Viscosity plays a hidden but crucial role in health. It’s linked to six of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States, including heart disease, cancer and stroke.

Thick, sluggish blood forces the heart to work harder and can raise the risk of clots or tissue damage, said Nilesh Salvi, a research scientist in Mizzou’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and lead author on the project.

“Blood pressure tells us what’s happening to the vessel walls,” he said. “But it doesn’t tell us about the blood itself. Viscosity could be that missing piece.”