Blood test could identify diabetes 'almost 20 YEARS before it strikes'
A blood test may detect people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes two decades for the condition strikes, a study suggests.
Swedish scientists found people with high levels of a protein called follistatin were twice as likely to develop the 'silent killer', compared to volunteers at the other end of the scale.
The findings could allow for the condition to be spotted earlier, slashing the risk of subsequent complications, such as heart disease and strokes.
Nearly 5milllion people in the UK have diabetes — with 90 per cent of all cases being type 2. Some 34.2million people in the US have the condition.
Obesity is the main trigger, so maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet and exercising can cut the risk of developing the condition.
The condition prevents the pancreas from making enough insulin, causing blood sugar levels to rise.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a common condition that causes the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood to become too high.
It can cause symptoms like excessive thirst, needing to pee a lot and tiredness. It can also increase your risk of getting serious problems with your eyes, heart and nerves.
It's a lifelong condition that can affect your everyday life. You may need to change your diet, take medicines and have regular check-ups.
It's caused by problems with a chemical in the body (hormone) called insulin. It's often linked to being overweight or inactive, or having a family history of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is currently diagnosed after it develops though a blood or urine test, which detects high blood sugar levels.
Lund University researchers examined blood samples from 4,195 participants, who provided regular samples over nearly two decades.
Some 577 people (13.8 per cent) went on to suffer from type 2 diabetes, according to the results published in Nature Communications.
Those who developed the condition had higher levels of plasma follistatin in their blood at the start of the study, compared to those who did not.
Follistatin helps regulate the metabolism but it also encourages body fat to break down and accumulate in the liver, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.
Participants with slightly elevated follistatin were 28 per cent more likely to develop the condition.
Those who had higher follistatin levels were 47 per cent more likely to have type 2 diabetes in the following years.
And those with the highest levels were twice as likely to develop the illness.
Dr Yang De Marinis, lead author, said: 'This study shows follistatin has the potential to become an important biomarker to predict future type 2 diabetes.
'It also brings us one step closer to the understanding of the mechanisms behind the disease.'
Dr Marinis, also CEO of biotech startup Lundoch Diagnostics, is creating a blood test tool that could be rolled out across the world.
Patients would provide a sample of their blood, which would be then be analysed to look at levels for the protein biomarker.
Reference: Emily Craig Health Reporter For Mailonline
No thoughts on “Blood test could identify diabetes 'almost 20 YEARS before it strikes'”
Articles - Most Read
- Home
- LIVER DIS-EASE AND GALL BLADDER DIS-EASE
- Contacts
- African Wholistics - Medicines, Machines and Ignorance
- African Holistics - Seduced by Ignorance and Research
- African Wholistics -The Overlooked Revolution
- The Children of the Sun-3
- Kidney Stones-African Holistic Health
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-3
- 'Tortured' and shackled pupils freed from Nigerian Islamic school
- The Serpent and the RainBow-The Jaguar - 2
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-2
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-4
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-5
- King Leopold's Ghost - Introduction
- African Wholistics - Medicine
- Menopause
- PART ONE: DIS-EASE TREATMENT AND HEALTH-6
- The Mystery System
- The Black Pharaohs Nubian Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
Who's On Line?
We have 33 guests and no members online
Ad Agency Remote
Articles - Latest
- The nightly ritual that could improve memory and brain health, according to scientists
- Hyacinth Bean: How Nutritionists Rate Its Nutrients, Health Effects, And More
- Top healthiest fruits with anti-inflammatory properties
- Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms: How to spot the signs in your feet
- Dehydration may be as bad 'as smoking' for veins - how much water you need to avoid stroke
- Winter Squash: A Superfood Or Not? Nutrition Professionals Weigh In, With Serving Tips And Health Risks
- Why The Nutrition Professionals Love Winter Melon, Nutritional Benefits And Serving Size Guidelines
- Lesser-known lung cancer symptom in arm or shoulder that can't be ignored
- HIV breakthrough as new technology removes all traces of virus from infected cells
- Seven fruits for diabetics to avoid that can increase blood sugar spike risk
- Top 7 Uses and Benefits of Dead Nettle Plants
- 6 physical symptoms of anxiety you shouldn’t ignore, according to experts
- The five warning signs of bad circulation, according to a surgeon
- How to use wild garlic
- How many litres of water should you drink a day and does tea count?
- Cucumber: Nutrition Professional Opinions And Healthy Portions
- Hardening of the arteries speeds up ageing process, new study says - how to prevent
- FDA Approves First Gene Therapies to Treat Patients with Sickle Cell Disease
- Three questions for men facing infertility from risk factors to treatments