LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

Syndrome X

Subclinical Glucose Intolerance Increases Risk of Death – (05-03-01)

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Subclinical Glucose Intolerance Increases Risk of Death

Do I need to say any more? Insulin resistance, Syndrome X, metabolic syndrome…whatever you care to call it….is a major risk factor for so many chronic diseases. The sad part is that society is not moving away from refined carbs–a known contributor to insulin resistance. Combine this with the fact that cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, also contributes to insulin resistance, and the increasing incidences of many chronic diseases is no longer a surprise.

Diabetes Care 2001;24:447-453 Subclinical glucose intolerance is associated with an increased risk of death in adults. Dr. Frederick L. Brancati from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland and colleagues used data from the Second National Health and nutrition Examination Survey Mortality Study to compare mortality among adults with known type 2 diabetes, undiagnosed diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance with adults with normal glucose tolerance. Follow-up lasted 12 to 16 years. Impaired glucose tolerance and undiagnosed diabetes emerged as independent predictors of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. “There was a gradient of mortality associated with abnormal glucose tolerance ranging from a 40% greater risk in adults with impaired glucose tolerance to a 110% greater risk in adults with clinically evident diabetes,” the investigators report. “These associations were independent of established cardiovascular risk factors.” Early detection and treatment of undiagnosed diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance should help reduce mortality in the US, Dr. Brancati and colleagues conclude.

Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes by Lifestyle Changes – (05-28-01)

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Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes by Lifestyle Changes

Not that this article is any big shocker, but the real shocker would be if anyone actually started to pick up and promote this. This study evaulated lifestyle changes in patient with impaired glucose tolerance (Syndrome X). As mentioned in previous updates, the medical profession barely recognizes that this disease states exists, let alone move to prevent it.

Original Articles — NEJM 2001; 344: 1343-1350

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Sex hormone binding globulin as prepubertal marker for hyperinsulinaemia – (01-10-02)

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Sex hormone binding globulin as prepubertal marker for hyperinsulinaemia

This is an interesting article that may give us some insight on preventing the startling rise in Syndrome X prevalence. Exactly what role SHBG plays is not yet known, but lower levels may increase free concentrations of hormones such as testosterone, and this hyperandrogenicity may be the real player. Either way, I feel that finding markers for those at risk so they can make lifestyle changes would be a moot point if everyone make healthier lifestyle choices…

ADC — Abstracts: Galloway et al. 85 (6): 489

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Increased CRP in Polycystic Ovaries – (06-01-04)

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Increased CRP in Polycystic Ovaries: Marker of Cardiovascular Disease

This is another good example of the intricate web that is physiology. While change is occurring but slow, many ob/gyns will treat PCOS with the birth control pill, which will worsening insulin sensitivity. If treated this way, the physician is missing the boat entirely, and will leave the physiological imbalance we know as Syndrome X to run rampant and destroy the patient’s health.

JCEM — Abstracts: Boulman et al. 89 (5): 2160 –

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Macadamia nuts lowers plasma total and LDL Cholesterol levels – (04-23-03)

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Macadamia Nuts Lowers Plasma Total and LDL Cholesterol Levels

Sadly, I had another patient recently that I obtained old blood work on (6 months prior). This women was on Lipotor, despite the fact that her cholesterol was under 200, HDL was sky high at 80-something and triglycerides were just under 300. This does not strike me as a patient that needs meds–she needs lifestyle changes to affect Syndrome X (abdominal obesity was also present). Worsening the picture was that her liver enzymes were elevated and her PCP made no changes. Worse, the “lifestyle changes” he gave here were no breads and low fat. What an incredible disservice this patient was given. She was surprised when I told her to increase nut consumption (as well as other beneficial changes for insulin sensitivity) because her PCP told her to avoid them…

nutrition.org — Abstracts: Garg et al. 133 (4): 1060

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Prevention of Obesity and Insulin Resistance – (01-29-04)

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Prevention of Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Mice Lacking Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1

Don’t feel bad–I’m new to the concept of PAI-1 being used as a marker for insulin resistance/Syndrome X as well. Research is still ongoing, but PAI-1 is a compound that increases the “stickiness” of platelets and this make be associated with (some think a causative factor in) Syndrome X. We really do need a solid, accurate method to assess presence and degree of insulin resistance. It would be nice if this compound turns out to be our answer.

Diabetes — Abstracts: Ma et al. 53 (2): 336 –

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Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes – (02-16-04)

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Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes

Wow…The effects of as little as 1 gram of cinnamon (not to be confused with cinnamon SUGAR) for 40 days improved several important markers in diabetics. The markers would indicate that the cinnamon is effecting insulin resistance–which is always the best was to go in my book. Surprisingly, no damaging effects on the liver were noted. The effects were pretty dramatic as well. I know that I will be sure to start recommending cinnamon to all my Syndrome X and diabetic patients from now on. (By the way…the liver comment…that was satire) –

Dia Care — Abstracts: Khan et al. 26 (12): 3215 –

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HIGH DOSE OF VITAMIN MAY INCREASE AND CAUSE MORTALITY – (12-09-04)

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HIGH-DOSAGE VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENTATION MAY INCREASE ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY

My, wasn’t this one a hot one for a day or so? This always brings up the question about how some of these articles manage to make it to the mainstream media when other topics much more important (like Syndrome X) remain unheard of. A couple comments. First, the end results from the study were very weakly positive. 1.04 X risk. 1.00 risk means no effect, so a .04 increase in risk is very small.

Also, the “p” value is .035–this is an evaluation of how much the study results are a result of chance (p value of coin flip is 1). The lower the number the stronger the study. I prefer p values lower than .001. That being said, there’s still the possiblity of a risk, which is NOTHING NEW. I’ve included a strong article that reviews the pro-oxidant effects of Vit E. Vit E can act as a pro-oxidant but THIS IS ABOLISHED BY CO-ANTIOXIDANTS LIKE VIT C. From a natural perspective, we don’t treat supplements in a vacuum and lifestyle changes would ALWAYS be done in a package, not with just one supplement. I’m sure that taking Vit E along with Vit C and other compounds like green tea and red wine will show nothing but a strongly protective effect.

Meta-Analysis: High-Dosage Vitamin E Supplementation May Increase All-Cause Mortality — Miller et al., — Annals of Internal –

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