Comments on: Redefinition of the metabolic syndrome—useful or creating illness? http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/metabolic-syndrome/redefinition-of-the-metabolic-syndrome%e2%80%94useful-or-creating-illness/ Stressed and tired? There is life after fatigue! Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:00:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Eric Bakker ND http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/metabolic-syndrome/redefinition-of-the-metabolic-syndrome%e2%80%94useful-or-creating-illness/#comment-1645 Eric Bakker ND Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:55:38 +0000 http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/?p=1624#comment-1645 Hi Elke, As far as I know, there is no other way people are being diagnosed with Metaolic Syndrome, purely because it is not a "classically diagnosed condition", but rather what it says it is: a syndrome, which is a collection of signs and symptoms. Medicine is not good at diagnosing or treating syndromes because they are an umbrella for many different conditions in their own right and if they diagnose and treat this condition (Metabolic Syndrome) the patient would no doubt end up on up to a half dozen pharma drugs such as statins (cholesterol), blood pressure drugs, blood sugar modifiers (Type 2 DM) and more. I'm rather surprised the drug companies haven't cashed in here as yet, they would have a field day! Take a look at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, another condition too many medical doctors place in the "too hard basket" with many actually refusing to believe that this syndrome even exists. Metabolic Syndrome is a condition brought about by modern Western lifestyles, and with correct and healthy modes of living it is not around. You may want to research further into the cultural and social aspects and will find for example that this condition did not exist in Japan UNTIL they adopted the white man's ways. Now look at Japan, the same pathway that America is heading - too many overweight and obese individuals. Eric Bakker ND Hi Elke,

As far as I know, there is no other way people are being diagnosed with Metaolic Syndrome, purely because it is not a “classically diagnosed condition”, but rather what it says it is: a syndrome, which is a collection of signs and symptoms. Medicine is not good at diagnosing or treating syndromes because they are an umbrella for many different conditions in their own right and if they diagnose and treat this condition (Metabolic Syndrome) the patient would no doubt end up on up to a half dozen pharma drugs such as statins (cholesterol), blood pressure drugs, blood sugar modifiers (Type 2 DM) and more. I’m rather surprised the drug companies haven’t cashed in here as yet, they would have a field day! Take a look at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, another condition too many medical doctors place in the “too hard basket” with many actually refusing to believe that this syndrome even exists. Metabolic Syndrome is a condition brought about by modern Western lifestyles, and with correct and healthy modes of living it is not around. You may want to research further into the cultural and social aspects and will find for example that this condition did not exist in Japan UNTIL they adopted the white man’s ways. Now look at Japan, the same pathway that America is heading - too many overweight and obese individuals.

Eric Bakker ND

]]> By: Elke van Beek http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/metabolic-syndrome/redefinition-of-the-metabolic-syndrome%e2%80%94useful-or-creating-illness/#comment-1644 Elke van Beek Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:28:00 +0000 http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/?p=1624#comment-1644 Im doing a research proposal on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Wellington middle age men who purchase read to eat meals during the week. Im still in the research process, but I was wondering, other then going to the doctor for a check up and then being diagnosed with MS, is there any other way people are being diagnosed? Im doing a research proposal on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Wellington middle age men who purchase read to eat meals during the week. Im still in the research process, but I was wondering, other then going to the doctor for a check up and then being diagnosed with MS, is there any other way people are being diagnosed?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/metabolic-syndrome/redefinition-of-the-metabolic-syndrome%e2%80%94useful-or-creating-illness/#comment-1632 Anonymous Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:41:59 +0000 http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/?p=1624#comment-1632 For a Person suffering from Metabolic Syndrome, they may well have ailments like excessive fat around waistline, soaring levels of blood pressure, blood glucose and lipids and sapped HDL cholesterol levels. It can lead to hypertension, type 2 diabetes, excess weight. One should maintain healthy lifestyles, eating right and exercising. Thank you for your article, much appreciated and insightful information. For a Person suffering from Metabolic Syndrome, they may well have ailments like excessive fat around waistline, soaring levels of blood pressure, blood glucose and lipids and sapped HDL cholesterol levels. It can lead to hypertension, type 2 diabetes, excess weight. One should maintain healthy lifestyles, eating right and exercising. Thank you for your article, much appreciated and insightful information.

]]> By: Eric Bakker ND http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/metabolic-syndrome/redefinition-of-the-metabolic-syndrome%e2%80%94useful-or-creating-illness/#comment-1532 Eric Bakker ND Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:03:26 +0000 http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/?p=1624#comment-1532 Hi Joseph, Thanks for your comments. You are correct, people have been fed a lot of "pseudo-science" when it comes to the statin drug/cholesterol debate. There are currently over 600,000 Kiwis on cholesterol lowering drugs and many experience debilitating side-effects. It is important to consider cortisol levels in the cholesterol equation as well, the 1984 Schwertner, Troxler, Uhl and Jackson study was most interesting. A statistically significant association (p less than 0.05) was found between cortisol and cholesterol for individuals who had either minimal CAD (20% to 49% narrowing) or significant CAD (greater than or equal to 50% narrowing), but not for subjects without CAD. An association between cortisol and cholesterol was also found to be significant for the group of individuals with Type A behavior patterns. These findings suggest that hormonal mechanisms involving cortisol and cholesterol metabolism may be operative in individuals with CAD as well as in individuals with Type A behavior. Regards, Eric Bakker ND Hi Joseph,

Thanks for your comments. You are correct, people have been fed a lot of “pseudo-science” when it comes to the statin drug/cholesterol debate. There are currently over 600,000 Kiwis on cholesterol lowering drugs and many experience debilitating side-effects.
It is important to consider cortisol levels in the cholesterol equation as well, the 1984 Schwertner, Troxler, Uhl and Jackson study was most interesting.
A statistically significant association (p less than 0.05) was found between cortisol and cholesterol for individuals who had either minimal CAD (20% to 49% narrowing) or significant CAD (greater than or equal to 50% narrowing), but not for subjects without CAD. An association between cortisol and cholesterol was also found to be significant for the group of individuals with Type A behavior patterns. These findings suggest that hormonal mechanisms involving cortisol and cholesterol metabolism may be operative in individuals with CAD as well as in individuals with Type A behavior.

Regards,

Eric Bakker ND

]]> By: Joseph Putnoki http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/metabolic-syndrome/redefinition-of-the-metabolic-syndrome%e2%80%94useful-or-creating-illness/#comment-1530 Joseph Putnoki Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:13:46 +0000 http://www.adrenalfatigue.co.nz/?p=1624#comment-1530 The complexity of metabolism necessitates that investigation of glucose issues will be widely enough based. Hormonal interactions to be considered. Cholesterol at present still erroneously blamed as it was the villain it is not. Elevated cholesterol apart from some Apo E alleles is more usefully considered a bio indicator rather then a culprit. Being the base material for hormones when hormone depletion occurs of course the liver try producing more! Vested interests, ignorance and propaganda drives this scare mongering effort and aggressive statin-promotion. For an eye-opening and educative site look up: thecholesterollie.com. It is almost a fashion to produce guidelines of lowering cutoff points. Different labs use varied reference ranges depending on the equipment they use and this is confusing to the patient who monitors his/her glucose home. In my experience fasting glucose 5.9 cutoff correlates very closely with the lab reading of HbA1c. Home monitoring of blood sugar through the day as well as blood pressure helps to give a more coherent picture then the one at the doctors rooms. (Some doctors don't even take the blood pressure correctly!) It varies during the day so at the appointment time it is taken as diagnostic, most time only one reading. The rush and time restrictions also an impediment to best practice.- The complexity of metabolism necessitates that investigation of glucose issues will be widely enough based. Hormonal interactions to be considered. Cholesterol at present still erroneously blamed as it was the villain it is not. Elevated cholesterol apart from some Apo E alleles is more usefully considered a bio indicator rather then a culprit. Being the base material for hormones when hormone depletion occurs of course the liver try producing more! Vested interests, ignorance and propaganda drives this scare mongering effort and aggressive statin-promotion. For an eye-opening and educative site look up: thecholesterollie.com.
It is almost a fashion to produce guidelines of lowering cutoff points. Different labs use varied reference ranges depending on the equipment they use and this is confusing to the patient who monitors his/her glucose home. In my experience fasting glucose 5.9 cutoff correlates very closely with the lab reading of HbA1c. Home monitoring of blood sugar through the day as well as blood pressure helps to give a more coherent picture then the one at the doctors rooms.
(Some doctors don’t even take the blood pressure correctly!) It varies during the day so at the appointment time it is taken as diagnostic, most time only one reading. The rush and time restrictions also an impediment to best practice.-

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