Research
Hormonal
Increased circulating levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and imidazole propionate, linked to gut microbiota function, are associated with insulin resistance and higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
High levels of certain metabolites like BCAAs and imidazole propionate in your blood are linked to insulin resistance. These are partly produced by your gut bacteria, suggesting that a balanced diet supporting a healthy microbiome is important for metabolic health.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Increased levels of circulating BCAAs have been described in insulin-resistant individuals and linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes (19). Furthermore, increased plasma levels of imidazole propionate, a bacterial product of histidine metabolism, have been reported in individuals with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (48).
Why this rating
Consistent observational findings across multiple cohorts.
Source
The Gut Microbiota and Diabetes: Research, Translation, and Clinical Applications—2023 <i>Diabetes</i>, <i>Diabetes Care</i>, and <i>Diabetologia</i> Expert Forum
Mariana X. Byndloss et al. · Diabetes · 2024
DOI 10.2337/dbi24-0028
narrative_reviewCited 17×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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