# Never trust "science reporters" **URL:** \ **Category:** Tips, Tech & Gear\ **Tags:** cgm\ **Created:** [April 23, 2025, 1:05am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243 "2025-04-23T01:05:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CarlosLuis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/carlosluis/32/11389_2.png) [@CarlosLuis](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CarlosLuis)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 1:05am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/1 "2025-04-23T01:05:09Z")
There was an article touting Japanese research that has to do with CGMs giving improved outcomes for those with DM. The reported wrote, “Researchers at the University of Tokyo have identified a simple, **noninvasive method** for assessing blood glucose regulation—an essential factor in diabetes risk” > **[No needles needed: Wearable glucose monitors could reveal early diabetes...](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-needles-wearable-glucose-reveal-early.html)** > > The highs and lows of blood glucose aren't just an energy rollercoaster; they could be a key to detecting diabetes risk early and spare you a needle prick or two. Here’s a link to the actual paper if you’re interested: [https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-025-00819-5](https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-025-00819-5) ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 2:32pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/2 "2025-04-23T14:32:09Z")
I don’t understand exactly what they discovered. _Researchers at the University of Tokyo have identified a simple, noninvasive method for assessing blood glucose regulation—an essential factor in diabetes risk._ Did they discover CGM?! ---
**Author:** ![CarlosLuis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/carlosluis/32/11389_2.png) [@CarlosLuis](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CarlosLuis)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/3 "2025-04-23T15:42:10Z")
> [@Eric](#): > > Did they discover CGM?! That is not what the study is about. The following is the abstract. It was a study that iiuc is something many of us users of CGMs know, that they are a great tool for better glucose management. Also that they are likely a better tool for diagnosing those with undiagnosed diabetes (likely T2DM) ## Abstract ### Background Efficiently assessing glucose handling capacity is a critical public health challenge. This study assessed the utility of relatively easy-to-measure continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-derived indices in estimating glucose handling capacities calculated from resource-intensive clamp tests. ### Methods We conducted a prospective study of 64 individuals without prior diabetes diagnosis. The study performed CGM, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), and hyperglycemic and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp tests. We validated CGM-derived indices characteristics using an independent dataset from another country and mathematical models with simulated data. ### Results A CGM-derived index reflecting the autocorrelation function of glucose levels (AC\_Var) is significantly correlated with clamp-derived disposition index (DI), a well-established measure of glucose handling capacity and predictor of diabetes onset. Multivariate and machine learning models indicate AC\_Var’s contribution to predicting clamp-derived DI independent from other CGM-derived indices. The model using CGM-measured glucose standard deviation and AC\_Var outperforms models using commonly used diabetes diagnostic indices, such as fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and OGTT measures, in predicting clamp-derived DI. Mathematical simulations also demonstrate the association of AC\_Var with DI. ### Conclusions CGM-derived indices, including AC\_Var, serve as valuable tools for predicting glucose handling capacities in populations without prior diabetes diagnosis. We develop a web application that calculates these CGM-derived indices ([https://cgm-ac-mean-std.streamlit.app/](https://cgm-ac-mean-std.streamlit.app/)). ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tomh/32/9063_2.png) [@TomH](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/4 "2025-04-23T19:21:18Z")
I’m with Eric, it doesn’t sound like they’ve actually developed anything, more like they’re using standard OGTT and a “clamp” test (admittedly I don’t know what these are) plus charts of some sort to theorize an outcome. Either that or the article obfuscates the non-invasive methodology used or I’ve become very bad at teasing out the facts. I don’t see any fantastic discovery here, so what am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/5 "2025-04-23T20:02:25Z")
Clamp tests are interesting. There are 2 main types. **Hyper** glycemic is where they keep your BG elevated by infusing glucose directly into your blood. The test measures how well your body is supplying insulin. For example, if they need to keep dumping more glucose into you, then obviously your body is supplying insulin. Otherwise your BG would stay high without them needing to continuously put more glucose into you! The other one is the **eu** glycemic clamp test. (eu means good. In this case, a “good” BG level.) They infuse insulin and glucose to get you to a normal BG level steady state. At that point they can measure how well your body is able to use insulin. For example, if someone needs more insulin infused then they have less insulin sensitivity than someone who needs less insulin infused to maintain the steady state. In both cases, the term clamp refers to them clamping the BG at a certain level. ---
**Author:** ![CarlosLuis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/carlosluis/32/11389_2.png) [@CarlosLuis](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CarlosLuis)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/6 "2025-04-23T20:14:58Z")
> [@TomH](#): > > I’m with Eric, it doesn’t sound like they’ve actually developed anything That exactly the point of my post’s title. The science reporter at Medical Express jumped to false conclusions as to what the study was about. These slip shod idiots are likely the number one reason that so many people distrust science. They hype minor or non existent findings and put it out with a 72 point headline. Later there may be a retraction in 8 point, or hyping a study that has opposite findings. Coffee is good, bad, good, bad ad infinitum If they took the time to read scientific studies carefully and not jump to conclusions people might have more faith in scientific research. ---
**Author:** ![ClaudnDaye](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/claudndaye/32/5_2.png) [@ClaudnDaye](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/ClaudnDaye)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 10:51pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/7 "2025-04-23T22:51:05Z")
Just to clear the record though, coffee is GOOD! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CarlosLuis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/carlosluis/32/11389_2.png) [@CarlosLuis](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CarlosLuis)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 1:18am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/8 "2025-04-24T01:18:15Z")
I was weaned from Mom’s milk to Cafe au lait. Drink it neat now a days, black no sugar.☕😃 ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tomh/32/9063_2.png) [@TomH](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 6:17am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/9 "2025-04-24T06:17:31Z")
Thanks for the info! ---
**Author:** ![LinMay](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/linmay/32/11812_2.png) [@LinMay](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/LinMay)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 7:42pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/10 "2025-04-27T19:42:05Z")
Spot on about not being able to trust science reporters these days. I have Google Alerts saved for “insulin” and “LADA Diabetes” and it’s amazing the number of inaccurate “news” stories that appear in these feeds. New science content is being written “with the help of AI” and the authors aren’t knowledgeable enough to spot the flaws. I was halfway through reading a story today where it suddenly said “People with Type 2 Diabetes can’t produce insulin.” All credibility to the story was lost at that sentence. Another story mentioned the recognition of a new form of Diabetes, Type 5 Diabetes, and then proceeded to talk about LADA Diabetes. There indeed is a Type 5 Diabetes, but it has nothing to do with LADA! ---
**Author:** ![Manosphou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@Manosphou](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Manosphou)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 12:23am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/11 "2025-04-29T00:23:26Z")
Sometimes these “science reporters” really don’t do justice to the actual research. The way they simplify or twist things can be frustrating. That Japanese study sounds interesting, though. ---
**Author:** ![CarlosLuis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/carlosluis/32/11389_2.png) [@CarlosLuis](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CarlosLuis)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 1:59am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/12 "2025-04-29T01:59:47Z")
> [@Manosphou](#): > > That Japanese study sounds interesting, though. I agree, always try to find the actual paper. ---
**Author:** ![jbowler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@jbowler](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/jbowler)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2025, 12:57am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/13 "2025-04-30T00:57:22Z")
This one sentence summary from the original paper @CarlosLuis posted summarises, I believe accurately, what was done: > This study investigated whether continuous glucose monitors, which are less invasive than those commonly used to diagnose diabetes, could be useful in detecting impaired glucose regulation. I.e. the study was about whether CGM could be used as a diagnostic tool in people who had not otherwise been identified as “diabetic”. The rest of the paper makes clear that they are talking about T2 diabetes. It’s not hard to diagnose T1 (though the misdiagnosis of LADA is a counterpoint.) The mdeicalxpress report is, yes, utterly bogus and demonstrates a complete lack of understanding, but the paper backs up everything I have been saying for years: CGMs are good for everyone 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CarlosLuis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/carlosluis/32/11389_2.png) [@CarlosLuis](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CarlosLuis)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/never-trust-science-reporters/15243/14 "2025-05-09T17:40:53Z")
I came across this disclaimer in an article on the ethnic origins of Christopher Columbus. It should be standard in any publication reporting on a scientific test or study. > It’s important to keep in mind that [science by media](https://www.sciencealert.com/did-this-ancient-species-really-bury-its-dead-before-modern-humans) ought to be viewed with caution, especially when there isn’t a peer-reviewed publication to critically examine. I always try to find the actual published scientific paper.