Metabolic Meltdown: The Hidden Health Crisis (Part 1)

With an alarming 1 in 3 people in the US being metabolically unhealthy (and numbers worsening), poor metabolic health may be the most common and serious condition that you've never heard of. And a growing body of medical research suggests that metabolic health is the most important indicator of overall health, with some even comparing it to smoking as the new top precursor of major diseases like diabetes, cancer or Alzheimer’s.

So why aren't we all paying attention to this silent epidemic? There is a growing number of health organizations, scientists, and doctors sounding the alarm bell, and some companies are emerging to help address - and reverse - this condition.

In this two-part series, we will explore what metabolic syndrome is, why it is a primary indicator for overall health, and why early screening and addressing of metabolic health will be crucial for the future of medicine and healthcare systems.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and this article is not medical advice. However, its medical review was conducted by a leading, board-certified physician focused on metabolism, performance, and longevity to ensure medical accuracy.

What’s metabolic health and why does it matter?

The mechanism of metabolic health in the body

“One way to think about metabolic disease is as a disorder in fuel processing (…) the fundamental problem is that the body is not doing a good job storing and accessing fuel” — Peter Attia

Metabolism is the biological process by which we take in nutrients and break them down into fuel, for use in the body. In someone who is metabolically healthy, those nutrients are processed and sent to their proper destination to provide the energy we need.

However, when someone is metabolically unhealthy, a significant portion of the calories they consume are stored in areas where they are not needed. These excess calories accumulate as fat in subcutaneous tissues, in the blood (measured as high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides), and around the organs (known as visceral fat), including the intestines and liver, eventually leading to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This condition is referred to as metabolic syndrome, or MetS. (We will delve into the precise definition of this condition and how it’s diagnosed below).

Understandably, MetS is then the underlying mechanism that increases the risk for several serious conditions with exploding incidences today, including diabetes and coronary heart disease. The body’s inability to process excess glucose ...