Managing Metabolic Syndrome

Nutrients improve chances of staying healthy

Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that can include obesity, abnormal blood fat levels, high blood pressure, and borderline high blood sugar and insulin levels, which together increase chances of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Doctors in this study described heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes as “cardiometabolic disorders” and said that recent studies have linked them to vitamin D deficiency. Researchers reviewed 28 vitamin D studies covering 99,475 participants and found that, compared to those with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D, those with the most vitamin D were 43 percent less likely to develop a cardiometabolic disorder. Chances were 33 percent lower for cardiovascular disease, 51 percent lower for metabolic syndrome, and 55 percent lower for type 2 diabetes. Doctors believe that correcting vitamin D deficiencies in adults may slow the epidemic of cardiometabolic disorders.

Researchers in another study said earlier research showed dairy foods reduced chances of obesity and hoped to find that whey protein-from dairy and rich in essential amino acids-could improve metabolic syndrome. Seventy overweight or obese people, aged 18 to 65, took 27 grams of whey protein, casein protein, or a glucose placebo, twice per day, up to 30 minutes before breakfast and the evening meal. Researchers asked participants to maintain their normal diet and physical activity, After 12 weeks, compared to placebo, those in the whey protein group had 22 percent lower blood levels of a fat known as triacyglycerol and fasting insulin levels 11 percent lower.

Reference: British Journal of Nutrition; 2010, Vol. 104, No. 5, 716-23
This article was also published in our newletter “Natural Insights for Well Being”, November 2010. Stop by Van’s Health Foods at 2148 First Street Livermore, CA or call us at 925-447-2976 to be added to our mailing list.

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Thank you,

The Van’s Health Foods Team

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