Why wear a continuous glucose monitor if you don’t have diabetes?

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are wearable, minimally invasive devices that measure glucose levels for days at a time. Historically, these devices have been used by people with diabetes to help monitor and manage their glucose levels. 

Since CGMs have revolutionised the management of diabetes, health practitioners have started to utilise CGMs to better understand the glucose response and wider metabolic health of individuals without diabetes. 

What can you learn from wearing a CGM 

Data from CGMs allows users to know their glucose in real time as well as view glucose fluctuations over time. 

The CGM sensor transmits glucose data wirelessly to a dedicated receiver or a smartphone app (such as with Lingo), letting users see real-time glucose data. Tracking your glucose in this way can help you see your unique responses to lifestyle factors such as the foods you eat, sleep, exercise, and stress. 

A 2023 paper co-authored by Abbott’s medical research team and published in the scientific journal Metabolism highlights that CGMs can be used to improve the metabolic health of people who do not live with diabetes. The review found that managing glucose spikes and keeping blood sugar in a stable, healthy range can have a positive impact on metabolic health.¹ 

Health benefits of using CGMs and limiting glucose spikes 

Compelling published research shows that using a CGM and limiting glucose spikes, both in the short term and over time, has a number of health benefits for people who don’t have diabetes. 

Potential benefits for using a CGM when you don’t have diabetes include: 

Being proactive about future health 

While both average and fasting glucose levels are important markers for health, glucose extremes and post-meal spikes also have an impact. These specific metrics are risk factors for chronic health conditions such as insulin resistance, metabolic disease, and heart disease.^2,3,4,5,6 

Managing weight 

In several studies, individuals with insights from a CGM had better success adhering to low-glycaemic and low-carb diets,⁷ both of which are effective approaches for weight loss — even without intentional calorie restriction.^7,8,9,10

While using a CGM, you can know your glucose in real time, learn how you uniquely respond to foods and habits, and make dietary changes that support steady glucose and lead to improvements in metabolic health and weight.^7,11 

Identifying cravings vs true hunger 

If you just ate but feel hungrier than before, it could be due to a glucose dip or crash. This rapid fall in glucose, which often follows a glucose spike, will convince you that you need to refuel ASAP.¹²  

Research shows that using a CGM can identify which eating pattern will keep you on track for having steady energy, such as a low-glycaemic diet.⁷ CGMs can also help you differentiate cravings from true hunger, all of which can help with weight loss efforts.¹³ 

Improving sleep 

Eating your evening meal earlier and other habits that are known to nourish steady glucose are also linked to improved sleep.¹⁴ And better sleep supports steady glucose the following day,¹⁵ empowering you to make better choices and continue to stay steady. 

Using a CGM can highlight food choices that minimise glucose spikes, helping to keep you on track and better understand your glucose patterns while you sleep.^7,11,16,17 

Bettering your mood 

Research shows that a high-protein, low-glycaemic diet, which helps stabilise glucose, improves mood and can even lessen symptoms of depression.^18,19 

Lingo can help you understand your individual glucose responses to food and encourage adherence to a low-glycaemic diet, which may help improve your mood.¹⁹ 

How can I get a CGM? 

CGMs are now available for people who don’t have diabetes without a prescription. These over-the-counter CGMs are available to purchase from the products’ own websites. 

For instance, the Lingo product purchase page shows the different purchase plans that are available. These include: 

• A 2-week plan with one biosensor 

• A 4-week plan with two biosensor 

• A 12-week subscription with an initial six biosensors, which automatically renews 

You can also buy Lingo from Amazon.  

In the UK, people who have type 1 diabetes or who have type 2 diabetes and regularly use insulin should be eligible for CGMs from the NHS.²⁰

A final note from Lingo 

Published research has shown that there are a number of benefits to limiting glucose spikes, which can be monitored by using a CGM, even if you don’t have diabetes. Lingo is a CGM designed to provide personal insights into your unique glucose response to food, activity, and other lifestyle choices.   

With Lingo, you can quickly see the impact of your habits displayed on your glucose graph and know if your glucose is steady, spiking, or crashing. Using this data retrospectively can help you make healthier choices for your overall wellbeing. 

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