Fitbits, Apple Watches, Oura Rings—there’s no shortage of tech to track everything your body does, and
you may have noticed some people now sporting continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMs) on
their arms or abdomens to track their blood sugar. How beneficial is this technology?
If you are a type 1 or type 2 diabetic, CGMs like Freestyle Libres and Dexcoms are hugely beneficial for
staying on top of blood sugar control. These sensors insert a filament under the skin of the arm or
abdomen to quickly send your blood glucose level to your phone when you scan the device, which is
much more convenient and painless than regular finger poke tests to retrieve a blood sample. This
convenience; however, is leading to athletes, biohackers, and curious individuals to monitor their blood
glucose despite being non-diabetic.
CGMs are not cheap, with the cost usually hovering around $120 per sensor which lasts two weeks;
essentially, you could be spending thousands of dollars on these devices. Some companies recognize
they can grow their CGM sales further by marketing to those who feel they need to monitor their blood
sugar in the absence of diabetes, but in reality a non-diabetics’ blood glucose is pretty stable.
If you do not have diabetes, your blood sugar ranges from 4.0 to 5.9 mmol/L before eating, then rises
just below 8 mmol/L after food, signaling to your pancreas that it’s time to release insulin to lower your
blood sugar back to 4.0-5.9 mmol/L. Some food will raise your blood sugar more than others (carbs), but
ultimately your body will regulate back to normal. Wearing a CGM will only confirm this process.
If you have diabetes, your pancreas either does not produce insulin at all (type 1) or you are resistant to
insulin (type 2), so your glucose levels can fluctuate wildly without proper monitoring and
administration of injectable or oral insulin. CGMs help with this control and can save a life if blood sugar
drops or rises too fast.
Unfortunately, the demand for CGMs by non-diabetics creates a shortage for those who need this
critical device. If you do not have diabetes, wearing a CGM is not going to give you a competitive
advantage, teach you what/when to eat or not eat, or make you healthier; like most wearable tracking
tech, it only gives you the illusion of control, unless you happen to have diabetes.