How to support your metabolic health

Food, Health Records

March 19, 2024

Poor metabolic health affects 1 in 3 people over 50 in the UK but what is it, why is it important, and is there anything that can be done to prevent it?

What is metabolic health?

To be metabolically healthy is primarily about having enough energy to do the things you like, and that your body needs to do.

Metabolic health is all about getting energy (from the food we eat and sunlight) to provide our cells with the energy they need to carry out their functions and for our body to remove waste products.

Pale pink infographic with the title Metabolism. On the far left is an icon of the sun with the words Natural light underneath it. Another set of icons is to the right of this, including an avocado, a sweet potato and a boiled egg with the words Carbs, fats and proteins underneath. Green arrows labelled Energy are pointing from the sun and foods towards the right where there is an illustration of a human body. The body has other green arrows pointing downwards through the arms, torso and legs. In the abdomen is an icon of fire with blue arrows circling it. A red arrow points from the human body to the right where there is an icon of a bin and the words Waste products above it.

What is metabolic syndrome?

The following measurements are commonly used to provide a basic picture of metabolic health (for adults) – it’s an outline of where we as individuals might want to be. Metabolic syndrome is defined as having three or more of the following:

high waist circumference (94cm or higher for men, and 80cm or higher for women – for more detailed ethnic variations see here – table 6).

high triglycerides (type of fat in the blood) (1.7mmol/L or higher)

high blood pressure (known as hypertension) (higher than 135 mmHg systolic and 85 mmHg for diastolic (if measured at home) or higher than 140 mmHg systolic and 90mmHg diastolic if measured at a GP surgery).

high fasting blood glucose (sugar) (5.6mmol/L or higher)

and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, sometimes known as ‘good’ cholesterol (below 1.03mmol/L for men or below 1.29mmol/L for women).

The bottom line about developing metabolic syndrome is that you’re becoming progressively less able to process carbohydrates in food. In order to improve your quality of life and to prevent things from getting worse, some lifestyle changes are likely needed.

Note that metabolic syndrome is different from metabolic disorders, which are rare genetic conditions.

Clues that your metabolic health needs attention can be found in the image below:

A pink infographic with title Clues your metabolic health could be out of balance. In the centre is an icon of a fiery flame with arrows emerging from the middle, like a spider diagram. Around the centre are the following points: Brain fog and tiredness (especially after eating); Erectile dysfunction in men; Acid reflux; Low energy; Polycystic ovaries; Belly fat/beer belly; Kidney dysfunction; Worsening eyesight; Migraines; Low mood; Foul smelling gas; Dark patches on your skin or skin tags.

Why is metabolic health important?

Maintaining good metabolic health is important as it affects the whole body and poor metabolic function increases the risk of developing serious conditions, such as:

type 2 diabetes

cardiovascular disease

hypertension

polycystic ovary syndrome

types of cancer

gout

sleep apnoea

erectile dysfunction

migraines

fatty liver and pancreas

Dementia

osteoarthritis

What causes poor metabolic health?

The following are all possible contributors to poor metabolic health:

A pink infographic spider diagram titled Examples of potential causes of poor metabolic health include. In the centre is an icon of a fiery flame with a red cross beside it to represent poor metabolic health.

Around the centre are the following points: Poor nutrition which can lead to nutrient and trace mineral deficiency e.g. thiamine and B6 deficiency; imbalance of the gut microbiome; excess alcohol; processed starch consumption; excess sugar, especially that from fructose often found in fizzy drinks; exposure to environmental toxins e.g. pesticides, herbicides; Chronic inflammation; Insulin resistance; immune cell infiltration of fat tissue.

Whilst all the underlying causes of suboptimal metabolic health aren’t fully understood, chronic inflammation and obesity are very common in people with poor metabolic health.

Chronic inflammation is your immune system’s long term reaction to stressors. This response can be triggered by things such as stress, cigarette smoke, viruses, bacteria, alcohol and poor nutrition. In obesity, fat cells often become inflamed. They’re filled with immune cells and release inflammatory chemicals, fuelling this state of chronic low grade inflammation.

How to improve metabolic health

If you know or suspect your metabolic health needs attention, a good place to start is with nutrition and a low carbohydrate diet designed to take the pressure off insulin (a hormone that helps your body use glucose for energy and regulates the amount of it in your blood) can be helpful. If you eat carbs several times during the day, it’s likely that each time insulin is released there are long periods of the day when insulin levels are high, which means your body is in “energy storage” mode. During that time, it’s much more difficult to burn fat for energy.

For more information see our article on A low-carb diet for metabolic health.

Other lifestyle changes you may wish to consider making to support your metabolic health include:

A pale green infographic titled What to embrace.

A healthy diet, an icon of a bowl of nutrient-dense foods.

If you know or suspect you have metabolic issues, a lower carb diet or ketogenic diet is worth a try. An icon of a plate of low-carb food.

Daily natural light exposure, an icon of the sun.

Dietary fibre to support a healthy gut microbiome.

Bitter food and herbs, plus foods rich in choline, taurine and glycine. An icon of a mushroom.

Bile support supplements to help health bile production, an icon of a supplement jar.

A yellow box with a warning icon says: Please discuss with your healthcare provider before taking any supplements.

Intermittent fasting, an icon of a clock with a fork and knife beside it.

Natural fats, an icon of a bottle of olive oil.

Stay well hydrated, an icon of a glass of water.

A good vitamin D supplement in combination with vitamin K2.

The vitamin B family, especially thiamine (B1), and B6 and B12

Trace minerals.

Protein/important amino acids, icons of high protein foods.

Alpha lipoic acid and co-enzyme Q10 for mitochondrial support, an icon of a supplement jar.

A regular psycho-spiritual practice/stress management routine to counter stress, an icon of a person doing a yoga pose.

Magnesium, an icon of a supplement jar with Mg on it.

A healthy amount of movement/exercise/sport, an icon of a person walking outside with their dog.

On the other hand, habits you may think about avoiding include:

A red infographic with the title What to avoid.

Excess refined carbohydrates and sugar, especially fructose, an icon of fizzy sodas.

Gut infections and microbiome imbalance, an icon of the intestines.

Stress, an icon of a person with a stormy cloud above their head to represent stress.

Excess alcohol, an icon of a bottle of wine with a red line through it.

Trans fats, an icon of cakes, pizza, and bread.

Gluten (for many people), an icon of slices of bread.

Environmental toxins, an icon of a plastic container.

If you’ve found this interesting and want to discover more on how to support your metabolic health, our more in-depth article on the subject can be found here.

For more support on living a healthy lifestyle, which can help prevent a range of conditions, why not try the free Evergreen Life?

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Reviewed by:

Anna Keeble MA BA Head of Content and Wellbeing Expert

Dr Claire Marie Thomas MRCGP DFSRH DTMH DipNLP MBChB BMedSci Medical Expert

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Nicky Verity

Nicky Verity, a former clinical pharmacist, wellbeing researcher at Evergreen Life, and now a qualified Human Potential Coach, is passionate about empowering others to help themselves.