LONDON: Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital
(MGH) have suggested that measuring the levels of small molecules in
the blood could predict diabetes risk as much as a decade before first
symptoms appear.
They said the levels of five amino acids not
only indicated increased diabetes risk in a general population but also
could differentiate, among individuals with traditional risk factors
such as obesity, those most likely to actually develop diabetes.
"These findings raise the possibility that, in selected individuals,
these measurements could identify those at highest risk of developing
diabetes so that early preventive measures could be instituted," said
lead author Thomas Wang.
The researchers found that elevations in
five amino acids — isoleucine, leucine, valine, tyrosine and
phenylalanine — were significantly associated with the later development
of type 2 diabetes.
src:TOI