Research Indicates Continuous Glucose Monitors May Adversely Affect Healthy Adults

New Delhi, Feb 26 (NationPress) While continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) can provide substantial assistance to individuals with diabetes, a recent study suggests they may be detrimental to healthy adults by delivering inaccurate readings, which can result in unnecessary dietary restrictions.

Originally intended for diabetes management, CGMs monitor the glycaemic index (GI) — a metric that indicates how quickly a food can elevate blood sugar levels. However, their usage has expanded among health-conscious individuals who wish to understand the effects of various foods on their glucose levels.

The peer-reviewed study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition raises concerns that CGMs might be exaggerating blood sugar levels in healthy individuals, potentially prompting unnecessary changes in diet.

“For individuals with diabetes, CGMs are invaluable tools. Even if the readings are not entirely accurate, they are still more beneficial than having no measurements at all. Conversely, for those with stable glucose control, the readings can be misleading based on current performance,” stated Professor Javier Gonzalez from the Department for Health at the University of Bath.

“For healthy individuals, dependence on CGMs could result in unwarranted food restrictions or poor dietary decisions. To accurately evaluate your blood sugar, traditional methods remain the most reliable. Our goal is to pinpoint the sources of error in CGMs to enhance their functionality in the future, and we are actively researching this area,” Gonzalez continued.

Researchers analyzed blood sugar responses in healthy volunteers (non-diabetic and with a healthy BMI) using two methods — a CGM and the classic finger-prick test — to determine the accuracy of CGMs concerning fruit-based products, ranging from whole fruits to smoothies.

The CGM consistently indicated elevated blood sugar levels compared to the finger-prick tests. For instance, when participants consumed a smoothie, the device overestimated the GI by 30%, reporting a GI of 69 (medium), while the traditional test yielded a result of 53 (low).

Whole fruits were inaccurately categorized as medium or high-GI foods by CGMs, whereas the finger-prick test classified them as low-GI. This misrepresentation could lead users to erroneously think that fruit consumption could trigger harmful spikes in blood sugar.

The study also dispelled the widespread belief that blending fruits into smoothies increases their GI. Regardless of being consumed whole or blended, fruits such as apples, bananas, mangoes, and oranges consistently remained low on the GI scale.

Researchers concluded that CGMs are unlikely to serve as a reliable method for determining a food's GI classification.

Gonzalez pointed out that CGMs may exhibit inaccuracies since they gauge glucose in the fluid surrounding cells rather than directly in the bloodstream. “This could lead to inconsistencies due to factors such as time delays, blood circulation, and how glucose disperses throughout various body regions.”