Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) know-how has revolutionized diabetes administration, offering real-time insights into blood sugar ranges for people with diabetes. While CGMs have immense advantages for this particular inhabitants, the concept of utilizing them for weight reduction among the many common public has develop into extra well-liked. This weblog critically examines the potential dangers and limitations of repurposing CGMs for weight reduction.
The basis of CGMs: Diabetes administration
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) methods are superior medical units that monitor glucose ranges in real-time.They’re made up of a tiny sensor that’s inserted underneath the pores and skin to measure the quantity of glucose within the interstitial fluid. A receiver or smartphone receives knowledge from the sensor, which offers ongoing updates on blood sugar ranges. By offering a dynamic view of glucose swings, this know-how allows individuals with diabetes to make educated selections about their meals, insulin dosage, and general diabetes administration.
For diabetics, real-time blood sugar monitoring by CGMs presents exact and up-to-the-minute data on glucose ranges.This accuracy allows immediate actions to cease probably dangerous spikes or dips, bettering glycemic management. Additionally, CGMs provide perception into how sure meals and way of life decisions have an effect on blood sugar, enabling individualized remedy methods. Rapid modifications which are detected early can assist forestall extreme hypo- or hyperglycemia, thereby reducing the danger of problems from diabetes.
The connection between blood sugar and weight
The intricate relationship between blood sugar ranges and weight achieve reveals a fancy interaction that goes past easy caloric consumption.
Blood sugar rises after we eat proteins and carbs (and specifically, with carbs). This is a very regular response, and never one we should always goal to keep away from. When blood sugar rises, the physique releases insulin to facilitate glucose uptake into cells. Again, completely regular response, and most of us, particularly these of us with out diabetes, don’t should micromanage and even fear about this bodily course of.
What we do usually wish to keep away from, is having giant blood glucose spikes all through the day. These are thought to result in an elevated danger for heart problems (though a weight-reduction plan that causes giant insulin spikes is probably going extremely refined, which can also be a danger issue for coronary heart illness).
For some individuals, consumption of huge quantities of extremely refined carbohydrate meals can result in weight achieve, which is without doubt one of the main danger elements for insulin resistance.
Insulin just isn’t the evil monster that a variety of social media personalities make it appear. The Carbohydrate Insulin Theory – which states that weight reduction can’t happen when insulin ranges are elevated (and subsequently we should always all be consuming a low-carb weight-reduction plan) – is questionable. Both low carb and low calorie diets work for weight reduction after they’re sustained over the long-term, main many respected researchers to consider that it’s calorie steadiness, not insulin, that’s liable for weight reduction.
In reality, the recent DIETFITS trial concluded that not solely do low-carb and low-fat diets produce comparable outcomes for weight reduction, however insulin ranges don’t affect weight reduction. Some interpretations argue that each teams had a discount in glycemic load which then led to weight reduction.
We do know, nevertheless, that ultra-processed, refined meals are metabolized faster and provide extra vitality aka energy to the physique over much less processed choices. While I’d by no means suggest reducing ultra-processed meals out altogether, limiting them is one thing we should always all try in the direction of.
Read about why I need you to eat processed meals.
Both excessive and low blood sugar ranges wield a big affect over cravings, vitality ranges, and general consuming habits. When steep blood sugar spikes and crashes happen, significantly after consuming sugary or refined carbohydrate-rich meals, the physique experiences a shift in vitality. This rollercoaster impact can result in heightened starvation, cravings, and an elevated probability of overeating.
These fluctuations in blood sugar ranges can instigate a vicious cycle of poor consuming habits. The quest for fast vitality fixes by sugary snacks can result in additional blood sugar spikes and crashes, perpetuating unhealthy patterns. As a outcome, fostering steady blood sugar ranges by balanced meals wealthy in complicated carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and wholesome fat turns into pivotal in curbing cravings, sustaining vitality, and selling general more healthy consuming habits.
Using a CGM for weight reduction
The way forward for CGM know-how appears to be shifting to prospects within the realm of weight administration. Ongoing analysis is delving into extra intricate points of glucose fluctuations and their relationship with metabolism and weight.
Advanced algorithms are being developed to reinforce the predictive capabilities of CGMs, providing people real-time insights into how totally different meals and actions affect their blood sugar ranges.
The present IRB research with 50,000 contributors is accumulating knowledge CGM knowledge over 5 years to find out if using CGMs can assist individuals with weight reduction, with a 1 yr comply with up interval. Both women and men 18 years and above are eligible for this research together with different particular standards.
The estimated research completion date is November 2027. This research is taken into account a medical trial and it’s trying into using CGM’s within the non-diabetic inhabitants to go with Signos cellular well being platform.
Primary consequence measures embody figuring out the common fasting glucose and the change in weight in variety of kilos. Secondary consequence measures embody physique composition resembling proportion of physique fats. Another secondary consequence measure is proportion of time spent in vary glucose ranges lower than 140.
While the first objective of CGMs stays diabetes administration, their potential purposes for weight administration are being explored. CGMs can present knowledge on how particular meals and dietary patterns have an effect on blood sugar ranges, providing a customized strategy to weight reduction. By understanding how sure meals trigger fast blood sugar spikes or crashes, people can make extra knowledgeable decisions to stabilize their vitality ranges and cut back cravings.
While it may be informative to see what results totally different meals have on our blood sugar personally, I truthfully don’t suppose non-diabetics want to make use of CGMs for weight reduction or general well being. Choosing extra entire and minimally processed meals, fewer sugary drinks and fewer alcohol, and being lively as a lot as attainable are all fundamental steps to raised well being and weight reduction that many people haven’t but mastered.
If you don’t have the fundamentals down, a CGM isn’t going to magically enable you.
CGM for Weight Loss: Potential Challenges and Considerations
As the idea of repurposing CGMs for weight reduction good points traction, it’s essential to deal with the potential challenges and issues related to this strategy. While CGMs have confirmed immensely useful in diabetes administration, their utility to weight reduction calls for a cautious examination of the restrictions that may come up.
1. Overemphasis on Numbers Over Well-Being
One of the first issues when utilizing CGMs for weight reduction is the danger of fixating solely on blood sugar numbers, probably overshadowing the broader points of well being and well-being. Placing extreme significance on data-driven outcomes may result in a slim perspective of general wellness. A concentrate on glucose ranges could divert consideration from important elements resembling psychological well being, emotional well-being, and sustainable way of life habits.
2. Unrealistic Expectations and Quick Fixes
While CGMs can present real-time insights, anticipating them to be a whole software for weight administration oversimplifies a fancy difficulty. Weight loss encompasses multifaceted parts, together with dietary decisions, bodily exercise, sleep, and stress administration. It must also embody self-regulation and starvation and fullness cues, in addition to satisfaction and satiety from meals.
Relying solely on CGM knowledge may inadvertently promote the notion that weight reduction might be achieved by know-how alone, neglecting the significance of objective setting and long-term approaches. Increased knowledge and consciousness just isn’t sufficient to alter behaviour! CGMs aren’t the be all finish all of weight reduction and might be seen as unrealistic.
3. Disordered Eating and Emotional Impact
The potential for CGMs to set off or exacerbate disordered consuming behaviors is a crucial concern. Constant monitoring of blood sugar ranges may inadvertently encourage obsessive behaviors round meals consumption and train, contributing to an unhealthy preoccupation with numbers. Moreover, the emotional toll of striving to keep up particular blood sugar ranges – particularly when not clinically related – can result in heightened stress and nervousness, probably compromising psychological well-being.
4. Potential for Misinterpretation and Misinformation
Interpreting CGM knowledge precisely requires an understanding of physiology and vitamin. Without correct steering from healthcare professionals, people may misread fluctuations in blood sugar ranges, resulting in pointless dietary restrictions or insufficient responses to real well being issues. Misinformation may simply unfold by on-line communities and social media, compounding potential dangers. Everyone just isn’t educated on utilizing CGMs, as they weren’t created for the higher public.
5. Cost, if not lined by insurance coverage
This can develop into a really costly software to assist in weight reduction ranging wherever from $100-$300 per 30 days.
It’s additionally vital to notice that in some situations, utilizing a CGM once you aren’t diabetic could also be inflicting individuals who really need one to outlive, to lose some entry to those instruments.
About Nutrisense.io
Nutrisense is an organization that gives a complete app-based software for monitoring and analyzing how numerous elements resembling meals, sleep, train, and stress have an effect on glucose ranges. This software seems to be significantly aimed toward people with or with out diabetes who wish to achieve insights into their glucose responses all through the day to be able to drop pounds and higher their general well being.
Nutrisense io does work with dietitians. They have really contacted me to collaborate, however I declined. Some dietitians consider that CGMs are helpful for individuals who don’t have diabetes. Again, whereas I feel it may be attention-grabbing to see your private glucose response to totally different meals, I don’t suppose the outcomes are clinically related for almost all of non-diabetics.
The app makes use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring know-how to offer real-time knowledge on glucose ranges, and evidently Nutrisense takes care of the CGM prescriptions for its members. However, the service comes with a price, with subscription plans beginning at $299 per 30 days for a 3-month subscription or $225 per 30 days for a 12-month dedication. It’s value noting that Nutrisense just isn’t lined by insurance coverage.
The Nutrisense app claims to show customers eat in a greater method and to start out making the correct meals decisions that can assist to realize weight reduction objectives. This can all be achieved and not using a CGM, however okay.
This sort of service may probably be helpful for people trying to higher perceive and handle their glucose ranges for well being functions, however once more, there’s actually no want for many of us to drill our well being right down to this stage.
CGM for weight reduction: Online Claims
Online vitamin claims have develop into more and more prevalent, typically promising fast fixes and outcomes by buying some type of product.
Over on TikTok, for instance, some man named Klint claims he’s reducing weight from utilizing his CGM. Klint shares that after 2 weeks he has misplaced 30 kilos as a result of CGM. He makes use of the app to trace his glucose ranges primarily based on totally different patterns. When his glucose just isn’t elevated, he claims to be in “weight loss mode” and when he has small spikes it’s “healthy eating mode” after which a lot of excessive spikes in glucose is “weight gain”.
This type of considering exhibits an actual misunderstanding of how the physique works.
He mentions staying in storage mode causes weight achieve, and that he gained 3 kilos from a meal. Someone wants to inform Klint that that 3 kilos isn’t fats.
When he eats “good,” he loses weight, and when he eats “bad,” he good points weight. He explains that consuming extra pure meals and fewer processed meals helped him lose the burden.
Klint is making it look like the CGM is what’s making him drop pounds when in actuality, it’s in all probability the life-style modifications he’s making to his weight-reduction plan.
It is little question that CGMs have their objective within the diabetic world. People trying particularly for weight reduction shouldn’t be relying solely on CGM know-how.
Individuals ought to undertake a multifaceted strategy that integrates customized vitamin, bodily exercise, mindfulness, and psychological well-being. Registered dietitians play a pivotal position in guiding people by this journey, offering evidence-based suggestions and fostering lifelike expectations which are particular to at least one’s wants and way of life.
The prospect of utilizing CGMs for weight reduction presents a glimpse right into a future the place know-how intersects with wellness. However, navigating this path requires cautious consideration of potential challenges and moral dilemmas.
While CGMs have revolutionized diabetes administration, their utility to weight reduction calls for a cautious and complete strategy that values general well being and well-being above mere knowledge factors. Stick to the fundamentals and be constant, as an alternative of leaning to CGMs to information weight reduction.