Is Your Metabolism Busted?

Busted Metabolism

A couple of years ago a study was released that said that 93.2% of Americans had metabolic dysfunction (1).  The extra crazy part is that the research was analyzing data collected from 1999-2018.  I can guarantee that it has not improved since then! 

Here in Canada, we may not have the same supersized soft drinks, but the situation isn't much different.  Stats Can says that, "In 2021, over 14.6 million Canadians (45.1%) reported having one or more of the following chronic conditions or risk factors: arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, mood disorders and anxiety." (2)We are in trouble. Clearly, the solutions being offered are not improving the trend of declining health. 

This is not just about willpower either.  The graphs for metabolic health trends closely match the introduction of sugar and refined flour, certain chemicals in agriculture or packaged food, and other changes in the way we live in Western society.

What is Metabolic Dysfunction?

Cardiometabolic health was assessed in the U.S. study using the following markers:

• adiposity
• blood glucose
• blood lipids
• blood pressure
• cardiovascular disease or event history

Trends in increased adiposity and blood glucose were much more significant than blood pressure and blood lipid levels; however, this can potentially be explained by the doubling of use of hypertension and cholesterol medication over that 10 year time period (yes, double the use!). It is also important to acknowledge that there were a number of social determinants of health and "significant differences by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education." (1)  

An article from Tufts University states that, "“This is a health crisis we’ve been facing for a while.  Now there’s a growing economic, social, and ethical imperative to give this problem significantly more attention than it has been getting.” (3). Being sick is expensive... from lost work time, to health care costs, to the fact that our health care system is increasingly difficult to access and is better positioned for emergency care than for preventative measures.  

Optimal values were considered to be: (all without medication)

• BMI under 25
• Waist circumference less than 88cm for women and 102 cm for men
• Blood sugar marker HbA1c less than 5.7 
• Total cholesterol to HDL ("good cholesterol") ratio less than 3.5:1
• Blood pressure less than 120/80 mmHg
• No history of angina, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, coronary disease
  
  I have most of my patients bring me their recent bloodwork so that we can do an in depth review of the numbers beyond "everything is normal".

Other Associated Conditions

There are several other conditions (beyond heart disease and diabetes) that are actually associated with metabolic dysfunction, that you may not even be aware of:

• Arthritis - can be considered "diabetes of the joint"
• Dementia & Alzheimer's - can be "diabetes of the brain"
• Cancer is also closely tied to metabolic pathways
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - influenced by blood sugar
• Thyroid conditions - the thyroid helps to regulate metabolism

So, what can I do to maintain healthy metabolism?

Everyone needs an individualized approach, but the basics of healthy metabolism are:

• keep a layer of muscle on your body
• eat lots of protein, fibre, and some fat to balance blood sugar
  - whole foods as much as possible
  - stop eating 2 hours before bedtime
• walk daily
• find your best way to manage stress

There are so many great opportunities to have major impact on your health.  Now is the time to get on top of things!

Wishing you a wonderful month,
Dr Christa




1.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109722049944?via%3Dihub
2.  https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-570-x/2023001/section1-eng.htm
3.  https://now.tufts.edu/2022/07/05/only-7-american-adults-have-good-cardiometabolic-health