Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in the US have developed a blood test which can predict an individual’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The test measures the levels of five amino acids — isoleucine, leucine, valine, tyrosine and phenylalanine — to determine the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
To develop the test, researchers followed 2,422 healthy adults with normal blood sugars at the start of the 12-year study, during which 201 developed type 2 diabetes.
Researchers compared blood samples from 189 participants who developed diabetes with samples from 189 participants who did not develop diabetes during the study period.
They specifically screened for 61 various metabolites and found that five amino acids were associated with the development of type 2 diabetes.
In addition, individuals with traditional risk factors for type 2 diabetes and highest levels of three most predictive amino acids (isoleucine, phenylalanine and tyrosine) had between five and seven times the risk of developing diabetes than those with lowest levels.
According to researchers, amino acids have also been associated with the development of diabetes in previous studies, and further studies involving larger numbers of people are needed to confirm these results.
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