Many diseases that are now common are related to poor metabolic health. Most of these were rare 100 years ago.
Poor metabolic health can feel like the body is at war with itself.
It can cause tiredness, low energy, feeling fed-up, and frequent hunger. It can be difficult to lose weight, especially belly fat.
The level of inflammation in the body increases and the immune system can be affected – this can lead to increased risk from infections.
The body at war
I had got used to feeling tired and thought my increasing waistline was just the result of getting older. I had been on blood pressure tablets for a few years. Then at my annual check-up the blood test showed I had developed type 2 diabetes. I was shocked. Why had this happened to me? Then, as I learnt about type 2 diabetes and metabolic health I realised I'd had a problem for years. Finally developing type 2 diabetes was like my body's pressure valve blowing. My mother had died of kidney problems linked to diabetes. With my diagnosis it was time to get control of my health. I had got my wakeup call.
—Sue
How does poor metabolic health feel?
Tired all the time
Lack of energy, and energy lows
Frequently hungry
General aches and pains
Feeling fed-up or depressed
Poor metabolic health causes
Difficulty losing weight and especially belly fat.
Skin tags. Little bits of skin that hang off the body. Often on the neck and armpits.
Acanthosis nigricans. Darkening of skin folds.
Type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar due to the body not responding to insulin that removes sugar from the blood
Prediabetes. High blood sugar, but not yet at the level of type 2 diabetes
Fatty liver. Build up of excess fat in the liver.
Other associated conditions
Heart disease, including heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, and heart failure.
High blood pressure
Increased risk of infections, and difficultly fighting infections. This includes the COVID-19 infection.
Kidney disease, with reduced ability for the kidneys to filter blood.
Arthritis, with painful, inflamed, or damaged joints.
Fibromyalgia, with wide-spread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep, and often mood and memory problems.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, with disruption of hormone balance causing a number of symptoms such as acne, increased waist circumference, altered periods and fertility problems.
Erectile dysfunction.
Mental health disorders.
Some cancers, including in breast, colon, and pancreas.
Dementia, with reduced memory and ability to process information.
