TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A new blood test developed by researchers can detect the risk of diseases up to ten years before symptoms appear. The finding comes from the large UK Biobank project, which mapped blood metabolites of 500,000 volunteers in the UK, opening up new opportunities for early detection of various diseases.
Citing Earth on January 11, 2026, the project involves measuring metabolites, which are small molecules produced when cells use energy. Certain patterns of these metabolites have been shown to predict the risk of diseases over a decade. Each blood profile can be linked to long-term medical records. This allows early chemical changes to be compared with later diagnoses.
Naomi Allen, the UK Biobank's Chief Scientist, is leading the research. She stated that her team is focusing on analyzing population health data. The study, published in the journal "Nature Communications", adds a metabolomic approach, measuring nearly 250 blood molecules simultaneously. The researchers are seeking a more comprehensive understanding of the body's biological conditions.
"Studying metabolites is a powerful way to unveil new warning signs of disease," Allen said. Metabolites reflect a combination of genetic influences, lifestyle, dietary patterns, and environmental exposures such as pollution.
The measurement of metabolites is assisted by nuclear magnetic resonance technology provided by Nightingale Health. This method allows for the large-scale reading of molecule concentrations and provides an overview of energy usage, cell repair processes, and waste disposal in the body, all from just one blood sample.
Scientists, Allen continued, translate the data into risk scores, a term for a single number that calculates the likelihood of someone developing a disease in the future. This score is used to match blood patterns with diagnoses that emerge years later, and then retested on another group to ensure its accuracy.
Several measured metabolites are closely related to heart diseases, cancer, and brain health disorders such as dementia. This early warning system is considered helpful because it allows doctors to identify high-risk individuals while they are still healthy. This enables them to initiate prevention earlier.
Although recognized as a breakthrough, researchers emphasize that its clinical application still requires further testing. Cross-population accuracy and ethical impacts related to privacy must also be met.
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