Ultrahuman M1 Live review: How I optimized my diet with glucose insights
Ultrahuman M1 Live
Pros
- Real-time glucose tracking
- Reveals hidden impacts of food, exercise, and lifestyle
- Personalized insights for optimizing your health
- Gamified "Metabolic Score" for motivation
- Easy to use, discreet sensor
Cons
- Subscription cost
- Some users may find the constant data a bit overwhelming at first
The past two weeks with the Ultrahuman M1 Live have been an eye-opener. The platform offers a deep dive into how your body reacts to the world around you. Ultrahuman utilizes a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to track your blood sugar levels. Forget finger pricks – a tiny sensor does the work, sending data to the app on your phone and alerting you to changes in real-time.
The results have been surprising, even shocking at times. I had no idea how drastically simple choices impact my internal balance. The information Ultrahuman provides has set me on a path of discovery – forcing me to re-evaluate habits that I thought were harmless. Some of the info I knew going into this, but it was not until I used this platform that I fully internalised that information. It’s one thing knowing something at an intellectual level – and another experiencing it with your own eyes.
I’m always interested in finding ways to improve my health, and I know a good diet is key. That’s why I was excited to try the Ultrahuman M1 Live. If you’re in the same boat, read on to see if it could help you too!
View on Ultrahuman / Amazon.
Jump to
Ultrahuman M1 Live review: Design, hardware
When you subscribe to Ultrahuman M1 Live, you are essentially subscribing to a software platform. That’s because the core component of the system, the thing that actually captures the glucose data, is the Abbott Freestyle Libre 2 sensor. Which is a good thing as this is a tried and tested sensor used by many diabetics since its launch in 2019. The small device (about the size of a US quarter) is designed to be worn discreetly on the back of your upper arm.
The magic unfolds within a miniscule, 5mm long filament nestled under your skin. This ultra-thin, flexible wonder measures glucose levels in the surrounding interstitial fluid. Tiny electronics onboard process these readings, and a discreet NFC chip transmits the data wirelessly to your phone.
To get the latest readings, simply scan your Libre 2 sensor with your phone every 8 hours. Don’t wait too long, as the sensor can only store data for the past 8 hours.
No pain, all gain: The surprisingly easy sensor experience
One of the biggest surprises during setup was how painless the application process is. After all, no-one like their arm being pricked. When you look at the sensor closely, it does appear scary.
A small applicator helps attach the thing, and I’m happy to report that honestly I didn’t even feel it. So much so that I went to a mirror to check whether it was in place.
The sensor comes with a few thin, adhesive patches that cover it for additional security. It also helps with water and sweat proofing. So you don’t have to worry about showering, swimming and doing other forms of exercise, or getting caught in the rain.
You may get a question or two in the weeks ahead on why you are wearing a patch. But I found it to be a good conversation piece.
One tip for the best experience: Shave the area where you’ll put the sensor and patch. Trust me, it’ll make taking it off way less of a painful (and hairy!) situation.
After the initial application, you’ll quickly forget you’re even wearing the sensor. It doesn’t irritate, impede movement, or feel bulky in any way. You don’t even see it because its on the back of your upper arm.
Also, there’s no battery that needs charging. Which is a refreshing change from all the other electronic gear I own!
The M1 Live is built for everyday life and 24/7 wear. This allows for consistent data capturing, which is essential to the platform’s value. After the two weeks are up, simply peel off the sensor.
Ultrahuman M1 Live review: Features
While the sensor is crucial, the true magic lies within the Ultrahuman smartphone app. This is where your glucose data is transformed into real-time insights, personalized recommendations, and a comprehensive view of your metabolic health.
It’s worth noting that while the Libre 2 sensor can be used with the official LibreLink app, you’ll miss out on Ultrahuman’s unique analysis that goes far beyond basic glucose monitoring. It’s where the added value comes into play.
How to use
Start by downloading the Ultrahuman app on your compatible smartphone. Create an account or log in. I already own and wear the Ultrahuman Ring Air so had an account all set up. Both devices use the same app which is useful as you can correlate insights.
Next, choose a clean, hairless area on the back of your upper arm and disinfect it with the provided alcohol wipe. Use the applicator to attach the sensor (watch a tutorial video if you feel unsure). As mentioned, attach the protective patch over the sensor for added security and you are set.
Then you’ll need to scan the sensor with your phone’s NFC reader to activate it. The app will guide you through pairing and a brief warm-up period (about an hour). Once that’s done, real-time glucose readings will start to appear in the Ultrahuman app. You can explore detailed graphs, trends, and analyze how your body responds to various factors.
It is recommended to first attach the sensor in the morning, or when you are in a fasting state. That’s because the baseline that will be established will be more representative.
The Ultrahuman smartphone app
The Ultrahuman smartphone app is where you unlock the full potential of your glucose data. With readings captured every second, you get near-real-time information about what’s happening inside your body.
The Metabolic Score: Your daily challenge
I found the Metabolic Score to be of most use. It’s a simple daily metric that considers your glucose variability, average glucose level, and how much time you spend within the optimal range (70-110 mg/dL). Think of it as your daily metabolic health report card.
Metabolic Score ranges from 0-100 and the goal is to get as close to 100 as possible. After a few days, keeping my score high became a bit of a game, tapping into my competitive side and providing serious motivation.
Staying informed
The app sends you push notifications whenever your glucose levels take a sharp turn, up or down. The aim, of course, is to minimize these. But the app doesn’t just leave you hanging – you can log the cause of the spike or crash, helping you identify patterns. Plus, each notification comes with a handy explanation, turning those blips into valuable learning experiences. And to top it all off, you can see your estimated daily HbA1c level, giving you a glimpse into your pre-diabetes or diabetes risk.
Personalized food guidance
The app also offers tailored food recommendations, which I found particularly helpful. Diligently logging my food intake, at least in the early days, allowed the app to generate personalized scores for each food based on my unique blood sugar responses. It even links with services like MyFitnessPal for easy tracking.
I have to admit, this is the part I was less diligent with. After a few days, I just reverted to using an Excel spreadsheet to log the reasons for spikes in my glucose readings. And used that to determine which foods I should avoid.
Potentially a life changing experience
Let’s dive deeper into why the Ultrahuman M1 Live’s features and the tailored app experience elevate it far beyond the basic Libre app. The latter primarily gives you a real-time glucose reading and historical graphs.
Here are a few screenshots of what this looks like.
While useful, this offers extremely limited insight. Ultrahuman takes that same data and transforms it into actionable knowledge. Its algorithms analyze patterns, revealing how specific foods, exercise, sleep, and even stress influence your unique metabolic responses. And then there’s the Metabolic Score. See it rise with positive changes and dip when habits fall off track.
Looking through forums and social media, my experiences mirror what many users discover with Ultrahuman M1 Live. Seeing in real-time how drastically those late-night meals disrupt your glucose levels is eye-opening, leading to changes like a two-hour pre-bedtime cutoff for eating I implemented.
Ultrahuman makes culprits like white bread impossible to ignore. Witnessing the dramatic glucose spike it triggers, and how long it lingers, can change your relationship with certain foods. If you must have a large meal – follow that up with a walk.
And hey, it turns out, those late-night fruit snacks could be causing some trouble. Maybe not such a good idea. Try reducing them.
Noticing that your glucose rises during exercise might seem odd. But this is due to your liver releasing stored glucose for energy or hormonal changes during workouts that temporarily impact insulin sensitivity.
And who knows that stressful events will spike your glucose readings? I know – now.
Seeing how much your body reacts to different things is amazing! That direct connection is what often leads to those lightbulb moments and fuels lasting change.
I don’t think this is something I’d like to use all the time. I found it makes me a bit too self conscious about the foods I am putting into my body. But a month or a few months of use is enough to put you on the right track.
But wait, there’s more!
The Ultrahuman app also gives you an insight in how well fuelled you are for sports. The good thing is that you can connect third-party services to the platform. This includes Apple Health, Google Fit, Fitbit, Polar and more.
I connected my Garmin Forerunner 955 so that each time I completed a workout, it would automatically find its way to the Ultrahuman app. From there a few minutes later a blood glucose assessment would appear.
Were you properly fuelled for that workout? Did you experience any big glucose falls? How was your glucose slope while you exercised? All of this will help you improve performance in the future.
Ultrahuman M1 Live review: The bottom line
The Ultrahuman M1 Live is more than a glucose monitor; it’s a portal into your metabolic health. If basic glucose readings are all you need, the Libre app may be enough. But if you’re ready to understand how your choices truly impact your body and unlock your full potential, Ultrahuman’s platform is hard to beat.
Their insights, tailored advice, and gamified approach turn data into motivation. Witnessing how food, exercise, and sleep directly affect your metabolism can transform your relationship with health. Ultrahuman takes the complex world of metabolic wellbeing and makes it personal and actionable.
Just imagine the possibilities when glucose sensors become standard in smartwatches – that day is coming! Until then, the Ultrahuman M1 Live stands as a powerful tool for anyone seeking optimal health, peak performance, and the best version of themselves. The insights it provides can lead to transformative habits that boost your wellbeing far beyond just your weight.
View on Ultrahuman / Amazon.
In the US a 1 month subscription (which includes two 14-day patches and access to the platform) costs $299. For most people that amount of time will be enough to learn about 90% of what they need to learn about their metabolic health. The cheaper option for those who live in the UK, is to purchase the Libre 2 sensor from the manufacturer’s website for around £100 for a month – and subscribe to the Ultrahuman M1 platform for an additional £25.
*We are a review site that receives a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you. Purchasing items by clicking on links in this article allows us to run this website. We are independently owned and all opinions expressed here are our own. See our affiliate disclosure page for more details.
Like this article? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and never miss out!
