I in contrast an AI glucose monitor with a standard monitor for two weeks. Listed below are my outcomes

I used to be recognized as prediabetic and insulin resistant throughout center faculty, and ever since, I have been devoted to taking good care of my metabolic well being, attempting to reverse the diagnoses which have adopted me into maturity. I’ve witnessed the advantages {that a} dependable CGM can have on my well being because of Abbott’s Lingo, which I examined earlier this yr. 

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So, when Dexcom despatched me its Stelo, the primary over-the-counter CGM to hit the market final yr, I used to be wanting to see what it might do for my well being and examine it to the Abbott Lingo. In keeping with Dexcom, the Stelo has a 93% accuracy fee, so I in contrast the Stelo’s outcomes in opposition to a standard finger-stick monitor throughout my two-week testing interval. Here is the way it went.

Making use of the sensor

Earlier than you’ll be able to start monitoring, you will want to use the sensor. The app supplies step-by-step directions, and also you primarily stamp it onto the again of your arm, about three inches away from any injection websites, and in an space with sufficient fats.

The Stelo makes use of a button to set off the sensor’s software, deploying a versatile needle. I felt some adrenaline and warmth within the space, however these sensations disappeared after a couple of minutes. This was the worst a part of the method. The needle did not really feel like a standard shot from the physician’s workplace, however extra like getting your ears pierced with a piercing gun. Plus, Stelo’s sensor is a bit smaller than Lingo’s, so I believed it was a extra handy match on the again of my arm.

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After making use of, it asks you a number of private questions, and from there, provides you a goal vary of glucose. Mine was 70-140, which signifies that having a 70 may be your resting fee, whereas after consuming, it ought to transfer as much as the >140 to replicate meals consumption. 

With this sensor, you wait about 20 minutes to obtain lively readings. Then, the method begins as you log meals, stress, and train for 15 days. The app’s AI software program then takes the info out of your readings and occasions or meals you logged to present you insights on stabilizing your glucose. 

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The Gen AI software program makes use of Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform to personalize the Stelo expertise. For now, the AI solely supplies weekly insights from the data collected by the sensor, in addition to the meals, occasions, and stress you log. It’s at first phases, so Dexcom continues to be creating the know-how. 

Spike alerts

My final trial utilizing Abbott’s Lingo CGM helped me deal with broader consuming habits. As an example, it helped me reintroduce breakfast into my life, prioritize protein, and gave me a glimpse into how stress impacts my physique’s glucose from Lingo’s weekly insights in tandem with taking part in detective to determine what meals labored greatest with my physique. 

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Just like the Lingo, the Stelo confirmed me how a lot stress can have an effect on glucose and, in flip, the remainder of your physique. Driving and taking part in video video games with my associates appeared to drive up my glucose probably the most. An informal recreation of Fortnite with my associates brought on a spike and crash, serving to me understand I would like to regulate my psychological state in these demanding conditions and complement my physique with ample vitamins, akin to greens, wholesome fat, and protein as an alternative of high-sugar carbs. 

Paying shut consideration to which carbs affected my physique probably the most additionally performed a major position in my expertise with the Stelo. Eating regimen is not all-or-nothing, I discovered. A number of of your favourite high-sugar meals or snacks every now and then aren’t going to harm you, particularly if you happen to pair them with exercise or nutrient-dense meals. 

You are able to do this not solely by watching your glucose in actual time but in addition by studying the app’s training. I appreciated the app’s spike alerts, which helped me keep away from always checking my glucose.

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It’s also possible to join your knowledge along with your healthcare supplier for an knowledgeable opinion. Your supplier has a sure code for his or her clinic, which you’ll be able to enter within the Stelo app. As soon as pasted, your knowledge is routinely streamed to your supplier by Dexcom’s Readability software program. It’s also possible to request a tough copy of your knowledge out of your supplier, however not by the app.

What I would prefer to see with the subsequent mannequin

Lastly, I discovered how very important train — even a small burst in the midst of the day or after a giant meal — is to stabilize glucose. Even when it is only a 15-minute stroll every day, I might see the results by the app’s knowledge. Once I began the sensor, my common glucose was within the 60s, just below the goal resting vary of 70. Whereas it is not unhealthy, I might really feel the bodily results of decrease blood sugar.

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After I accomplished the subsequent week of meal and stress logging, the app lastly urged including a small quantity of train to stabilize my glucose stream. The following week, I started to stroll quarter-hour earlier than work and quarter-hour after dinner. I slowly noticed my glucose common rise to the 70-80 vary pre-meal and had regular inclines after meals, with minimal spikes and crashes. 

Nonetheless, my birthday weekend got here, and my consumption of birthday cake, alcohol, and sizzling rooster with out train reset all of my progress as I began to get extra spike and crash alerts, and will actually see it on the graph in comparison with after I was mindfully consuming.

How correct is the Stelo?

Whereas researching the Stelo, I noticed some Reddit posts reporting inaccurate readings in comparison with different readers. As it’s the first iteration of the product, there are certain to make sure inaccuracies. Nonetheless, there are numerous explanation why your Stelo CGM studying won’t match as much as a normal finger-prick monitor. 

For one, when evaluating your Stelo readings to a standard finger-pricking monitor, you need to consider a 20% margin of error. It is because Stelo reads the glucose ranges out of your interstitial fluid, whereas the finger-prick monitor measures glucose out of your blood. Naturally, your interstitial fluid lags behind your blood by way of glucose ranges. It particularly lags while you eat a carb or sugar-heavy meal. 

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Moreover, most glucose displays available on the market have a wholesome margin of error. It is because pinpoint accuracy could be affected by exterior components like temperature, person error, interference with check strips, and extra. In the end, most glucose displays have a ten% margin of error.

Over the 2 weeks, I in contrast my readings to a standard finger-prick monitor. I recorded my glucose after I awakened, after my first meal, after which after dinner. Altogether, I discovered that the Stelo monitor hardly ever dipped beneath or above the 20% margin. If something, my finger-prick monitor had extra inaccurate one-off readings. Under are just some of my in contrast readings. 

There have been fairly a number of situations the place I ate a carb-heavy dinner and noticed the CGM lag behind the finger-prick monitor. Nonetheless, the Stelo’s readings had been just some factors off, displaying that the Stelo is sort of correct. 

Subsequently, I’d assess my monitor as correct and, in some circumstances, reflecting my glucose’s lag in migration from my blood to my interstitial fluid. For those who’re frightened in regards to the accuracy of your CGM, I recommend contemplating margin error, glucose’s journey path, and different exterior components whereas sporting the Stelo. 

Minimal first iteration

The over-patch used to safe the system to my arm turned soiled very simply. After a number of days, I skilled sharp ache from my first sensor, so I eliminated it. The brand new sensor I utilized didn’t trigger that subject. I additionally had a defunct CGM throughout my second spherical with the product, even after making use of it and ready 24 hours to see if it could ever activate. I ultimately gave up and placed on the opposite one. 

Whereas the features of this primary iteration are minimal, just like the Lingo, the Stelo has numerous potential for future iterations — particularly with the AI teaching and its collaboration with Oura.

Each Stelo and Lingo make the most of generative AI software program, which supplies personalised insights and steering for every particular person’s wants. However that is it, the AI options finish there. Dexcom has large plans to implement extra AI-powered options on the system, like a doable new AI perform that means that you can take an image of your meals and obtain its nutrient data. This characteristic might be game-changing for weight-reduction plan apps, as logging meals so particularly could be tedious.

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Though Stelo’s generative AI characteristic sound engaging, Dexcom should broaden it to offer customers with constant, complete, and useful recommendation. It took per week to obtain a suggestion from my weekly insights about including train. 

As somebody who had beforehand used a CGM, I knew what to work on. Nonetheless, somebody who solely has a sensor for a month could not have sufficient time to totally perceive their metabolism. I’d like to see extra strategies and tweaks from the software program, akin to each day insights.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

The Stelo by Dexcom retails for $99 for 2 30-day sensors. This system gives an easy-to-use interface to assist folks make higher selections about managing their glucose ranges. This system might be very useful for many who wrestle with weight problems, prediabetes, or Sort 2 diabetes (not on insulin). Stopping metabolic illnesses like Sort 2 diabetes takes numerous effort, training, and time, which is why Stelo might be a great tool. 

Even hard-core athletes may benefit from this know-how to maximise their efficiency as biologically doable. The Stelo might assist give folks management over their our bodies, with the caveat that it’ll price $99 monthly. I like to recommend the Stelo over the Lingo if you happen to favor a smaller sensor, a faster technique to log occasions, and a extra easy course of for monitoring your glucose.