Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male and female (postmenopausal) patients, 18-70 years of age

2. Diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome according to ATP III criteria(4), including 3 or more of the following metabolic abnormalities:

   • abdominal obesity (waist circumference > 102 cm in men and > 88 cm in women)
   • elevated blood pressure (³ 130 mmHg systolic or ³ 85 mmHg diastolic)
   • hypertriglyceridemia (serum triglycerides ³ 1.70 mmol/L
   • low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (serum HDL-cholesterol <1.04 mmol/L in men and < 1.29 mmol/L in women)
   • high fasting glucose (fasting serum glucose ³ 6.1 mmol/L)
3. Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Smoking
2. Thyroid disease (TSH > 5 mU/L with clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism)
3. Hepatic disease (ASAT or ALAT > 2 times the upper limit of normal)
4. Renal disease (serum creatinine > 1.7 times the upper limit of normal).
5. A history of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral arterial disease.
6. Use of lipid lowering therapy
7. Systolic blood pressure ≥ 180 mmHg and /or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 110 mmHg
8. BMI > 35
9. HbA1c > 6.5%
10. Triglycerides > 8.0 mmol/L