood.
- Low HDL cholesterol level (or you’re on meds to treat low HDL).”Good” cholesterol” helps remove cholesterol from your arteries, and if your HDL is too low, your risk for heart disease is higher.
- Hypertension (or you’re on meds to treat high blood pressure). Over time, high blood pressure in your arteries can damage your heart and lead to plaque buildup.
- High fasting glucose (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood sugar), even if it’s mild, may be an early sign of diabetes.
The more risk factors you have, the higher your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
More and more common due to a rise in obesity rates among adults, metabolic syndrome may overtake smoking as the leading risk factor for heart disease. If you think you may have it, talk to your doctor.
At InOut Labs, a simple lipid profile will give triglyceride and HDL levels, and a glucose test is quick and easy too. We’ll even check your blood pressure at no charge with any lab test!