Continuous Glucose Monitoring

[aparsonsmoore]

I just wondered what people thought of Continuous Glucose Monitoring for athletes? As a keen cyclist, I've noticed that this technology has been used by several cycling teams. Articles, such as as this...

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a35541222/cgm-continual-glucose-monitor-levels-supersapiens/

Use language such as "once reserved for diabetics". I don't know why, but I'm uneasy with the wording as it seems to suggest that diabetics are a kind of Untermenschen who have had access to a technology that would be better employed by elite athletes. Am I being oversensitive?

 

[rebrascora]

The wording doesn't particularly bother me.
I am sure there is a much bigger potential market for these sensors than just us diabetics, particularly as more people are getting serious about sport and gizmos to monitor and optimize performance. The bigger the market for such products, the more chance of the price coming down, so it may not be a bad thing, particularly for people who have to self fund their Libres and Dexcoms

 

[Inka]

I get what you mean @aparsonsmoore I don’t think you’re insensitive. Personally, I also found it annoying and distasteful to have a non-D glorying in having tech attached and obsessing about tiny blood sugar changes as though he was being clever and insightful. Ooh, bio-hacking 🙄

I imagine the main motivation for these is money.

 

[JJay]

My personal bugbear, as with so many press articles, is the use of "diabetic" as a noun. I'm not "a diabetic", I'm a person who happens to have diabetes. We are not defined by our medical conditions (or I would also be "an osteo-arthritic knee" and "an atrial fibrillate"!)

By the way I believe Libre 3 is a CGM in that it sends readings every minute via bluetooth without the need for scanning. Can't wait!

 

[aparsonsmoore]

Thanks all for your responses - I agree that if the price for items such as this can be driven down, then that is a great thing. For example, I understand that Samsung's new Galaxy watches will be released later this year and will offer blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring. If that's the case, then I will be first in the queue.

However, as a T2 diabetic (apologies if you're T1) then I feel that articles like the one highlighted perpetuate the 'unhealthy pieces of s**t' have got this, but if you're fit and healthy you deserve to use this technology.