Blood Test May Predict Diabetes Earlier

A blood test may help to find out years ahead of time which people are most likely to develop diabetes, researchers say. The study included 2,422 people. They were part of the long-term Framingham Heart Study. Blood tests were taken when they entered the study. Researchers kept track of them for about 12 years. In that time, 201 developed type 2 diabetes. Leaders of the new study checked those early blood tests for metabolites. These are chemicals released as the body burns calories for energy. The study compared blood samples of people who developed diabetes and 189 others who did not. The diabetes group had higher levels of 5 amino acids. These are the building blocks of proteins. Researchers also compared the groups in other ways. They looked at age, weight and other things that affect diabetes risk.