Abbott’s OTC Lingo CGM for Wellness Now Available
Lingo offers users a real-time glucose graph, a metric to track glucose spikes, food and activity logging, personal recommendations, and challenges to motivate healthy behaviors.
Following clearance by the FDA in June of this year, Abbott has announced the availability of Lingo, the company’s first continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system available without a prescription, in a news release.1 The wearable is intended for consumers 18 years and older who are interested in improving their overall health and wellness and is not intended for diagnosis of diseases, including diabetes.
Abbott logo on building / jetcityimage - stock.adobe.com
Lingo tracks glucose in real time and provides personal insights and coaching to facilitate healthy habits, retrain metabolism, and improve overall well-being in users. The device’s biosensor is worn on the back of the arm for up to 14 days and transmits continuous data about the body’s reaction to food, exercise, and life’s daily stressors, to a paired smartphone.
Key features of Lingo include a real-time glucose graph; a metric to track glucose spikes (Lingo Count); food and activity logging; personal recommendations; and Lingo Challenges to motivate healthy behaviors.
“There is a great deal of interest in tracking biomarkers that provide insights into one’s health and wellness that were previously undetectable using the trackers available to consumers,” said Olivier Ropars, divisional vice president of Abbott’s Lingo business, in the release.1 “Glucose is a powerful signal of your body’s unique response to food and lifestyle. Abbott’s Lingo tracks your glucose 24/7, translating the data into insights and bridging the gap between traditional health care and preventative measures. Lingo empowers individuals to build new health habits and take control of their health and wellness.”
READ MORE: FDA Approves 2 New OTC Continuous Glucose Monitors
Studies have demonstrated that using CGMs to manage glucose levels and limit glucose spikes can offer several health advantages for people who do not have diabetes.
Excessive glucose fluctuations and post-meal spikes are known to contribute to conditions such as insulin resistance, metabolic disease, and heart disease.1 By having access to real-time glucose data from a CGM, individuals can proactively address these health risks.
Further, research suggests that using a CGM can enhance adherence to low-glycemic and low-carb diets, both of which are effective for weight management.2 CGMs offer valuable real-time information about glucose levels, individual food responses, and lifestyle habits, bringing to users’ attention dietary changes that may promote stable glucose and improve metabolic health.
Beyond weight management, low-glycemic diets that stabilize glucose have been shown to contribute to improvements in both sleep quality and length of sleep.3 One body of research has even demonstrated the benefit of low-glycemic diets in reducing depression.4
“Physical activity and nutrition are 2 major factors that impact glucose variability and while glucose spikes are normal, fewer spikes and crashes are associated with numerous short-term and long-term health benefits,” said Fred St. Goar, MD, cardiologist and medical director of El Camino Health Heart and Vascular Institute, in the same release.1 “Understanding your body’s glucose is key to managing your metabolism, so you can live healthier and better.”
In recent years, the US has witnessed a significant surge in wellness trends, which have been only accelerated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As a CVS Health survey from 2021 revealed, 77% of respondents felt that the pandemic had taught them to be more observant of their health.5
This wellness boom has manifested in various ways, including the rising popularity of wearable health technology, fitness classes, vitamins and supplements, and more. Lingo, a device focused on health and wellness rather than diagnosis or treatment, aligns with this trend and reflects the demand by US consumers.
“CGMs are a powerful tool that I recommend to my patients to help them better understand what is going on inside their bodies, so they can take actionable steps to improve mood, focus, energy, sleep, reduced cravings, and improve their health outcomes,” concluded Goar.1
READ MORE: Continuous Glucose Monitoring Resource Center
