People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes should monitor theirs blood sugar and keep it under control. This is a huge priority, and although no one likes to prick their fingers all day and test their blood, it has to be done. Traditional blood sugar monitors it may be a pain, but there is another option. Continuous glucose monitoring systems, also known as CGM devices, are much more convenient and can be worn and used for long periods of time. This makes checking your blood sugar easy compared to other methods.
“Continuous glucose monitors offer more intensive monitoring of a patient’s sugar levels,” said Dr Rebecca Fenichel, endocrinologist at Westmed Medical Group. “They are particularly suitable for patients who need to check several times a day, or for patients who want to receive more frequent feedback throughout the day.”
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An important detail to note is that while anyone can buy a regular blood glucose meter, you will need a prescription from your doctor for a CGM system. Doctors may recommend a continuous blood glucose monitor for reasons related to your unique health circumstances and lifestyle, but it may not work for everyone’s unique diabetes treatment plan.
CGM devices can also give you and your doctor more information about your blood sugar level than a standard meter — for example, if your blood sugar starts to drop too low, the device can alert you, “which can be a very useful feature for helping patients avoid hypoglycemia,” Fenichel said. “They can tell you not only what your current sugar level is, but whether it’s about to go up or down.”
For this article, we consulted with doctors, including Fenichel, and researched the most popular monitors to choose the best continuous glucose monitors on the market for 2022.
Freestyle Libre
This meter is recommended by Fenichel and was previously recommended by Dr. Nate Favini, Forward’s Medical Director. “For people who are interested in a deeper understanding of their glucose levels, I often recommend the Freestyle Libre for continuous glucose monitoring,” Favini said.
“By putting a sensor on your arm, you can track your glucose continuously throughout the day and develop your understanding of what makes your sugar levels rise and fall. People will often be surprised that foods they think are good for their glucose levels may be causing their sugar spikes. Although continuous glucose monitors are more expensive, they can help you understand what types of food and exercise are best for you.”
To read your blood sugar on the Freestyle Libre, you take a quick scan with the CGM device to get a reading. There are also optional alarms if your blood sugar gets too high or too low.
Dexcom
“I believe that continuous glucose monitoring is a valuable tool in the management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Josh Emdur, SteadyMD’s medical director. “CGM data provides useful insight to help patients track their glycemic response against diet choices and activity levels.”
The Dexcom G6 doesn’t require you to manually scan to get a glucose reading — instead, you get a wireless reading either on a dedicated receiver or on your phone or Apple Watch. The Dexcom G6 reads your blood sugar every five minutes, monitoring your blood sugar level while you wear it day and night. You can set a custom range for where you want your blood sugar to be, and if it crosses into your set low blood sugar or high blood sugar ranges, you’ll get a notification.
“For patients on an insulin pump, the Dexcom G6 can connect to your pump and offer a closed-loop system to shut off your insulin if you fall. The Dexcom monitor is also pregnancy approved and offers continuous monitoring that you can see on your phone at any time,” Fenichel says.
Eversense
If you want a device that you can adjust and not have to worry about reinserting for up to 90 days, the Eversense is a great option for diabetes management. A healthcare provider will place the sensor and then place the transmitter over it.
Once the sensor is in place, you don’t need to replace it for about 90 days, long sensor life. The transmitter itself can alert you if your blood sugar is too high or low, and you can also get wireless readings sent to your phone via an app. You can share your blood sugar data from your app with your doctor or anyone else who wants to check your blood sugar readings.
Medtronic Diabetes
The Guardian Connect system is a CGM that can tell you your current glucose readings quickly through a connected app and also allows you to easily access trends and data about your blood sugar over time. One feature that stands out about The Guardian is the “predictive” alerts you can get about your sugar. Unlike other CGM systems that alert you when your sugar is already high or low, The Guardian uses technology that predicts when your blood sugar might become high or low before it happens. Another feature that comes with the monitor is the Sugar.IQ diabetes assistant app for diabetes management, which uses your data to help you figure out what diet, exercise and insulin work best for you.
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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.
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