#Lumen reviews trial

If someone buys a phone app that buzzes to tell them to go for a run, the phone app doesn’t “melt away fat,” the fact that they went for a run does. We also disagree with the company's claims of enhanced fat burn and weight loss, because there appear to be no medical studies proving that Lumen causes weight loss. Under a “How can we improve metabolic flexibility” header, Lumen gives generic advice like “Exercise” – that’s good advice, but why pay for a hardware device telling you to exercise? Lumen makes bold claims about the general health benefits of metabolic flexibility, but doesn’t explain how their device helps achieve that. Why does it matter whether a person is burning fat or carbs for fuel if they’re healthy? The entire premise behind the company is confusing to us.

#Lumen reviews trial

Lumen did publish a medical trial proving that their device can accurately measure whether carbs or fats are being used as a source of fuel, but there doesn’t appear to be any evidence that this information can help optimize metabolic flexibility beyond the basic recommendations we’ve already covered. Lumen makes many uncited health claims on their website that we find to be extremely questionable. We do believe Lumen is likely to be effective at tracking what the company claims it can track, but what's the point of doing so if it cannot improve health beyond making healthy lifestyle changes like eating whole foods and exercising? Questionable Health Claims In our opinion, whether or not Lumen can effectively track various indirect measures of metabolism doesn't matter, because it's illogical to pursue weight loss based on those measures. It’s important to note that neither medical review we examined mentioned carbon dioxide levels at all. Lumen claims to measure carbon dioxide levels in the breath to determine a “flex score” that shows consumers how flexible their metabolism is.

While the general concept behind Lumen is legitimate, we cannot identify any medical research suggesting that Lumen improves health or weight loss beyond standard lifestyle changes.īasically, the standard healthy lifestyle recommendations most people are used to hearing seem to be the biggest factors in enhancing metabolic flexibility. Lifestyle interventions are effective for countering metabolic inflexibility, according to the scientists.Įxercise (both aerobic and anaerobic), normalization of weight for overweight and obese individuals, interruption of sedentary behavior like short walks during work, and supplementation of certain amino acids like l-carnitine are all suggested to improve metabolic flexibility based on research. The second review is more interesting than the first, because it also outlines research-backed ways to improve metabolic flexibility. Gastrointestinal peptide release, natural hormone production and mitochondrial function were all listed as factors which can determine metabolic flexibility. A healthy person has no issue switching between fat or carbs as a source of energy, but an unhealthy person may struggle with either or both.Ī more recent medical review explored the topic of metabolic flexibility in more detail, explaining many factors that influence it. Insulin resistance occurs when the body’s metabolism of carbohydrates breaks down and becomes less efficient due to beta cell dysfunction. The study authors described how metabolic inflexibility may contribute to poor health. A medical review published in the Cell Metabolism journal in 2017 analyzed how metabolic flexibility is associated with health and disease.

Metabolic flexibility is a legitimate medical concept. Lumen’s value proposition centers on a concept called 'metabolic flexibility,' which refers to the body’s ability to shift between burning fat or carbs as a primary energy source. We'll critically assess some health claims made by Lumen that we find to be questionable. In this article we’ll review whether there is any medical research proving Lumen to be effective for weight loss, and share our thoughts on whether metabolism tracking is necessary or beneficial for weight loss. Lumen is a tech company with a bold claim: that a breathing device can help you “hack your metabolism” to increase fat loss, lose weight, and boost energy naturally. We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to metabolism and weight loss. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice.