Scientists discover rare genetic condition that attacks kids’ immune systems

X Chromosome: X Inactivation

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Syndrome X Case Studies

Syndrom X is pre-diabetic state in which the body cannot process sugar properly.

Symptoms include feeling constantly tired, being unable to shift extra weight and relying on sugary snacks to keep you going.

Read our case studies below to discover how two women managed to treat and beat Syndrome X.

'I never had any energy'

Andrea Whittingon, 31, lives with her husband Paul, 31, a musician, and children Lewis, nine, and Bethaen, seven, in Worthing, Sussex.

She says: I put on weight after having my first child, and have been trying to shift it ever since.

I cut out fatty foods such as cheese, fried eggs and chips, and filled up on bread, pasta and potatoes.

But my success was limited. In my early 20s, I was a slim 8st, but over the following decade I went up to 10st 7lb. I also felt tired all the time - I just didn't have the energy to exercise.

My appetite swung between cravings for sweets or carbohydrates, and a short period of satisfaction after eating.That would be followed by an energy slump and more cravings.

It became second nature to use tea or coffee to perk me up.

I found out about blood sugar imbalances and Syndrome X last year while temping for a company specialising in nutrition. I learned about the difference between high GI foods and low GI foods and decided to switch to the latter.

I also began taking a supplement called X-Vite, which provides vitamins C and E, zinc and chromium to help the body regulate blood sugar levels.

Now I eat lots of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains. I avoid white bread, pastries, potatoes and chips, and my staples are brown rice and wholemeal bread.

I no longer crave snacks between meals, and my energy levels have shot up. Today, I'm far more active and swim three times a week before work.

That, combined with a healthier diet, has helped me reduce my weight to just under 9st. I feel brilliant.

'I felt irritable and weak'

Louise Woodford, 27 , a project manager who lives near Oxford, was diagnosed

with Syndrome X six months ago.

She says: Ever since my teens, I've suffered from dizzy spells and fainting. Doctors undertook all sorts of tests, but found nothing.

Whenever I fainted, it was always a short time after eating something sweet, like a fruit juice or sugary snack. If I didn't faint, I'd still feel dizzy, weak and irritable.

I'd also been putting on weight, despite exercising and eating only moderate amounts. I'd get hunger pangs mid-morning and mid-afternoon, and quench them with a croissant or a sweettasting yoghurt.

I'd drink tea and coffee throughout the day because I felt tired and lethargic most of the time. They'd give me a boost for half an hour, but then I'd hit an energy low.

Six months ago, I went to a see a nutritionist who connected the fainting spells with my diet and weight gain, and diagnosed Syndrome X. She told me to stop eating 'simple' carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta and potatoes, and advised me to eat complex carbohydrates, such as wholemeal bread and brown rice, instead.

I had to cut out all refined sugar and replace it with fibrous fruit such as apples and lots of vegetables and pulses.

After six months on the new diet, I feel 100 per cent better. I have much more energy and have lost nearly a stone, mainly from around my waist. I've cut out tea and coffee, but don't miss them at all.

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