19 Comments
If you use a CGM, have you ever noticed any correlation between your hydration and sensor accuracy?
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I’m terrible about drinking enough during the day and and constantly dehydrated, so I’m not really sure how I would notice a correlation.
You’d know this is happenning when the Dexcom gives you an Error message, I think they call it “Sensor Error” and if you rehydrate yourself this problem usually resolves. Dexcom explained to me that it’s because the sensor tip is in the interstitial fluid and told me to always stay well hydrated. Their advice has paid off for me since I used to see that error message frequently and now I hardly ever get it which makes it easier to manage my blood sugar.
Thanks for the information. I’ve gotten that error a handful of times myself.
I have always been adamant about hydrating myself. So, therefore, I haven’t seen a difference.
Never thought they were related. Is there literature on the subject you could reference? Love to learn anout it as I too have trouble staying hydrated.
No, but now I’m curious….
No one had ever told me there is a correlation between hydration and sensor accuracy, but it makes sense when you connect the dots. Instead of asking the question, you should educate us about these questions.
I get a lot of error messages so I am going to try to become aware of a possible correlation
I never paid attention to this, but I will now.
I’ve heard from many that hydration is paramount for insulin to work effectively and have experienced this. She, don’t doubt that it effects CGMS too.
as you can tell by the comments so far, this is not a well-known phenomenon, and for two good reasons: 1) It’s actually impossible for an individual to accurately measure hydration. Most people think that when they’re thirsty, they’re “dehydrated.” They’re not. 2) CGM accuracy is not compromised by what most people think is low hydration. For CGM accuracy to be compromised by hydration, far more dehydrated than what people experience in everyday life.
This question should not have been asked.
https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/70/suppl_2/S147/1811756?login=true
While that paper is a good citation, it wasn’t the one I intended. The more appropriate one is here:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1932296820975057
Searching scholar.google.com for “CGM accuracy and hydration” reveals more papers with similar conclusions.
I have never believed this. I have always had good results from my sensors and many days I don’t drink much. Some days I was drinking 3 cans of Diet Coke. There have been days where I dranks 4-5 cups of water. No matter what I’ve done I get the same (good) results. This seems to be one of those “facts” that only people on the internet know/believe.
I will have to check on that as there are times when the sensor is off. As I get older, adequate hydration seems to get more challenging.
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Sometimes I don’t get a reading from the CGM on my pump because I hadn’t drunk enough water. I get a reading after I drink some water! Problem solved.
My Dexcom CGM isn’t often off, but when it is I can look at my diet diary and see that hydration is an issue and resolve it with water or other fluids.
I haven’t paid any attention to that but will start. I feel much better when I drink at least a little water and I do drink other drinks too.
never thought to notice
I have never gotten an “error “ message. Or is that the little thingy that appears sometimes when the cgm transmitter is blocked from the sensor?