LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — In this weeks Tech Tuesday, we’re taking a look at the technology used to help the more than 10% of Americans with diabetes may also help the rest of us.
ABC’s Becky Worley tried out a new app and device that says it can give you near-real time reports on how the food you eat impacts your body.
Medical experts advise steady blood sugar levels generally keep the body in a state of using food as fuel. but this is important, big spikes in blood sugar can stimulate your body to store fat, increase your risk of heart disease and spur chronic inflammation.
Dr. Aaron Neinstein prescribes continuous glucose monitors to his patients with diabetes.
“What makes them so effective is that they empower people to learn about their health in a way that wasn’t possible before by seeing the impacts right away?”
“When you’re exercising, your body is able to bring glucose or sugar into the cells without insulin. And so it is a very effective tool,” said Dr. Neinstein.
Now, all of these apps say they are not a substitute for medical care and not for people with diabetes. a glucose monitor used by many of these apps is made by Abbott who tell us it is currently only for use with a doctor’s prescription.
Abbott is not affiliated with these companies that promote off-label use.
The Levels app telling Good Morning America that while their software isn’t FDA regulated, doctors routinely prescribe drugs and devices intended for other uses that they think can help patients.
Their terms of service says “we do not warrant that the results that may be obtained from the use of the service will be accurate or reliable.”
The bottom line?
Much more research is needed to help us understand what the risks and benefits might be for people who don’t have diabetes.
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