Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of interconnected risk factors—including central obesity (waist circumference greater than 35 inches in women), high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and elevated fasting blood sugar—that together significantly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Women with PCOS are up to 11 times more likely to have metabolic syndrome than women without the condition, with approximately one-third of PCOS patients meeting diagnostic criteria. Because PCOS and metabolic syndrome share insulin resistance as their common metabolic root, managing insulin sensitivity through lifestyle changes and medical treatment benefits both conditions simultaneously.