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Latest in health-care technology
Another continuous glucose monitor hits the market
It's raining continuous glucose monitors!
Abbott Laboratories on Thursday announced its first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor Lingo is available in the U.S., just days after its competitor Dexcom launched a similar product.
Continuous glucose monitors are small sensors that stick through the skin to measure real-time glucose levels. The devices have traditionally been prescribed to diabetes patients since they can help alert those users to emergencies. Lingo is more consumer friendly, as it's meant for adults who are not taking insulin.
Glucose is a sugar molecule that comes from food, and it's the body's main source of energy. Everyone's glucose levels fluctuate, but consistently elevated levels can lead to more serious conditions like heart disease, insulin resistance and metabolic disease, Abbott said.
Lingo is designed to help users learn about how their bodies respond to food, exercise, sleep and stress, as well as how they can manage their glucose levels in healthier ways.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lingo in June. It's available without a prescription, and users can buy one sensor online for $49, two sensors for $89 or six sensors for $249.
Dexcom's new over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor is called Stelo, and the FDA approved it in March. An ongoing Stelo subscription costs $89 a month, and users can also buy a one-month supply for $99 at a time.
I tested out Stelo prior to its launch, and you can read about my experience here. I haven't tried Lingo yet, but Abbott walked me through the app and how it works.
One feature that stood out to me is Abbott's "Lingo Count," a metric designed to help users understand glucose spikes. That occurs when the amount of sugar present in the bloodstream rapidly increases and then decreases, commonly after eating.
The Lingo Count algorithm assigns a numeric value to each glucose spike, and it's supposed to represent how significant the impact of that fluctuation is. Users have a total target Lingo Count that they want to aim to stay below each day, and they can see their progress over time.
In order to learn how to manage glucose spikes, Lingo users can participate in challenges and access educational materials within the app. I think the challenges could serve as a fun way to engage people around their glucose, and I'm interested to try them for myself.
On the whole, I thought the app seemed intuitive and helpful. The data is presented in a way that doesn't feel too complex or overwhelming, and consumers have the option to go deeper if they want.
I'm planning to test out Lingo later this month, so I'll have more to share soon!
Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Ashley at ashley.capoot@nbcuni.com.
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