University of Nottingham research could help predict diseases in men

Researchers say if they can predict diseases, they can try to prevent them

Researchers have discovered a hormone which could help predict whether men will develop certain diseases in later life.

Experts at the University of Nottingham have been studying INSL3 which develops in men during puberty.

They believe it offers an early marker for predicting of age-linked disease, giving medics the chance to prevent illness.

The findings are based on blood sample tests of some 3,000 men across Europe.

'The holy grail'

The research shows INSL3 is made by the same testicular cells that create testosterone but, unlike testosterone, remains at consistent levels through men's lives.

The university said this made it a clear and reliable way of predicting diseases.

The researchers said levels of INSL3 in blood correlated with age-related illnesses such as bone weakness, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, and heart disease.

They hoped the discovery could allow for early medical intervention to try to prevent them.

Prof Ravinder Anand-Ivell says she hopes the research will help people live a healthy life

The research was led by professors Ravinder Anand-Ivell and Richard Ivell.

Prof Ravinder Anand-Ivell said: "The holy grail of aging research is to reduce the fitness gap that appears as people age.

"Understanding why some people are more likely to develop disability and disease as they age is vital so that interventions can be found to ensure people not only live a long life, but also a healthy life as they age.

"Our hormone discovery is an important step in understanding this and will pave the way for not only helping people individually but also helping to ease the care crisis we face as a society."

Prof Richard Ivell said: "Now we know the important role this hormone plays in predicting disease and how it varies amongst men we are turning our attention to finding out what factors have the most influence on the level of INSL3 in the blood.

"Preliminary work suggests early life nutrition may play a role, but many other factors such as genetics or exposure to some environmental endocrine disruptors may play a part."

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