Keeping a snug eye on your blood glucose levels is part and piece of ground of life for the great unwashed living with diabetes . The last few days , however , have seen a sharp-worded rise in wellness - conscious mass without the precondition wanting to supervise their blood kale , too – but is there in reality a need to ?
How are people tracking their blood sugar?
One of the most pop ways people are monitoring their glucose storey is with a wearable type of equipment hollo acontinuous glucose monitor(CGM ) , which often looks like a clean disc placed on the upper weapon system .
CGMsdon’t really like a shot supervise blood glucose . Instead , they use a sensing element to measure the glucose in the fluid that surrounds the jail cell underneath the skin , bonk as interstitial fluid . Glucose from the blood relocation into this fluid on its way to cells , and so it is generally considered to be at a like stratum to that in the blood .
Sensors typically take a measurement every few minutes , which is then send to some kind of receiver – this might be an insulin pump for someone with diabetes , or a smartphone app .
People with diabetes have been using such gadget for years , but last year , the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA)clearedthefirst - ever over - the - counter CGMfor marketing . It was cleared for people with diabetes who do n’t habituate insulin , but also for “ those without diabetes who want to better infer how diet and exercise may impact parentage sugar floor . ”
That mean anyone can get a cargo deck of one , for a monetary value ; these devices are n’t exactly tinny , and someestimateshave put the orbicular market value of CGMs at a hefty – and growing – $ 9.3 billion .
Does it have any benefit?
The overpowering consensus amongst scientist is that there ’s very small evidence to propose that tracking your blood glucose levels has any benefit if you ’ve not got diabetes , or other rarified condition affecting blood sugar that would need to be substantiate by a Dr. .
A2024 reviewof research on the use of CGMs in people without diabetes to detect abnormal glucose levels and rush behavioral alteration and improvements in metabolic health establish “ a lack of uniform and high - quality evidence to support the utility of CGMs for these determination . ”
That ’s not to say there is n’t a fortune that , with better enquiry , CGMs might finish up proving to be utile to hoi polloi without diabetes in some mode . For illustration , one2023 articleargued that survival athletes may unambiguously benefit from monitoring of rip glucose as part of their training , as there ’s some grounds to advise they have physiological responses that " challenge our reason of glucose ordinance . " The source of that newspaper say more inquiry is demand to know for indisputable .
And at present tense , the grounds simply is n’t compelling enough for the vast majority of us – despite how it ’s being presented by some .
The writer of the reappraisal indicate out that company selling CGMs often arrogate their intersection are useful for detecting thing like abnormal glucose levels , despite not being backed up by science . “ In the cheek of these research gaps , we urge for the commercial claim suggesting the public utility company of the gimmick in [ people not live with diabetes ] to be label as misleading , ” the reassessment authors write .
Attempts to fill in the gap in the enquiry also have n’t strengthened the case for tracking blood glucose levels in people who do n’t have diabetes . A2025 studyconducted by researcher at the University of Bath find that , when comparing glucose measurements of salubrious individual taken by CGMs and with the Au - standard “ digit prick ” tryout , CGMs frequently overestimate blood boodle levels .
These differences “ can be significant in those who are levelheaded and have normal blood glucose ascendancy , as their normal range of rake glucose is typically far little , ” Dr Adam Collins , associate prof of nutrition at the University of Surrey , enunciate in a commentary for theScience Media Centre . Collins was n’t involved in the sketch , but has been carry out similar enquiry that has made like determination .
“ This can run to mistaking and ‘ misdiagnosis ’ of apparent profligate glucose jaunt that still remain within the boundaries of normal , ” Collins lend . “ Indeed , often individuals are basing dietary and lifestyle change on what are essentially variations of normal anyway , heighten by a magnitude of error in the data itself . ”
Does it do any harm?
Keeping those inaccuracies in mind , there ’s a concern amongst some that continuously monitoring glucose levels could end up doing more harm than undecomposed in people who do n’t havediabetes .
One trouble , for example , is that it prevail the risk of the great unwashed overmedicalizing something that ’s actually perfectly normal .
“ I think there are downsides to having too much information , ” NYU Langone endocrinologist Dr Michael B. Natter toldYahoo Life . “ When we see a small spike after a repast , that could really be very normal . I venerate that might be overinterpreted and misread as pathologic or bad . ”
This could manifest itself in things like increase health anxiety and trips to the medico , or insupportable change in someone ’s eating habits .
“ For healthy individuals , relying on CGMs could conduce to unneeded nutrient limitation or miserable dietary pick , ” explained Professor Javier Gonzalez , one of the authors of the CGM accuracy study , in astatement .
This is n’t an groundless headache ; regular use of other technical school that allows masses to monitor wellness - related information like calorie intake and measures of fittingness has been linked bysome researchto deplete disorder attitudes and behaviors .
The bottom line ? “ The use and interpretation of CGM devices in healthy individuals should be undertaken with caution . They certainly should n’t be used as the sole foundation for dietetical change , restrictions , or extreme modus vivendi change , ” say Collins .
If someone is concerned about their blood sugar levels , or any other health - related subject , then the full course of action is to speak to a healthcare professional .
All “ explainer ” articles are confirmed byfact checkersto be correct at clip of publication . Text , images , and links may be edited , removed , or added to at a later day of the month to keep information current .
The content of this article is not mean to be a substitute for professional medical advice , diagnosis , or intervention . Always essay the advice of dependent health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions .
If you or someone you know might have an eat disorder , assist and support are available in the US atnationaleatingdisorders.org . In the UK , assistance and documentation are useable atbeateatingdisorders.org.uk . outside helplines can be found athttps://www.worldeatingdisordersday.org/home/find-help .
