My review of the Lingo Glucose Monitor UK
Updated: Oct 19
A few months ago, I found myself getting really frustrated with the constant ups and downs of my energy levels.
Some days, I felt unstoppable; other days, I was sluggish and foggy-headed.
And the afternoon crashes were hitting me hard, to the point where I couldn’t function.
I felt that I was doing everything I could to lead as healthy a life as possible (I’m a wellness specialist for goodness sake!) but as a 50 year old woman in perimenopause, the hormonal rollercoaster still kept throwing up different symptoms and issues now and again.
I made an appointment to see my doctor but examinations and blood tests gave the all-clear for anything serious (thankfully).
But I was still curious. Could my blood sugar levels be playing a part in how I felt?
I know this was also a frustration for the women I see in my menopause wellness coaching sessions.
So when I was offered the chance to test Lingo, a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) biosensor, app and coaching programme designed to decode your personal glucose response to food, exercise and other lifestyle factors, I was really keen to see what I could learn.
Here's my honest Lingo glucose monitor review, including what I learned, what I liked and what you should know before buying one.
This page contains affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
Contents
What is the Lingo Glucose Monitor and how does it work?
What does blood sugar have to do with energy?
Glucose is the fuel that provides energy for your body's cells.
The glucose in your bloodstream naturally rises and falls throughout the day, particularly in response to food, physical activity and other factors.
Insulin helps your body use that glucose for energy, but when there’s too much in your system, the excess glucose gets stored as fat.
Too much glucose in circulation can also affect how you feel day to day...hungry, tired, moody, unable to concentrate.
That's what made me curious about continuous glucose monitoring.
And rather than taking a single reading, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) tracks glucose levels throughout the day, allowing you to see how they change in response to everyday life.
You can learn which foods cause the biggest spikes for you.
Lingo's guide to the benefits of steady glucose
Boost energy
Managing your glucose curve can be an effective way to improve your energy levels. People following a low-glycaemic diet reported feeling 25% less fatigue than those following a high glycaemic diet.
Manage weight
As glucose rises, so does insulin. And when insulin is chronically elevated, it can impair the body’s ability to burn fat for energy. That’s why having steady glucose levels can help with losing and maintaining weight.
Increase focus
One study of 3,000+ young adults showed that those with unsteady glucose levels had diminished memory and processing speed 25 years later.
Manage hunger
Glucose crashes can trick you into thinking you need more food. Seeing your real-time glucose data can help you distinguish true hunger from a passing craving.
Sleep better
Studies have shown that steady glucose may lead to better sleep. In turn, better sleep can also help to keep your glucose steady
So who is Lingo Glucose Monitor UK for?
Lingo is designed for adults looking to make positive health changes and learn more about their glucose patterns, particularly how these change in response to food, exercise and everyday activities.
You might be curious about your body's response to different meals, interested in understanding your habits around food and movement, or simply keen to explore what a wearable health tracker can tell you.
You may already live a healthy lifestyle and simply want more ways to optimise your health and fitness.
If you have diabetes or are concerned about your blood sugar levels, speak to your healthcare professional about the most appropriate way to monitor them.
What is the Lingo Glucose Monitor and how does it work?
The Lingo continuous glucose monitor package combines a small wearable glucose sensor with a smartphone app and an in-app coaching programme.
The sensor attaches to the back of your upper arm and uses a tiny filament just beneath the skin to measure glucose in the fluid surrounding your cells.
It sends readings to the Lingo app, where you can view your glucose patterns and explore how they relate to food, exercise and other daily activities.
Unlike a traditional finger-prick test, which gives you a reading at a particular moment, Lingo tracks glucose continuously while you're wearing the sensor.
The app presents your readings in a graph and offers guidance intended to help you understand your patterns and experiment with everyday habits.
What you get:
A wearable sensor: Designed to be worn for up to 14 days before replacement.
The Lingo app: Displays your glucose readings and trends throughout the day.
In-app coaching: Offers prompts and suggestions around food, movement and other habits.
The idea is to give you more information about your own glucose patterns, rather than simply providing a series of numbers.
My first impressions of the Lingo Glucose Monitor
When my Lingo kit arrived, I was keen to get started and see what I could learn.
The kit included the biosensor, an applicator and a quick-start guide. The sensor itself was small and discreet, designed to sit on the back of your upper arm.
Applying the sensor and setting up the app
I was a little apprehensive about applying the sensor, but I found the process really straightforward and didn't experience any pain when attaching it.
Once in place, the sensor felt lightweight and unobtrusive. I was able to get on with my usual activities without it bothering me, including showering and exercising.
Setting up the app and pairing it with the sensor was also straightforward.
The app guided me through the initial steps and explained how to start looking at my glucose readings.
My first impression was that Lingo was easy to use, even for someone who hadn't tried continuous glucose monitoring before.
But what mattered was whether the information it provided would teach me anything useful about my everyday habits.
So, what did I discover during my two weeks of wearing it?
What I learned from wearing the Lingo Glucose Monitor
Over the two weeks, I started paying closer attention to how my glucose levels changed throughout the day and how those changes coincided with what I was eating and doing.
Lingo offered suggestions for experimenting with everyday habits, including prioritising protein, choosing savoury options more often, including healthy fats, eating more greens and moving regularly.
I was interested to see what difference these changes might make in practice.
Food & Meal Tracking
My usual breakfast of overnight oats with Greek yogurt, nuts, seeds and berries resulted in a steady response.
A very low carb lunch of chicken, bacon and broccoli one day actually didn’t give me enough of a boost and I felt really tired.
I joined my carb-loving sons in enjoying a bowl of sausage pasta one evening, resulting in a huge glucose spike!
But the biggest spike of all came from a small slice of sourdough bread, eaten on its own with a scraping of butter. It was in an afternoon when I was sitting at my desk writing so wasn’t active.
It’s definitely made me more mindful of what I eat and when.
And even though weight loss isn’t one of my current goals, I did lose 3lbs over the two weeks of wearing the glucose monitor.
Exercise & Activity
Lingo revealed how different types of movement affected my glucose.
A brisk 15-minute walk after meals helped lower post-meal spikes, while a more intense HIIT session caused a temporary spike but led to lower overall glucose levels throughout the day.
These insights helped me fine-tune my workouts for better energy and metabolism.
Sleep & Stress Impact
Lingo say that research has shown that not only do steady glucose levels help improve sleep but better sleep also helps improve glucose levels.
Keeping your glucose steady may result in better sleep, and a good night’s sleep may also help keep your glucose steady.
One of the biggest surprises was how stress and poor sleep impacted my glucose levels.
On nights when I didn’t sleep well, my fasting glucose was higher the next morning, and stressful workdays led to glucose fluctuations even without food.
This reinforced the importance of stress management and quality sleep in metabolic health.
What I liked and what could be better about Lingo
After two weeks of wearing the Lingo glucose monitor, I can see why continuous glucose monitoring is helpful.
But there are a few things worth considering before deciding whether it's right for you.
What I Liked
Easy to set up: Applying the sensor and connecting it to the app was so straightforward, even as a first-time user.
Comfortable to wear: The sensor was lightweight and didn't interfere with my usual activities at all, including showering and exercising.
Interesting personal insights: Seeing how my glucose levels changed throughout the day made me more curious about the relationship between food, movement and my body's responses.
Practical suggestions: The app offered ideas for experimenting with everyday habits, giving me a starting point for exploring what worked for me.
What Could Be Better
Making sense of the data: Seeing a glucose rise is one thing; understanding what it means for your individual health is another. The readings need context and shouldn't be interpreted in isolation.
Limited insight over two weeks: My results gave me a snapshot of my glucose patterns, but they couldn't tell me everything about my health or explain every change in my energy levels.
Phone compatibility: Before ordering, check that your smartphone is compatible with the current Lingo app and sensor requirements.
Overall, I found Lingo straightforward to use and really interesting as a way to explore my own glucose patterns and change my habits going forward.
Is the Lingo Glucose Monitor worth it?
For me, wearing the Lingo glucose monitor was a genuinely worthwhile experience.
I found it fascinating to see how my glucose levels responded to different foods, exercise and everyday activities, and I came away with a better understanding of my own patterns.
What I particularly liked was being able to move beyond general healthy eating advice and see what was happening in my own body. It encouraged me to be more curious about my habits and experiment with small changes, rather than simply following a set of rules.
I think Lingo could be particularly useful if you're interested in understanding your body's responses, enjoy learning from personal health data and want to explore how everyday choices might influence your glucose levels.
If you're interested in weight management, understanding how your body responds to food could be another useful piece of the puzzle.
The app's coaching suggestions also give you practical ideas to try, rather than leaving you to interpret a graph entirely on your own.
Of course, a glucose monitor isn't essential for everyone, and the readings need to be considered in context. But if you're curious about your health and want a more personalised insight into your daily patterns, I think continuous glucose monitoring can offer something genuinely valuable.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Where to Buy
Interested in trying Lingo for yourself?
Let me know in the comments how you get on - or if you've got any questions.
More Ways to Learn About Your Health
Trying the Lingo glucose monitor sparked my interest in learning more about my own health through personalised testing and health data.
If you're interested in exploring other options, you might also like my other reviews
Each offers a different perspective on personal health, and I've shared my own experiences to help you decide whether they're worth exploring.
Looking for Support With Your Menopause Health?
Understanding your health can be especially important during perimenopause and menopause, when changes in sleep, energy, mood and body composition can leave you wondering what's happening.
As a Menopause Wellness Practitioner and Women's Health Coach, I help women make sense of the information available to them, explore evidence-informed lifestyle approaches and feel better equipped to make decisions about their health.
If you'd like personalised support with your menopause concerns, take a look at my Menopause Clarity Session, a one-to-one session to explore your priorities and identify practical next steps.
DISCLAIMER: This page does not provide medical advice; it is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek professional medical advice on any of the topics covered on this page.
Read the article and ordered mine. Arrived very quickly! Easy to set up (I thought it would hurt but it was actually pain free). The app was very easy to use and I was genuinely surprised at how certain foods impacted on my glucose. I’ve made some changes based on the two weeks results and definitely feel better for that!
Ordered mine and loved it! It was a simple, affordable way to tap into my health so I can now make some much needed changes.