Water intake and seasonal environmental stressors in cardiometabolic disease (WISECARD): identifying causes and opportunity for preventive intervention

Metabolic diseases are major health problems worldwide and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Several studies have observed marked seasonality of incident CVD and worse metabolic health in the winter.

We and others have recently established the hormone vasopressin (VP) as a cardiometabolic risk marker, and experimental and genetical data suggest a causal effect.The overall purpose of this research program is to study VP – a central component in regulation of water homeostasis - as an underlying mechanism behind increased CVD risk during winter, and to disentangle the impact of environmental stimuli (daylight, temperature) on VP seasonality.Our recent data show a clinically relevant seasonality in VP concentration with increased level during winter corresponding to a risk increase of 4% for incident diabetes mellitus and 2% for coronary artery disease.I will use a set of complementary study methodologies including large-cohort epidemiology and genetic interaction studies (most data collection completed, will be carried out 2022-23), analyses of RCT data and experimental animal models (to be carried out 2024-26).

I have access to all equipment and infrastructure needed for the project.The easiest way to lower VP load is by a moderately increased water intake.

Therefore, the clinical potential of this research lies in recommending moderately increased water intake during specific periods of the year to reduce the cardiometabolic risk in the general population.