Active clinical trials for "Metabolic Syndrome"

Metabolic syndrome has been defined as a group of associated risk factors for cardio-vascular diseases and diabetes. It is usually treated with an association of restrictive diet, physical exercise and drugs. Nevertheless the type of exercise associated to reduction in cardio-vascular risks is not yet fully defined. Long term effects of such hygienic-diet programs are of great importance since it is well-known that compliance to such treatment are of short duration, namely when subjects return in routine life. Metabolic syndrome volunteer subjects (n=90), aged 50 to 70 yrs will be randomly assigned to 3 groups of investigation.One group will perform mostly resistance activity, a second mainly endurance activity and the third one will be composed of subjects not exercising a lot. All subjects will have the same restrictive diet (500-700 kcal/d) After the initial training (3 weeks), they will return home with diet and physical program advises (personal compliance). They will be followed for one year (at 3, 6 and 12 months) Such a design may allow to find out the type of activity and power that are the best to reduce metabolic syndrome parameters and cardio-vascular risk factors. The primary outcome variable is the reduction in abdominal circumference, which is the main criteria of MS.

The metabolic syndrome is a medical condition defined by high levels of cholesterol in the blood, high blood pressure, central obesity (gain in fat around the region of the stomach), and insulin resistance (body responds less well to insulin). This state of impaired insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is one of the most common metabolic disorders in the U.S. Numerous studies have shown an inverse relationship between insulin resistance and testosterone levels in men, however, causality has not been established. This protocol investigates the role of testosterone in modulating insulin sensitivity in insulin resistant states such as the metabolic syndrome. The hypothesis is that testosterone administration will improve insulin sensitivity.

Oral contraceptives (OCs) are the most widely used method of reversible birth control. However, the long-term cardiovascular safety of the widely used low-dose OCs (ethinyl-estradiol < 50 mcg) is still debated. Although cardiovascular events are rare in young women whether they use OCs or not, the risks of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke are increased among users of OCs who have conventional cardiovascular risk factors such as use of tobacco, diabetes or hypercholesterolemia. However, the risk of cardiovascular events in OC users with emerging cardiovascular risk factors (such as obesity and the metabolic syndrome) have not been investigated. Recently, the metabolic syndrome has been linked with the risk of cardiovascular disease. The syndrome is a clustering of risk factors in a single individual, and its underlying cause may be insulin resistance. Whether the metabolic syndrome predicts a higher cardiovascular risk in OC users has not been studied. This is a critical problem because the metabolic syndrome is prevalent in 24% of adults. Until the cardiovascular risks in users of OC are clearly defined, the appropriate use of OC with the least harm would not be possible. The investigator's long-term goal is to understand the best way to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease in women. The objective of this particular project is to obtain pilot data on the extent to which the metabolic syndrome and obesity affects glucose metabolism and cardiovascular risks in women taking OCs. The researchers hypothesize that women with metabolic syndrome and obese women will have worsened glucose metabolism and elevated cardiovascular risks associated with OC use, when compared to normal weight women without the metabolic syndrome. Results of this study will clarify the risk factors for cardiovascular events in women taking OCs, and will serve as pilot data for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposal. Once the cardiovascular risk factors of OC users are understood, clinicians can make better informed decisions about contraceptive choices for their patients.

This study examines the effects of weight loss and aerobic exercise training on sugar metabolism and other risk factors for heart disease in obese older individuals.

A randomized placebo controlled trial to determine if increased dietary fiber will prevent weight gain, inhibit adiposity and reduce perceived stress levels in residents at the Waco Family Health Center as the result of changes in distal gut microbiota composition and function.

This study evaluates dietary green tea extract to improve gut health and inflammation in persons with metabolic syndrome and healthy adults. Participants will complete two phases of intervention in random order in which they will consume green tea extract or placebo for one month and then switch to the opposite treatment for an additional month.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) adults (n = 24; 18-65 y) will be enrolled to complete a 2-arm, double-blind, randomized controlled, crossover trial. They will be randomized in 4-unit blocks to receive, for 14 d, a controlled diet with dairy milk (3.5% fat; 3 servings/d) enriched with milk fat globule membrane (MFGM, MEB) or a matched dairy milk that instead contains soy lecithin/phospholipid (control, COMP). All foods during each study period will be provided to ensure weight maintenance and to increase homogeneity of gut and host responses. Anthropometrics and blood pressure will be assessed at days 0, 7, and 14. Prior to (day 0) and after each 2-wk arm (day 14), a fasting blood sample will be collected to assess serum endotoxin and metabolic chemistries (glucose, lipids, insulin), and Toll-like receptor 4 /nuclear factor kappaB (TLR4/NFκB)-dependent genes from whole blood. A breath sample will be collected to assess the correlation analysis of plasma metabolic biomarkers. After the 2-week intervention, from fecal samples collected on day 13, the investigators will assess microbiota composition and function, short chain fatty acids (SCFA), and intestinal inflammatory markers (calprotectin, myeloperoxidase). On d 14, participants in the fasted state will receive a high-fat/high-glucose meal challenge to induce gut-derived endotoxin translocation. At 30-minute intervals for 3-hour, the investigators will evaluate circulating endotoxin, glucose, and insulin; TLR4/NFκB-dependent genes will be assessed from whole blood at 0 hour and 3-hour. Gut permeability probes will be co-administered with the test meal challenge, and 24-hour urine will be collected to assess gut barrier integrity. Participants will then undergo a 2-week washout prior to receiving the alternative treatment and completing all procedures in an identical manner.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of interrupting prolong sedentary behavior with interval exercise on postprandial metabolism following a high fat glucose tolerance test.

This study will investigate the effects of curcumin on the structure/function of the body by investigating whether targeted improvement of intestinal barrier function by supplementation with oral curcumin will result in attenuation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) translocation and/or intestinal inflammation.

Psoriasis (Ps) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), body fatness and cardiovascular risk. Additionally, oxidative stress and inflammation are also contributing mechanisms on Ps and PsA. However, little is known about the influence of diet and micronutrients on the main outcomes of these diseases. The aim of the investigators is to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention diet program on disease activity, metabolic profile and oxidative stress inpatients with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis.