Is it advisable to use a continuous glucose monitor for monitoring blood sugar levels?
Small devices with big claims! Continuous glucose monitors, about as big as a quarter, are creating a buzz in the health world. Some companies say these devices can be life-changing, even "revolutionary." Dr. Casey Means, Trump's nominee for surgeon general, is a firm advocate, co-founding a company that sells these monitors and related apps.
Attached to your skin like a painless patch, the monitor offers an ongoing, approximate blood sugar reading, communicating the information to an app on your phone. The app also logs every bite you take, helping you understand the impact of different foods on your blood sugar levels. Research has shown that this technology significantly improves care for individuals with diabetes, with experts declaring it a "life-changing" innovation.
In March 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first continuous glucose monitors for people not diagnosed with diabetes. Both Dexcom and Abbott now produce these devices, with each patch lasting around two weeks and costing roughly $50, meaning the monthly bill for extended tracking comes to about $100. But the big question remains: Do they enhance the health of people not diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes?
Here's the theory: A healthy individual's blood sugar rises after consuming carbs, peaks, and then gradually falls back to baseline. Nutritionist Sarah Berry, a professor at King's College London, explains that these peaks and troughs are natural responses to carbohydrates. However, frequent or excessively high peaks can elevate the risks of obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even Type 2 diabetes. It may also lead to increased hunger between meals.
The objective of glucose monitoring is to help you pinpoint specific meals or portions that produce extreme peaks. Modifying these meals, potentially reducing carbs, can aid weight loss, minimize diabetes risk, or simply promote better overall health. Yet, studies testing this theory have yielded mixed results.
Two major studies explored the theory and found that, at the population level, there's no uniform weight loss advantage from glucose monitoring compared to a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet. However, glucose monitoring helped lower blood sugar levels in some individuals, and individual success stories include weight loss up to 30 pounds and a notable improvement in wellbeing.
Now, scientists are seeking to understand who exactly benefits from this technology. The possibilities include those with a heightened sensitivity to carbs, those requiring extra motivation for healthier choices, and those in need of greater awareness about their diet.
In conclusion, while continuous glucose monitors have already made a significant impact on diabetes care, their benefits in improving the health of individuals without diabetes or prediabetes remain a subject of ongoing research. Be mindful that despite the potential advantages, the data can sometimes be confusing and misleading, requiring careful interpretation to ensure optimal health outcomes.
- The continuous glucose monitors, having been approved by the FDA for people without diabetes, are becoming popular in the health-and-wellness sector, aiming to improve overall health through better diet and fitness-and-exercise.
- These devices, though, have produced mixed results when it comes to weight loss, with two major studies showing no uniform advantage over Mediterranean or low-fat diets at the population level.
- However, the technology has shown success in lowering blood sugar levels for some individuals, with individual stories demonstrating weight loss up to 30 pounds and improvements in wellbeing.
- As the scientific community seeks to understand who specifically benefits from this technology, potential candidates include those with a heightened sensitivity to carbs, those requiring extra motivation for healthier choices, and those in need of greater dietary awareness.
- As we continue to study and implement continuous glucose monitoring technology, it is crucial to exercise caution and parse the data carefully to ensure the most beneficial health outcomes.
