Amino Acid Profiles Distinguish Glycemic Phenotypes in Childhood and Predict 10-Year Risk of Dysglycemia in Young Adults: The BCAMS Study.

Prospective evidence linking childhood amino acid (AA) dysregulation with future diabetes risk remains limited. We examined whether AA profiles distinguished childhood glycemic phenotypes and predicted dysglycemia risk in the Beijing Children and Adolescents Metabolic Syndrome (BCAMS) cohort. AA alterations were already detectable in children with normoglycemia and insulin resistance; six AAs were associated with 10-year dysglycemia risk, and their addition to clinical variables improved prediction. Ile showed the largest estimated indirect association with incident dysglycemia through follow-up insulin resistance; dietary Ile restriction in obese mice produced concordant metabolic changes, supporting AA profiling for early risk identification and Ile as a candidate modifiable target.