Continuous Glucose Monitors and Weight Loss

A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a wearable device that delivers real-time blood glucose data that, in part, helps manage food choices. Designed to be worn two weeks at a time, a CGM is basically a small plastic disc with a flexible filament that painlessly sticks into the interstitial fluid of the upper arm or stomach. It sends glucose data to a smartphone or handheld device about every five minutes.

A continuous glucose monitor offers valuable information to help identify personal reactions to food and track glycemic variability. Over time, the wearer starts associating certain foods with more dramatic spikes in their blood glucose levels, learning to avoid them and choose others. Extreme glucose variability has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, metabolic dysfunction, increased insulin resistance and weight gain.

It turns out that all calories are not created equal. Counting calories does not consider how those calories are processed by our complex hormonal and biochemical pathways. A 160 calorie handful of jellybeans will lead to a dramatic spike in blood glucose. In contrast, a 160 calorie handful of nuts resists blood glucose spikes due to its fiber, protein and fat content that process differently. We can even have widely variable responses to the same food based on the time of intake or other food pairings.

Losing weight starts with controlling spikes in blood glucose. When blood glucose is high, our storage hormone, insulin, promotes a chain reaction of glucose storage in the liver and muscles. After they fill up, excess glucose is turned into fat in the form of triglycerides, delivered to the blood and stored in fat cells around the body. Real-time glucose measurements help us understand which foods promote the blood glucose spikes more likely to lead to weight gain and other unhealthy and inflammatory conditions.

As a Class II medical device, a doctor must prescribe CGMs. Patients without a diabetes diagnosis may be eligible to receive CGMs as an “off-label prescription” in order to help provide feedback to optimize their health.

Comprehensive Gastrointestinal Health wants to empower you to make the best food choices for your unique biology. We can assist in discovering if your insurance plan will help cover CGMs that support reaching your metabolic and weight management goals. To schedule a consultation, please call 224-407-4400 or write to us at [email protected].