Could metabolic syndrome be the hidden root behind everything from fatigue and weight gain to heart disease, brain fog, and even cancer?

In this episode of Made for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman sits down with Dr. Christian Jenski to explore metabolic syndrome from a functional medicine perspective. Together, they unpack how disruptions in energy production and metabolic balance underlie a wide range of chronic illnesses — including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver, PCOS, gout, kidney stones, sleep apnea, cognitive decline, and even cancer.

They discuss the shortcomings of standard diagnostic criteria, the need for early detection, and how functional medicine offers a more comprehensive, root-cause approach to healing. This episode also introduces the connection between immune system aging, inflammation, and mitochondrial health — setting the stage for future conversations on targeted therapies and metabolic optimization.

Show Highlights

• What defines metabolic syndrome and why conventional diagnostic standards often fall short.
• The role of mitochondrial dysfunction and energy production in chronic disease.
• How inflammation and immune system aging contribute to metabolic decline.
• Conditions linked to metabolic syndrome: obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver, gout, PCOS, kidney stones, and more.
• How lifestyle factors—diet, stress, exercise, and sleep—shape metabolic outcomes.
• Why “normal” lab values don’t always indicate optimal metabolic health.
• The connection between low testosterone, sleep apnea, and metabolic imbalance in men.
• Cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s as metabolic conditions (“Type 3 Diabetes”).
• How metabolic health influences mental health and mood regulation.
• Exploring the metabolic roots of cancer and the potential role of ketogenic diets.

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• How the immune system’s biological age influences metabolic and cellular health.
• The significance of visceral fat, triglycerides, and HDL in identifying metabolic risk.
• Ethnic variations in fat distribution and what they reveal about hidden metabolic dysfunction.
• Why fatty liver disease should never be dismissed as “common” or “incidental.”
• How uric acid and oxalate metabolism contribute to gout, kidney stones, and systemic inflammation.
• Why mental health symptoms like anxiety or depression can sometimes be metabolic in origin.
• The science behind insulin resistance in the brain and its link to cognitive decline.
• Functional medicine strategies for restoring balance through nutrition, detoxification, and lifestyle alignment.

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Aaron Hartman – Richmond Functional Medicine: richmondfunctionalmedicine.com
• YouTube – Aaron Hartman, MD: @AaronHartmanMD