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Summary

A continuous glucose monitor helps you assess and monitor your fundamental blood glucose levels in numerous ways. Therefore, most diabetic and obese people opt to shift to this new high-end tech. Glucose is a simple sugar that is the most abundant energy source for the body.  It is a nutrient that provides energy to cells […]

Understand Your Metabolic Score

Dr.Poonam Sharma

June 16, 2022 - 2:00 pm

A continuous glucose monitor helps you assess and monitor your fundamental blood glucose levels in numerous ways. Therefore, most diabetic and obese people opt to shift to this new high-end tech. Glucose is a simple sugar that is the most abundant energy source for the body. 

It is a nutrient that provides energy to cells to function correctly. Glucose is used by every cell in your body for energy, and it aids growth and development. For example, the liver produces glucose by breaking down stored glycogen (a type of carbohydrate) when blood glucose levels are low or there isn’t enough glucose available. The kidneys also release some glucose into the urine when there isn’t enough insulin present or high blood glucose levels.

When you overeat food containing carbohydrates, your blood sugar level will rise higher than normal, and you are at risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes. As you might already know, glucose, the six-carbon long compound, is essential to processing energy in your body. Glucose is the primary energy provider in vital body functionings like digestion, cell division, respiration, absorption, etc. 

A consistent drop in your blood sugar level leads to a lessened supply of blood glucose to your brain. This results in confusion and seizures and, in severe cases, might turn fatal. On the contrary, if blood glucose levels spike up to more than 600 mg/dL, the patients might be at risk of getting into a coma. 

Considering the above facts, it becomes evident that you must look after your sugar levels and keep a check on them. It doesn’t matter if you have diabetes or you do not have it, but you should always regularly monitor your blood sugar levels to notice changes in metabolic processes. 

What is a metabolic score?

Glucose is one of the most straightforward sugars and a vital energy source for humans. It is a major fuel source for the brain, central nervous system, and red blood cells. Glucose also helps to regulate blood pressure and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. The most common way that glucose enters the body is through food. Also, the pancreas releases insulin when it detects high glucose levels in the bloodstream. 

Insulin moves glucose from the bloodstream into cells for use as energy or storage. When there is not enough insulin, or when cells become resistant to insulin (a condition called insulin resistance), glucose cannot enter cells to be used as energy and remains in the bloodstream. Ultimately, you become susceptible to the threats of diabetes. Also, this is where the part of glucose regulation comes in. If you are witnessing pre-diabetic conditions, it is an alarm call to look after your health. 

A continuous glucose monitor like the HealthifyPro one will provide you with an overall metabolic score to help you understand your blood sugar levels.

A metabolic score reveals the changes in your blood sugar levels and indicates your health status. 

A metabolic score lies in a range of 0 to 100. This range provides you with an average result of your daily efforts for regulating your blood glucose levels.

Your metabolic score may deviate depending on your diet, exercise routine, sleep schedule, mental health, etc. Thus, you can consider your metabolic score as a sole indicator of your overall health and the efforts you have been putting into it. Although you might not be able to maintain a high score every time of the month, you must keep pushing through it. 

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How is a metabolic score determined?

A metabolic score is calculated based on three parameters, which are the governing factors for your metabolic score. These are:

1. Glucose Variability

As the term suggests, it measures your glucose variability across the day. The number of spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels determine the glucose variability factor. No matter how hard you try, sometimes your diet might go off track, your sleep schedule might get disturbed, or other hindrances will cross your way. These factors will lead to altered glucose levels. 

The HealthifyPro Continuous Glucose Monitor detects changes and determines a glucose variability factor for you. This factor will be calculated based on the average change in your glucose levels. If the blood glucose levels are consistently high, the glucose variability factor will portray a high deviation from the normal value. Thus, a higher glucose variability score is a bad sign. Therefore, your aim should reduce this score as much as possible and prevent it from spiking up because low levels of glucose variability factor indicate a healthy glucose metabolism in your body. 

2. Average levels of glucose

Do not confuse average levels of glucose with glucose variability factors. A glucose variability highlights the changes in your glucose levels throughout the day. However, on the contrary, average glucose levels are the baseline glucose values in your blood over 2 to 3 months. Also, a minimal level of blood glucose is a must in your body, and it shouldn’t drop or spike above that. Studies reveal that a 4% to 5.6% HbA1c level is the usual range you must have, a surge of 5.7% to 6.4% indicates chances of pre-diabetic conditions, and values as high as 6.5% or more indicate diabetes. 

3. Time in target levels of blood sugar

It determines whether your blood glucose levels are within the set target. A normal blood sugar level ranges from 70 mg/dL to 100 mg/dL. Any deviation from this range shows the predominance of diabetes in your body.

The Importance of Calculating Metabolic Scores

There are several reasons why you must focus on improving your metabolic score and maintaining it at high levels. Some of the most proven benefits of keeping a high metabolic score are listed below:

  • Improved blood sugar levels 
  • Enhanced cardiovascular functionality
  • Decrease in obesity 
  • Reduced mood swings and mental disorders 
  • Reduction in seizures 
  • Good neural health
  • Good for your kidneys and renal system 
  • Prevents mental confusion
  • Aids in weight loss 
  • Reduced inflammatory responses
  • Feel good all-day
  • Increases your resistance to diseases

Ways to Manage a Successful Metabolic Score in the Long Run?

When you subscribe to the HealthifyPro continuous glucose monitor, you are already a step closer to a healthy you. Putting in some personal efforts is another thing you can do to conquer good health. 

With the HealthifyPro continuous glucose monitor, you are always connected with a personalised coach, a CGM device, a metabolic panel, and an AI-supported tech for your service. 

All of these work in harmony to bring out the best in you. However, this journey can be even more fruitful if you decide to behave mindfully. Apart from the coach’s diets and exercises, you can try other mindful habits to see visible results in no time. 

Saying no to junk food, walking an extra mile, worrying less, meditating more, and sleeping well are fundamental steps towards a healthier version of yourself. Moreover, enhance your inner health with a HealthifyPro continuous glucose monitor to see outstanding results.

What are GLP-1 peptides?

They are small sequences of amino acids that are secreted from cells in the small intestine and the brain. They work as physiological regulators of appetite and food intake – basically they transmit the message that the stomach is full to the brain.

About the Author

I, Dr. Poonam have 3+ years of experience in the field of Medicine. Currently serving as a Resident Physician at HealthifyMe, I have worked with premier hospitals such as Manipal Hospital, Bangalore as a Resident in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital, Chennai as a Medical Officer. I aspire to put my knowledge in medicine to use in providing healthcare and fitness services to people and help enhance my abilities in meeting the ever-growing healthcare needs.


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Medically reviewed by

Gautham Shankar

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