Table 3.
Brief tabular summary of principal metabolites and their potential role.
| Metabolites | Biofluids | Potential Effects |
|---|---|---|
| BCCAs (isoleucine, leucine, and valine) |
Serum | Potential predictors of insulin resistance, fasting blood glucose level, and TG concentration |
| Kynurenine | Serum | The increase of Kynurenine associated with apoptosis and pro-oxidant effect (inflammation) |
| Glucose | Serum | The hyperglycemia condition is one of the main causes in the development of insulin resistance |
| Lactate | Serum | Precursor of gluconeogenesis during anaerobic glycolysis. Pathway overexpressed in the metabolic syndrome |
| Phosphatidylcoline (PC) | Serum | The reduction in CP levels appears to be caused by an increase in the turnover and size of adipocytes |
| Sphingolipids (sphingomyelin, ceramides) | Serum | The alteration of the sphingolipids seems to promote cellular stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and alteration of the insulin-signalling pathway |
| DGLA (dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid) |
Serum | Obese status was positively correlated with DGLA. DGLA is a good inflammation marker, useful in monitoring the metabolic status of overweight/obese individuals |
| Palmitoleic acid (PA) | Serum | An increase in PA is associated with an increase in de novo lipogenesis, which leads to an increase in DAG synthesis |
| Ketone bodies | Serum | A reduction in β-hydroxybutyrate levels seems to inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome and reduce the production of IL1beta and IL-18. |