Should I Use Stelo Glucose Monitor if I Don't Have Diabetes?

Stelo is the first over-the-counter glucose biosensor approved for use by people without diabetes. While glucose monitors may help early detection and prevention of conditions like pre-diabetes, experts warn about the risks of excessive focus on blood sugar.

Dexcom Stelo Glucose Biosensor System received the FDA's marketing authorization last year, making it the first-ever OTC continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

Besides people with diabetes, the system was approved for use in individuals without the condition who want to 'better understand how diet and exercise may impact blood sugar levels.'

The approval came amid the increasing trend of wearing CGMs by those who are diabetes-free. The trend was set by Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess, a book author and wellness influencer whose methods for glucose management earned her huge popularity and attracted criticism from the medical community.

Inchauspé endorsed the Stelo system, praising its availability without subscription, low price, and easy use.

While CGMs can be life-saving for people with diabetes, a condition affecting around 38.4 million Americans, many healthcare professionals and scientists are skeptical of their use in healthy individuals.

What is the Stelo glucose biosensor system?

The Stelo Glucose Biosensor System includes a wearable sensor that is paired with a mobile application. It continuously measures, records, analyzes and displays glucose values. The measurements and trends are presented every 15 minutes.

Users can wear each sensor for up to 15 days before replacing it. The price is $99.00, much lower than that of prescription-only CGMs.

According to the manufacturer, Stelo is 93% accurate, meaning that 93% of Stelo readings fall within the acceptable accuracy range compared to the gold-standard Yellow Springs Instrument test.

The device is approved for use in people 18 years and older who do not use insulin, such as individuals with diabetes who treat their condition with oral medications or those without diabetes, according to the FDA.

Benefits of glucose monitoring without diabetes

CGMs undoubtedly benefit individuals with diabetes. By providing real-time data on glucose values, they allow better management of the condition and help reduce the risk of complications.

Indhira Ghyssaert, MD, a family physician and nutritionist, says CGMs can be used for diabetes prevention in people in a pre-diabetic state or with a genetic predisposition based on family history.

A CGM offers real-time insight into how your body responds to food, stress, sleep, and activity. This allows you to make more informed lifestyle choices and spot early warning signs of insulin resistance or blood sugar instability long before it becomes a clinical issue.

Indhira Ghyssaert, MD,

According to Dr. Krutika Nanavati, a UK-registered clinical and sports dietitian, the use of CGMs should be guided by a professional.

In her practice, data from CGM helped individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome to reduce cycle irregularity by tailoring carbohydrate timing and stress-reduction strategies since cortisol directly affects glycemic response.

"The average person's glucose can spike 40- 60 mg/dL after eating, but what they spike to, how long it stays elevated, and how often this occurs, those are early predictors of dysfunction long before fasting glucose or HbA1c are affected," she says.

Authors of a 2022 study predict that in the future, CGMs may be used in people with obesity, as the condition is linked to 30-53% of new diabetes cases in the U.S.

Moreover, CGMs can potentially be beneficial for elite athletes at risk of hypoglycemia, the state where glucose levels fall too low for bodily functions to continue, and which can be induced by physical activity.

A small study from 2024 suggests that data collected from continuous glucose monitors may help detect disordered eating behaviors like binge eating and vomiting.

The risks of continuous glucose monitoring

According to the FDA's Stelo approval, adverse events reported in the study included local infection, skin irritation, and pain or discomfort.

Experts who spoke to WellnessPulse agree that the physical risks caused by these devices are minimal. What worries them is the mental aspect, as glucose monitoring may lead to obsession.

Gail Clifford, MD, an internal medicine doctor, says that if someone starts obsessing over every little glucose bump, they might begin to cut out foods they do not need to avoid or feel anxious about totally normal fluctuations.

I have seen people try to eat in a way that's 'perfect' for their glucose numbers but ends up being too restrictive or stressful. So, if you are using a CGM and you do not have diabetes, it is essential to look at the big picture — it is a tool for learning, not something to micromanage your body with.

Gail Clifford, MD

Krutika says she has worked with clients who began restricting nutrient-rich foods like bananas or legumes because their CGM flagged short-term spikes.

Ghyssaert warns that for people who have a history of food anxiety or control issues, CGMs could unintentionally fuel obsessive behaviors like restricting certain foods, chasing 'perfect' numbers, or becoming overly fixated on their body's responses.

In those without diabetes, CGMs may not always provide accurate measurements. A 2025 study included 15 adults of healthy weight and without diabetes. Researchers tested their blood glucose responses to various fruit-based products, including smoothies and whole fruits, using both a CGM and the gold standard finger-prick test.

The CGMs overestimated the time spent above the recommended blood sugar level threshold by nearly 400%, potentially causing unnecessary worry for people whose blood sugar is actually well-controlled.

Moreover, CGMs misclassified whole fruits as medium or high glycemic index (GI) foods, suggesting they cause rapid increases in blood glucose, while the finger-prick test showed they were low GI. According to the authors, this could lead users to mistakenly believe that fruit could cause harmful spikes in blood sugar.

The verdict

Continuous glucose monitors like Stelo may benefit people without diabetes by providing early detection of blood sugar irregularities. However, constant monitoring of blood glucose levels can lead or fuel disordered eating behaviors, resulting in eliminating nutritious food from a diet.