Syndrome X, also known as Metabolic Syndrome, is a collection of risk factors that substantially increase your chances of developing coronary artery disease. The American Heart Association estimates that 20-25% of the adult population in the U.S. suffer from the disorder – between 58 and 73 million people (1). Many are unaware they have this condition.

Syndrome X is characterized by having at least three of the following symptoms:

• Abdominal fat – in men, this means a 40 inch waist or larger, in women 35 inches or larger
• High blood sugar – at least 110 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) after fasting
• High triglycerides – at least 150 mg/dL in the blood stream
• Low HDL (the "good" cholesterol) – less than 40 mg/dL
• Blood pressure of 130/85 or higher

A root cause of Syndrome X is Insulin Resistance. It's been estimated that a typical healthy person has 20,000 insulin receptor sites per cell, while the average overweight individual can have as few as 5,000. If you have a greatly reduced number of receptor sites caused by Insulin Resistance, your ability to lose weight is severely compromised and your risk of developing Syndrome X is substantially increased.

Insulin acts as a "key in the lock", allowing glucose to pass through the cell wall and be converted to energy. Insulin Resistance causes glucose to bounce off the cell wall instead of passing through the insulin "door". Free-floating glucose remains in the blood stream, causing elevated levels of blood sugar, which are sent to the liver. Once there, the sugar is converted into fat and stored via the blood stream throughout the body. This process can lead to weight gain and obesity, underlying causes of Syndrome X.

The imbalance of glucose and insulin also results in a greater risk of developing Cardiovascular Disease because of an increase in the levels of triglycerides, which are fat-storing substances carried through the blood stream to the tissues.

Increased levels of insulin and glucose in Syndrome X sufferers have been proven to cause damage to the lining of the arteries, changes in the kidneys' ability to remove salt and a greater risk of blood clot formation, all of which are key factors in developing Cardiovascular Disease, heart attacks and stroke. If you suffer from Insulin Resistance, you are more likely to develop Syndrome X.

The American Heart Association states that the "underlying causes of Syndrome X are being overweight, physical inactivity and genetic factors."

There is a growing body of evidence that points to the body's inability to process insulin as a leading cause of obesity. If obesity is one of the underlying factors of Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance is a root cause of obesity, it is logical that addressing Insulin Resistance is central to treating Syndrome X.

As your weight increases, the stressors on the entire cardiovascular system increase. For example, the workload on the heart increases to distribute oxygenated blood throughout the body. In addition, changes in blood lipids (increases in triglycerides and decreases in HDL "good" cholesterol) encourage the buildup of plaque on the inside of artery walls and raise the risk of stroke and heart attack.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 20% of American adults have Syndrome X (2). And in a Louisiana State University study, researchers found those who suffer from Syndrome X are at a significantly greater risk of dying from a heart attack than those without the condition (3). The study, conducted over a 15-year period, found that men who had the disorder were from 2.9 to 4.2 times more likely to die of a heart attack.

Although a complete system is needed to address all the elements of Insulin Resistance, no one had developed such a system until Insulite Laborotatories rectified that situaiton.

A study by Duke Medical Center found that people with Syndrome X who made lifestyle modifications by exercising and losing weight, had a 47% reduction in insulin overproduction, also known as hyperinsulinemia and caused by Insulin Resistance (4). Those who exercised but didn't lose weight saw a 27% reduction.

So diet alone is not going to reverse Insulin Resistance, nor would just a change in exercise habits. A multi-layered approach would is needed to correct this condition.

Another important fact to emerge from the Duke Medical Center study was expressed by the study's lead author, Lana Watkins. She wrote: "A non-pharmacologic treatment for these patients is needed, since drugs prescribed to lower blood pressure have been shown to actually worsen carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in Syndrome X patients, negating the beneficial effects of those drugs." (5)

Rather than concentrate on formulating a plan strictly for weight loss, Insulite Laboratories developed an overall, systematic approach to correcting the health disorders of Syndrome X.

It is critical to understand that controlling Syndrome X cannot be accomplished by simply taking a pill every day. The way to approach treating this condition is in a systematic manner. Insulite Laboratories developed a combination of formulas that can safely and effectively change your body's chemistry, together with a realistic and sensible exercise program, a support network and a nutritional plan that will help prevent, or reverse Insulin Resistance.

The Insulite PCOS System uses only pure nutraceuticals (all-naturaldisease-specific vitamins, minerals and herbs), which can be effective in bringing about substantial metabolic change. The exercise and nutrition plans take a common-sense approach.

Also included in the System is a component of outreach that provides information and support to participants. Research continues to show that support is an important psychological tool in achieving lifestyle changes. The system also addresses why some people are addicted to certain foods that can make you put on weight.

It is vitally important for you to immediately address the health risks associated with Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance, not only in the context of improving the quality of your life but also because these conditions are now known to foreshadow the development of strokes and Diabetes.

Researchers have long known that having Diabetes increases your risk of having a stroke. Now, a new study by Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia has found that Syndrome X also appears to be a high risk factor for stroke, even in people who don't yet have Diabetes.

The study found that men with Syndrome X had a 78% greater chance of having a stroke than those free of the condition, while women had a 50% greater risk (6). Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States (7).

The good news is that Syndrome X can be controlled. But people don't change overnight. A sedentary lifestyle, poor food choices and an ever-increasing amount of stress in our lives have all contributed to an explosion of health conditions such as Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance.

We don't recommend fad diets, strenuous exercise regimens or stimulants – research indicates that those so-called solutions will eventually fail. Gradual weight loss has been shown to lead to permanent weight loss and overall changes of unhealthy habits. A slow, steady and realistic plan is what will allow you to achieve your goals.

Please, begin today to address these conditions. Your health matters. Put yourself back on the path to optimum health.

(1) American Heart Association: http://www.americanheart.org. Figures based on U.S. Census estimates of population in 2004.

(2) CDC study conducted in 2002, results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, January 2003.

(3) Louisiana State University study results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in December 2003.

(4,5) Duke University Study, results published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, September 2003.

(6) Framingham Heart Study, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, results presented at the American Stroke Association meeting in February 2004.

(7) CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, 2001