Abbott pushes the envelope of biowearables as it announces its new tech for tracking ketones biomarkers.
Abbott, the company behind the Freestyle Libre continuous glucose monitor, has announced it is developing a new category of consumer biowearables called Lingo, which is being designed to track key signals in the body – such as glucose, ketones, and lactate – to help people better understand their general health and take action to improve it.
Longevity.Technology: If you can measure it, you can monitor it, and if you can monitor it, you can alter it. Wearables can help the user optimise metabolism and improve the functioning of the body by making lifestyle and dietary changes and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), which was originally devised for diabetes management, is already popular among the biohacking community, and now Abbot are adding more strings to their monitoring bow, adding in ketone and lactate monitoring. Measuring ketones isn’t new, but Lingo will allow biohackers to dispense with intermittent finger prick tests, urine samples and breath readings and leverage a continuous stream of data.
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body uses fat and ketones rather than glucose as its main fuel source. In addition to helping you burn fat, ketosis can make you feel less hungry, and can also help you maintain muscle: a hugely important factor in aging well and longevity. Ketosis leads to a high concentration of ketones in the blood – and this is detectable and trackable.
Launching Lingo at the Consumer Electronics Show, Abbott Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert B Ford said: “Technology gives us the power to digitize, decentralize and democratize healthcare, create a shared language between you and your doctor – and put more control of your health in your hands. We’re creating a future that will bring you and your loved ones care that’s more personal and precise. It’s happening right now. And its potential is no less than incredible [1].”
Lingo – tapping into the body’s unique language
Lingo’s sensor technology is being designed to track key signals in the body such as glucose, ketones and lactate, and could also be used one day to track alcohol levels.
“This will be like having a window into your body,” said Ford. “It’s science that you will be able to access any time so you can understand what your body is telling you and what it needs. Our vision is that Lingo will go far beyond today’s wearables for consumers to help you proactively manage your health, nutrition and athletic performance [1].”
Lingo is extending the Abbott sensing technology platform that Abbott pioneered in 2014 for people with diabetes, allowing people to continuously monitor their glucose levels with a small sensor on the back of the upper arm. Abbott capitalised on the tech with a platform for athletes – the Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biowearable – used by elite athletes such as marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge.
Lingo is aiming to expand glucose monitoring to people looking to manage their weight, sleep better, improve energy and think more clearly. The ketone biowearable is being developed to track ketones continuously, see how quickly the wearer is entering a state of ketosis and understand exactly what keeps them there by providing insights on dieting and weight loss.
In addition, a lactate biowearable is in development to track continuous lactate build up during exercise, which can be used as an indicator of athletic performance.
[1] https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/abbott-announces-future-of-biowearables-at-consumer-electronics-show-861556661.html
