Endogenous Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System and Glucose Metabolism

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Ambulatory subjects, 18 to 70 years of age, inclusive 2. For female subjects, the following conditions must be met: 1. postmenopausal status for at least 1 year, or 2. status-post surgical sterilization, or 3. if of childbearing potential, utilization of adequate birth control and willingness to undergo urine beta-hcg testing prior to drug treatment and on every study day. 3. Metabolic Syndrome as defined by the presence of \> 3 of the following: 1. Systolic Blood Pressure \> 130 mm Hg OR Diastolic Blood Pressure \> 85 mm Hg. 2. Glucose Intolerance (Fasting Plasma Glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL) 3. Increased triglyceride level \> 150mg/dL (1.7mmol/L) 4. Decreased levels of HDL cholesterol (For males, less than 40 mg/dL; For females, less than 50 mg/dL) 5. Waist circumference (For males, greater than 40 inches; For females, greater than 35 inches) Exclusion Criteria: 1. type 1 Diabetes 2. Type II Diabetes 3. Impaired renal function 4. Prior allergies to medications used in the study protocol 5. Screening plasma potassium \>5.5 mmol/L or sodium \<135 mmol/L 6. Cardiovascular disease 7. Use of hormone replacement therapy 8. Breast-feeding 9. Treatment with anticoagulants 10. History of serious neurologic disease 11. History or presence of immunological or hematological disorders 12. Diagnosis of asthma requiring use of inhaled beta agonist 13. Clinically significant gastrointestinal impairment 14. Impaired hepatic function 15. Hematocrit \<35% 16. Any underlying or acute disease requiring regular medication which could possibly pose a threat to the subject or make implementation of the protocol or interpretation of the study results difficult, such as arthritis treated with non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs 17. Treatment with chronic systemic glucocorticoid therapy 18. Treatment with lithium salts 19. History of alcohol or drug abuse 20. Treatment with any investigational drug in the 1 month preceding 21. Mental conditions rendering the subject unable to understand the nature, scope and possible consequences of the study 22. Inability to comply with the protocol, e.g., uncooperative attitude, inability to return for follow-up visits, and unlikelihood of completing the study