The Beauty Society

Are You Suffering From Metabolic Syndrome?

You may think choosing a ‘diet’ drink over the ‘full fat’ variety is beneficial to your health.

After all, they contain less sugar and calories, which must ultimately contribute to weight loss and a healthy diet, or so we presume. However, a new body of evidence has begun to suggest that all carbonated drinks, including the ‘diet’ varieties contribute to a condition known as “Metabolic Syndrome”.

Metabolic syndrome, also known as “Insulin Resistance Syndrome”, is a term which refers to the presence of any combination of a number of cardiovascular risk factors. These include elevated blood pressure, increased waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol and high blood glucose and triglycerides (also known as sugar and fat). Each of these will individually contribute to having diabetes, heart disease and other cardiovascular problems such as strokes. It is estimated that as many as 1 in 4 adults in the UK suffer from undiagnosed metabolic syndrome, irrespective of social class.

So why does something that should technically aid weight loss and health actually hinder it? The answer may lie in our taste buds. Our tongue contains around 10,000 taste buds, which detect sweet, sour, bitter and salty sensations. If the sweet taste buds are over stimulated by natural or artificial flavours, then the body automatically is sent into ‘craving mode’. This happens because our body has evolved to anticipate nutrients after a sweet taste, but a carbonated diet drink does not provide the calories the stomach is expecting. Ultimately the ‘craving mode’ drives even the most disciplined individual to compulsively consume unhealthy foods or bigger/multiple portions, which eventually leads to uncontrolled weight gain.

If you are habituated to drinking carbonated drinks (diet or not) and have always wondered why you have struggled to control your weight the answer might lie in understanding metabolic syndrome. Some people are highly experimental with foods and although they might not consume large quantities, they find themselves ‘tasting’ or picking a wide range of food types – this could trigger the same syndrome. When racial and socio-cultural variables are thrown into the mix certain groups become more vulnerable to metabolic syndrome such as people of Asian, African and Caribbean origin, or women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Many beer drinkers see their waist lines expand uncontrollably, this could be a variant of the same syndrome where the taste buds have been over stimulated triggering a binge consumption of unhealthy curries and large fried meals. Men are not excluded from this scourge! Quite a few people have claimed that they have tried every dietary fad possible to no effect. It is quite possible that putting your body through numerous diets could result in an imbalance which could lead to ‘craving cycles’. If your body has been put through protracted periods of food deprivation and starvation you are much more likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome.

Most dietary plans cite moderation as a key factor in weight control. The essential differences between the millions of current diet fads revolves around the recommended degree of physical activity, reduced calorie intake or lifestyle adjustments required to produce body change. It is advisable to only engage weight control philosophies which are based on an understanding of your individual body type and physiology. Medically orientated weight management programmes which are backed up by health tests are always the safest way to keep yourself trim. You should understand that it is imperative to have a medical check-up in order to exclude any of the following risk factors:

• High blood pressure
• Increased waist circumference
• Low High Density Lipid (HDL) cholesterol 
• High blood glucose (sugar) 
• High blood fats (triglycerides)

Constantly reaching for cans of fizzy drink does not mean that you are suffering from metabolic syndrome, rather it is putting your body through unnatural stresses like extreme diets and over stimulation that will leave you vulnerable to this unpleasant condition.