According to a study, blood tests may be able to detect those at highest risk for developing type 2 Diabetes in two decades.
Swedish researchers found that people who had high levels of a protein called Follistatin were twice more likely to get the silent killer than volunteers.
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. The condition affects 34.2 million Americans.
Obesity can be the primary trigger. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy weight, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly in order to reduce your risk.
It prevents insulin from being made by the pancreas, which causes blood sugar levels rise.
Nearly 5milllion people in the UK have diabetes — with 90 per cent of cases being type 2 — and the figure is expected to hit 5.5milllion by 2030. The condition affects 34.2 million Americans. Pictured: doctor checking blood sugar level
The graph shows the proportion of people who developed diabetes in relation to their follistatin levels. The people with high levels of follistatin (purple) had twice the risk of developing diabetes as those who had lower levels (blue).
A blood test or urine test can detect high levels of blood sugar and diagnose diabetes.
Lund University researchers examined blood samples taken from 4195 individuals who gave regular samples for almost two decades.
Nature Communications published the findings. They found that 577 of these people (13.8%) eventually developed type II diabetes.
The plasma levels of plasma follatin were significantly higher in those with this condition than the ones who didn’t.
Follistatin is a hormone that regulates the metabolism. However, it can also cause body fat to be accumulated in the liver.
The condition was 28 percent more common in those with elevated levels of follistatin.
The likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes within the next five years was 47 percent higher for those who had higher levels in follistatin.
This was twice the likelihood of those who had the highest blood levels.
Dr Yang De Marinis is the principal author.
“It also makes us closer to understanding the causes of disease.
Dr Marinis, also CEO of biotech startup Lundoch Diagnostics, is creating a blood test tool that could be rolled out across the world.
A sample from the patient’s blood would then be taken and analysed for levels of protein biomarkers.