A growing trend among social media influencers involves the adoption of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), devices originally developed to aid individuals with diabetes. These wearables, which track blood sugar levels around the clock, are being embraced by health and fitness personalities who believe they can offer insights into optimizing diet, exercise, and overall health.
CGMs, typically worn on the arm or abdomen, use a small sensor with a filament inserted just under the skin to continuously measure glucose. The data is then sent to a smartphone app, providing users with real-time information. For people managing diabetes, this technology has proven invaluable, assisting in decisions about insulin dosage, food intake, and physical activity, while also helping to prevent dangerous drops in blood sugar.
The availability of the first over-the-counter CGM, Stelo, approved by the FDA, has opened the door for consumers without diabetes to purchase and use these devices. Companies like Dexcom market the Stelo as a tool for achieving a "healthier you" by tracking glucose 24/7, and have partnered with other wellness platforms to integrate glucose data with metrics like sleep and activity.
Influencers such as Jessie Inchauspé, known as Glucose Goddess, have documented their experiences with CGMs on social media, highlighting their use in understanding how various foods impact blood sugar levels. Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a former ABC News chief medical correspondent, also shared a month-long "wellness experiment" using a CGM to monitor her own glucose fluctuations. Fitness trainer Ryan Fischer has similarly shared his non-diabetic experience with the device.
However, some medical professionals express skepticism about the widespread benefits of CGMs for individuals without diabetes. While normal glucose fluctuations after eating are a natural metabolic process, and significant, prolonged spikes can contribute to health issues like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, the evidence supporting improved long-term health outcomes for non-diabetic users remains limited.
Endocrinologist Dr. Ayushi Dixit noted that for those without diabetes, a CGM might cause anxiety over normal glucose variations. She suggested that the trend reflects a broader culture focused on data-driven wellness, where individuals seek more metrics to optimize their health. While acknowledging the life-changing impact of CGMs for diabetics, she worries they can become another point of fixation for non-diabetic users.
Dr. Sadie Elisseou, a general internist, views the popularity of CGMs among healthy individuals as a convergence of wellness trends and the pursuit of longevity. She pointed out that while these devices provide extensive data, there is a lack of robust evidence demonstrating that wearing one improves long-term health outcomes for people without diabetes. As Elisseou stated, "Just because we can measure something does not mean that we should and more data isn’t always better."
A 2022 review of medical literature found little evidence to support health outcome improvements from CGM use in non-diabetic populations, though it anticipated continued growth in wellness and athletic contexts. Elisseou, however, sees some nuance, suggesting that individuals genuinely curious about how lifestyle choices affect their blood sugar might gain useful insights, provided they manage expectations and do not interpret normal fluctuations as immediate health problems.
"If someone without diabetes wears a CGM for 2 weeks and as a result turns their lifestyle around to get healthier and live a longer life, I would argue that’s medically worth it," Elisseou commented. "It’s a new world, and CGMs are part of that."