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T
he
role
of
oxidative
stress
on
the
pathophysiology
of
metabolic
syndrome
R
ev
A
ssoc
M
ed
B
ras
2017; 63(1):85-91
85
REVIEW ARTICLE
The role of oxidative stress on the pathophysiology
of metabolic syndrome
F
abiane
V
alentini
F
rancisqueti
1
*, L
idiana
C
amargo
T
alon
C
hiaverini
2
, K
linsmann
C
arolo
dos
S
antos
1
, I
gor
O
távio
M
inatel
3
,
C
arolina
B
erchieri
R
onchi
4
, A
rtur
J
unio
T
ogneri
F
erron
5
, A
na
L
úcia
A. F
erreira
6
, C
amila
R
enata
C
orrêa
7
1
MSc, Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (Unesp), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
2
PhD, Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
3
PhD, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
4
PhD, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
5
MSc, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
6
MD, Adjunct Professor of the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
7
Post-Doctorate, Lecturer in the Pathology Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Unesp, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
S
ummary
Study conducted at Faculdade de
Medicina de Botucatu, Universidade
Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita
Filho" (Unesp), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
Article received:
3/9/2016
Accepted for publication:
6/20/2016
*Correspondence:
Address: Av. Prof. Montenegro
Distrito de Rubião Junior, s/n
Botucatu, SP – Brazil
Postal code: 18618-970
fabianevf@gmail.com http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.63.01.85Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has a high prevalence around the world. Considering
the components used to classify MetS, it is clear that it is closely related to obe-
sity. These two conditions begin with an increase in abdominal adipose tissue,
which is metabolically more active, containing a greater amount of resident
macrophages compared to other fat deposits. Abdominal adiposity promotes
inflammation and oxidative stress, which are precursors of various complications
involving MetS components, namely insulin resistance, hypertension and hy-
perlipidemia. One way to block the effects of oxidative stress would be through
the antioxidant defense system, which offsets the excess free radicals. It is known
that individuals with metabolic syndrome and obesity have high consumption
of fats and sugars originated from processed foods containing high levels of
sodium as well as low intake of fruits and vegetables, thus maintaining a state
of oxidative stress, that can speed up the onset of MetS. Healthy eating habits
could prevent or delay MetS by adding antioxidant-rich foods into the diet.
Keywords:
oxidative stress, metabolic syndrome, obesity.
I
ntroduction
Metabolic syndrome (MetS), also known as syndrome X
or insulin resistance syndrome, is characterized by the
clustering of cardiovascular risk factors such as hyperten-
sion, insulin resistance, central obesity, and atherogenic
dyslipidemia (high LDL-cholesterol, high triglycerides,
and low HDL-cholesterol).
1
MetS is a major health issue
of westernized modern societies
1
and it already appears
as one of the main challenges of current clinical practice.
In general, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF)
estimates that one-quarter of the world’s adult population
has MetS and the observed prevalence of MetS in Na-
tional Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES) was 5% among the subjects of normal weight,
22% among the overweight, and 60% among the obese.
2
For the diagnosis of MetS, there are at least three cri-
teria based on five components: waist circumference, blood
pressure, blood glucose, triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol.
The National Cholesterol Education Program – Adult Treat
ment Pannel III (NCEP – ATP III)
3
adopts at least three
components for diagnosis of MetS. The IDF
4
considers the
abdominal circumference and two more components, and
the World Health Organization (WHO)
5
uses the waist/hip
ratio, presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) or insulin
resistance, microalbuminuria, hypertension and triglycerides.
Observing the components that classify the indi-
vidual as having metabolic syndrome, it can be noted that
they are all complications that commonly affect obese
individuals, which shows that there is a direct link between
these two diseases.
6
In general, these two conditions begin
to increase in abdominal adipose tissue which is more
metabolically active, containing a higher amount of res-
ident macrophages compared to other fat deposits.
7
Ab-
dominal adiposity promotes inflammation and oxidative