From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Syndrome X-  Need Information
Date: 23 Feb 1999 04:16:09 GMT

In <36d20e58.36255129@news.clis.com> getty@mail.clis.com writes:

>My nephrologist has mentioned that I probably have a set of symptoms
>called Syndrome X which includes the symptoms of high BP, blood sugar
>problems, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, weight gain in middle
>body, and heart problems.  I have these without outright heart
>problems but my kidneys are showing signs of degeneration
>(proteinurea).
>
>I have read that these symptoms are related to insulin resistence and
>hyperinsulinemia.
>
>I'd like to know more about all of this.  Anybody have suggestions of
>sources of information.  I've searched the web for syndrome x but
>didn't find much.  I'd love to get a book that handles all of this.
>
>Thanks.  Please email me if possible.
>
>Paul Getty, DDS
>Morehead City NC
>getty@mail.clis.com



    You don't search the web, you search Medline.
Http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

   Just type in syndrome X.

   Good luck.  I suggest dietary restriction (a low fat diet), aerobic
exercise, and Rezulin (which you need liver tests to take, once a month
for 8 months-- don't miss one).   Rezulin in an insulin sensitizing
antioxidant which has deep effects on genetic expression.  It does so
many things (including lowering blood pressure and glucose and even
cholesterol) that I suspect it's somehow interfering with part of the
core complex of whatever the defect is in syndrome X (which we don't
understand, but do know is tied to getting too many calories).  Rezulin
will not help you lose weight, alas-- you need to do that yourself.

   Other than saturated fat, nutrients which seem to be related to the
complex of problems and effects of syndrome X are magnesium (a gram a
day), vitamin C (several grams a day), and biotin (5 mg twice a day).
They favorably affect blood pressure (magnesium) and insulin
sensitivity (vit C and biotin).  These supplements, plus a
multivitamin, are relatively cheap compared with pharmaceuticals.  The
science behind them is sketchy but suggestive, and they're less
expensive and dangerous than Rezulin.  But also less effective.  So
it's a tradeoff.  Exercise and weight loss are the only sure
treatments.

                                      Steve Harris, M.D.