Metabolic Diseases

Metabolism is the set of biochemical reactions that take place in the cells of the human body and aim towards the sustenance of the cells and the human organism. Our metabolism has three main goals:

• the conversion of food to energy required for all the cellular processes
• the conversion of food to “building bricks” required for the synthesis of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and carbohydrates
• handling of metabolic waste.

Metabolic reactions can be characterized as anabolic (consumption of energy) or catabolic (release of energy). Disorders in these reactions can lead to the onset of Metabolic Diseases.

Diagnosis of Real Causes & Treatments of Metabolic Diseases

• Gradual restoration of cellular function
• Personalized therapeutic protocols, without chemical residues and excipients
• Treating the real causes
• Therapeutic formulas that work alone or in combination with any other medication
• Adopting a Molecular / Therapeutic Nutrition Plan

Types of Metabolic Diseases

Metabolic diseases can be divided into two categories: hereditary and non-hereditary or acquired.

Hereditary metabolic diseases are the result of certain gene mutations. There are hundreds of hereditary metabolic diseases reported until today. Some of them are: Hunter syndrome, Krabbe disease, porphyria, familiar hypercholesterolemia, Gaucher disease, phenylketonuria, maple syrup urine disease etc. Due to the large number of hereditary metabolic diseases and the heterogeneity of their symptoms, treatment protocols can vary considerably.

Non-hereditary or acquired metabolic diseases include obesity, diabetes, rickets, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome etc. The variety and context of these diseases renders their clinical manifestations highly heterogeneous.

Clinical symptoms of Metabolic Diseases

Symptoms of Metabolic Diseases depend largely on the disease and its severity. However some symptoms are rather common and include among other:

• Unintended weight loss
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Decreased appetite
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Menstrual cycle abnormalities
• Sense of feeling hungry even after consumption of a meal
• Increased sense of thirst

Diagnosis of Metabolic Diseases

The starting point for the diagnosis of metabolic diseases is the clinical consultation. This is followed by specialized diagnostic tests that will lead to the diagnosis. These tests can include blood tests or more specialized diagnostic tests at a molecular level, such as the Urine Metabolic Analysis that enables the examination and analysis of the metabolism at a molecular level.

Functional Medicine and Non Hereditary Metabolic Diseases

Through specialized diagnostic tests, it is now possible to locate the step(s) in the metabolic pathways in which enzyme dysfunction(s) manifest and consequently lead to the metabolic disorder. It is therefore possible to provide our patient with a personalized treatment to remedy this abnormality and thus combat the cause of the disorder in the metabolism and therefore the manifestation of the non-hereditary metabolic disease.