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Doctor: “I want you to have some tests done right away. I am concerned that you may have metabolic syndrome. That will put you at risk for a heart attack and stroke.”
You: “Sure, doc. Thanks for your concern. What do I do?”
Doctor: “First, I want you to have a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis. That way, we can measure how much fat you have inside your belly.”
You: “OK. What’s the second?”
Doctor: “Blood work.”
You: “But I just did fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and HDL. There’s more?”
Doctor: “Yes. But these are special tests. You can’t go to the usual place where you get your blood drawn. You have to go to a research university. I heard it is about 50 to 100 miles away, but you can find it.”
You: “OK. Well, I guess if it is important, I will take off work to get it done. Health is number one, you know. What test are they?”
Doctor: “It is a lot. I hope you have a pen and paper ready.”
You: “OK, doc, I’m ready.”
Doctor: “These are the blood tests that measure inflammation. They are the Interleukin family-like IL-1, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, Interferon (IFN-γ) levels, the Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFα), Acylation-stimulating protein, SAA3, 1 acid glycoprotein, Pentraxin-3, IL-1 receptor antagonist, Macrophage migration inhibitory factor, Tumor Necrosis factor-related Inflammatory Ligands (TRAIL), Cytokines like the Macrophage Chemoattractant Protein 1 (MCP-1), Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor (PAI), CCL2 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, (VEGF-A), resistin, leptin, insulin level, C-reactive proteins, adiponectin, and adhesion factors. There is more, but it escapes me at the moment.”
You:” Wow, that’s a lot, doc! I hope I have enough blood after that. But that’s OK. The insurance will cover it. Right?”
Doctor: “That’s the problem. It’s not covered by insurance. ”
You: “What!? From the looks of this list, It will probably cost hundreds of dollars!”
Doctor: “Maybe a thousand. Plus-minus couple hundred.”
You: “Listen, doc. I don’t mean to be difficult. I want to know my risks for heart attacks and strokes. It runs in my family, and I have small kids. This is a lot of money, and I have to get off work, travel, and spend gas. Is there another way that is inexpensive and nearer to me?”
Doctor: “Yes. Grab a tape measure and get your waist circumference.”
Large Amounts of Abdominal Fat = Inflammation
Visceral fat is found inside the abdominal cavity. It envelops the organs and infiltrates the solid organs like the liver and pancreas. When a person develops obesity, the visceral fat starts to secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines that cause disease systemically. It is just like an undetected, slow-burning forest fire. The presentation of the disease depends on what organ is involved. It can be as insidious as arthritis, erectile dysfunction, inflamed gallbladder, or something dramatic as a stroke and sudden cardiac death.
The good news is that if the visceral fat gets smaller in volume, the inflammatory cytokines’ levels decrease and lose their effect on the body. The waist circumference (WC) is an indirect measurement of the number of inflammatory cytokines produced in the body. That is why the WC is part of the criteria for metabolic syndrome. (Waist circumference, blood sugar, triglycerides, HDL, and blood pressure). All of the components are tied to each other like mountain climbers on a rope team. If one climber falls off a cliff, he may drag the rest, causing them to fall too. But the reverse can happen. The stronger members of the rope team, in this case, the metabolic syndrome, can rescue the other ones if they fall. Those are the blood sugar level and waist circumference.
If the blood sugar is lower than 100 or waist circumference gets smaller, then the high triglycerides, blood pressure, and HDL get better. How can you make them better? By preventing hyperinsulinemia thru intermittent fasting and exercise.
The MyoTape Body Tape Measure locks the measurement and makes for easy reading.
Related Readings:
- How Will You Know if You are TOFI?
- Can You be Skinny and Obese?
- What Does Waist Circumference Really Measure?
- Why Do Bellies Bloat?
References:
- The Inflammatory Syndrome: The Role of Adipose Tissue Cytokines in Metabolic Disorders Linked to Obesity.
- Schmidt, et al. Inflammatory Cytokines in General and Central Obesity and Modulating Effects of Physical Activity. PLOS ONE. March 17 March 17, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0121971
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