An important new hormone has been discovered to predict men's long-term health

Scientists have discovered the important role of a hormone that is produced during a man's puberty and can predict early on whether they will develop certain diseases
later in life.

Researchers at the University of Nottingham found that the new insulin-like peptide hormone called INSL3, which remained consistent over a long period of time, is an important early biomarker for predicting age-related diseases
.
Their latest findings will be published today (November 8) in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology
.

INSL3 is produced by the same cells in the testicles that produce testosterone, but unlike testosterone, which fluctuates throughout a person's lifetime, INSL3 is consistent, with levels remaining essentially unchanged throughout a person's life during adolescence and only declining
slightly in old age.
This makes it the first clear and reliable biomarker for predicting age-related incidence compared to other measurable parameters
.

The results showed that levels of INSL3 in the blood were associated with a range of age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, sexual dysfunction, diabetes and cardiovascular disease
.

The discovery of the consistency of this hormone is very important because it means that a person who was high in INSL3 when he was young will still have high INSL3
by the time he is older.
But a person's INSL3 is low at a very young age, and when he grows up, his INSL3 will be low, which makes him more susceptible to typical age-related diseases
.
This opens up exciting possibilities
for predicting age-related diseases and finding ways to prevent the onset of these diseases through early intervention.

The study, led by Professors Ravinder Anand-Ive and Richard Ivell, is the latest of three recent studies on the hormone
.
Professor Ravinder Anand-Ive explains: "The holy grail of ageing research is to reduce the health disparities
that arise as people age.
Understanding why some people are more susceptible to disability and illness as they age is crucial so that interventions can be found to ensure that people not only live long but also lead healthy lives
in old age.
Our hormonal discovery is an important step in understanding the issue and will not only pave the way for helping individuals, but will also help alleviate the crisis
of care we face as a society.
”

The team analysed blood samples from 3,000 men from eight regional centres in northern, southern, eastern and western Europe, including the United Kingdom, two of which were collected
four years apart.
The results showed that, unlike testosterone, INSL3 maintained consistent levels in individuals

The study also showed that blood concentrations of INSL3 in normal male populations, even when young and relatively healthy, still vary widely between individuals — almost 10 times
more.

Professor Richard Ive added: "Now that we know the important role this hormone plays in predicting disease and how it changes in men, we are turning our attention to finding the factors
that have the greatest impact on blood INSL3 levels.
" Preliminary research suggests that nutrition early in life may play a role, but many other factors, such as genetics or exposure to some environmental endocrine disruptors, may also play a role
.
”

The Lydia cell biomarker INSL3 as a predictor of age-related morbidity: Findings from the EMAS cohort" 8 November 2022, Frontiers in Endocrinology