HEALTHY LIVING Over-the-counter


sensors can improve overall health and enhance athletic performance. ::


New Glucose Monitors Help Avoid Diabetes


BY VERA TWEED F


or decades, people with diabetes have been tracking their glucose levels using blood obtained with a


finger prick. But in recent years, continuous


glucose monitors (CGMs) have proven more convenient and effective for managing the disease. CGMs use a small sensor on the


upper arm to provide continual glucose readings in a less invasive way. Now, people without diabetes are


also using CGMs to help prevent the disease, improve overall health, or enhance athletic performance. This approach has become more


popular in recent months because CGMs are now available without a prescription.


WHAT MONITORS CAN DO


“It gives a person a look into their own metabolism,” says David Klonoff, M.D., medical director of the Diabetes Research Institute of Mills-


is between 70 and 140 mg/dL at least 98% of the time. Higher levels indicate


D 88 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | FEBRUARY 2025


prediabetes or diabetes. To test glucose response to a meal,


Peninsula Medical Center in San Mateo, California. “By recognizing the behavior that


leads to elevated blood glucose levels, people can do something different and avoid diabetes,” he tells Newsmax. A routine fasting blood glucose


level at the doctor’s office can be misleading. “You can wake up with a normal


blood sugar,” says Klonoff. “That’s equivalent to saying a person with a heart problem, they’re fine just sitting there, but when they start running, the heart can’t handle it.” In the case of blood glucose,


he says, “A meal is like a pancreas stress test.” Using a CGM, you can see the


glucose level before and after a meal.


And if levels spike too high after eating (see Healthy Blood Glucose Levels), you can reduce sugars and carbohydrates. This is an earlier warning sign of potential Type 2 diabetes than today’s routine testing.


SHOULD YOU USE ONE? If diabetes runs in your family, or you’re concerned about developing diabetes for any other reason, a CGM can give insight into ways to improve diet and lifestyle to reduce the risk. But it isn’t the only reason to try


the device. “If you can’t go three or four


hours without eating, without having a snack, you might want to check your blood sugar response to your meals” says Julie Cottrell, a


Healthy Blood Glucose Levels


uring daily life, the normal glucose range for healthy adults


you need to know your baseline glucose level before eating, one hour after eating, and two hours after eating. Glucose will typically peak in one hour and should return to the baseline in two hours.


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