New hormone discovery ‘could help predict future diseases in men’

Scientists find level of INSL3 in blood correlates with age-related illnesses, Mustafa Qadri writes

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The level of a specific hormone in men can help predict whether they are likely to develop certain diseases later in life, a study has found.

Scientists from Nottingham University found a hormone called INSL3 can be useful in predicting the development of age-linked diseases such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes in men.

The study found that the level of INSL3 in blood correlates with a range of these age-related illnesses.

The team analysed the blood samples of 3,000 men across Europe and the UK, with two samples taken four years apart from each participant. The results found men who developed age-related illnesses had low levels of this hormone at a young and older age.

This discovery has opened up a pathway to finding ways to spot diseases at an earlier stage in a man's life, the scientists said.

INSL3 is made by the same cells in the testes that make testosterone. But unlike testosterone - which fluctuates throughout a man’s life - INSL3 remains consistent, with the level at puberty remaining largely the same throughout a man’s life, decreasing only slightly into old age. Scientists say this makes it the first clear and reliable predictive indicator of age-related morbidity.

One of the lead scientists of the study Professor 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.”

The other lead scientist, Professor Ravinder Anand-Ivell, added: “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.”

Their latest findings have been published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology.