GDF15 and Other metabolic disease: GDF15 is a stress-activated cytokine that during physiological conditions only is found at high levels in the placenta.[2] Elevated serum levels of GDF15 are found in many pathological conditions such as different types of cancer, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular disorders like atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease and may be regarded as a common marker of disease and mortality.[3–5] Like TGF-β, GDF15 is proposed to act primarily as an anti-inflammatory molecule.