Evaluating NDI Efficacy in Cardiometabolic Prevention via urinary BCAA quantification
Issue
Non-drug interventions (NDIs) like exercise and diet are crucial for preventing cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) like diabetes and heart disease1,2,3, the leading global killer4. However, widespread adoption of NDIs as a therapeutic solution is hindered by the lack of reliable biomarkers to routinely and objectively assess their effectiveness in improving cardiometabolic health in at-risk but not yet ill individuals. Insulin resistance (IR), a key CMD risk factor5, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), a reliable IR biomarker6,7,8, are critical for evaluating NDI impact. IR can be detected years before CMD onset and is reversible through NDIs1,6, but IR and BCAAs are underutilized due to inadequate tools9.
Method
PREDIA, a comprehensive CMD prevention program, addresses this need. It provides CMD prevention education, cardiometabolic phenotyping, and a structured, individualized NDI pathway proven to impact IR and adapted to lifestyle, with personalized hybrid support (multidisciplinary team and digital application). PREDIA uses the IDIR® urine test to identify at-risk individuals and measure metabolic health improvement, adjusting the program if needed. This CE-marked, validated test quantifies urinary BCAAs, enabling IR detection (if BCAAs >80µM) and monitoring over time through repeated measurements.
Results
Studies show BCAA reduction is one of the earliest signs of cardiometabolic improvement from NDIs in at-risk individuals10. Affordable, easy and quick to perform in the lab, and without discomfort for individuals, the IDIR test is therefore an innovative tool for measuring the effectiveness of NDIs in those at risk of CMDs.
Conclusion
Objectively demonstrating NDI effectiveness is essential to establish them as a priority therapeutic CMD prevention solution. Using the IDIR test in prevention programs like PREDIA provides tangible proof of NDI efficacy. Ongoing pilot projects will provide further evidence on the necessity of fully integrating NDIs into routine clinical practices for better CMD management.