Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices have been around since the late ‘90s as a tool to help diabetes patients keep track of their blood sugar levels and manage their condition.
But, in recent years, more people — from athletes to public figures like Dr. Peter Attia — seem to be incorporating CGM into their lifestyle routines, despite not having a diabetes diagnosis. (1, 2)
This shift reflects a broader trend in the health industry, where people are seeking ways to take greater control over their well-being by collecting personalized data and using it to inform their lifestyle decisions, from dietary choices to exercise routines. The rise of wearables like Whoop and Oura is a testament to this growing interest in self-quantification and data-driven health optimization.
This rise in CGM is yet another extension of that. And there’s one company in particular that’s paving the path when it comes to helping people understand their metabolic health better: Levels Health.
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What does Levels Health do?
Founded in 2019 by Sam Corcos, Josh Clemente, David Flinner, Andrew Conner, and Casey Means, M.D., Levels Health is a metabolic health-focused company that’s making CGM technology accessible to a broader population.
Unlike other CGM devices, Levels is primarily targeted at individuals who want to take control of their metabolic health, rather than diabetes patients. The company provides users with a small, lightweight device that syncs with an app, where users can log their meals, physical activity, sleep, and other lifestyle factors, which is then analyzed alongside the CGM data to provide personalized insights and recommendations.
This combination of real-time glucose monitoring and lifestyle tracking allows users to see the direct impact of their choices on their metabolic health. According to Clemente:
“You shouldn’t need a PhD in nutrition or human physiology to know what to eat for lunch. Levels is the first product that takes the guesswork out of daily lifestyle choices with personalized, objective data. By leveraging continuous glucose monitoring, Levels helps users close the loop between overall health and daily choices around food, exercise, sleep, and stress management to support long-term metabolic health.”
By making CGM technology accessible to a wider demographic, the company is empowering individuals to proactively monitor and optimize their metabolic health.
The benefits of continuous glucose monitoring
While some people see what Levels is doing as a step forward, there are naysayers as well. A perspective that was published in JAMA argues that CGMs are a waste of time and money, with little evidence of any benefits. However, there are an equal number of arguments in favor of CGM, which include:
Developing a personalized understanding of glycemic response
One of the key benefits of CGM is its ability to help individuals identify their unique glycemic responses to different foods and lifestyle factors. While traditional blood glucose tests only provide a snapshot of glucose levels at a single point in time, CGM offers a continuous stream of data, revealing patterns and trends that would otherwise go unnoticed. This information empowers people to make targeted dietary and lifestyle changes that can significantly improve their metabolic health and overall well-being.
Detecting pre-diabetes and diabetes early
According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 128 million people in the U.S. have prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes — and the vast majority of cases are preventable. By monitoring glucose levels throughout the day, individuals detect early signs of insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders. This early detection allows for timely interventions, such as dietary modifications and increased physical activity, which can help prevent or delay the onset of more serious health conditions.
Optimizing athletic performance and recovery
CGM can also play a crucial role in optimizing athletic performance and recovery. Athletes can use CGM data to fine-tune their nutrition and training regimens, ensuring that they maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout their workouts and competitions. By avoiding the energy crashes associated with hypoglycemia and the inflammation and fatigue caused by hyperglycemia, athletes can perform at their best and recover more efficiently.
The effectiveness of CGM may vary from person to person, so it’s important to acknowledge both the potential benefits and downsides before deciding whether to incorporate this type of monitoring into your own routine.
Looking forward
As the pioneer in leveraging CGM technology to proactively address metabolic health, Levels Health has a lot of exciting things in the pipeline.
At the time of its most recent funding round, the company has expressed its intention to expand access to its holistic suite of member services, including its app, community, educational materials, as well as access to CGM devices and on-demand blood testing to track metabolic markers.
Levels Health is also collaborating with top researchers to conduct the largest ever study of its kind to increase understanding of glucose patterns among a diverse group of people in order to advance the science about how lifestyle choices can affect these patterns.
With strong ties to several of the most common chronic diseases in the U.S., including diabetes, heart disease and chronic kidney disease, metabolic health represents a massive market that’s only expected to grow in the coming years. In a statement by Dr. Means, she said:
“Today, 90% of our $4 trillion in healthcare costs are tied to largely preventable chronic conditions—several downstream from metabolic dysfunction. A key way we address that is by empowering people with data about their own bodies, so they can take action to live a healthy lifestyle and feel their best. Understanding how our choices affect key health biomarkers in real-time—and more broadly understanding our own metabolic health—is foundational for optimal health and longevity.”
As the concept of Medicine 3.0 gains traction and more people embrace the idea of proactive, personalized health optimization, solutions like Levels Health — which empower consumers to collect and act on their individualized health data — will likely become increasingly prevalent.
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