Lorenz Finn¹, Arnold Elise², Scott Jonas³, Wolff Clara⁴, Newman Tom⁵, Seidel Lara⁶, Clarke Noah⁷
ABSTRACT:
Obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are global health challenges characterized by insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and systemic inflammation, leading to increased risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Current diagnostic criteria rely on clinical parameters such as waist circumference, blood pressure, and lipid profiles, which often detect these conditions at advanced stages. This review explores the role of metabolomic biomarkers in elucidating the underlying metabolic disturbances and their potential for early diagnosis, risk stratification, and personalized therapy. We highlight key metabolites, including branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), fatty acids, bile acids, and gut microbiota-derived compounds, and discuss their mechanistic links to obesity and MetS. Advances in high-throughput metabolomics platforms and integrative multi-omics approaches are also examined, alongside challenges in standardization and clinical translation.