Direct-to-consumer blood glucose monitoring and testing company BioCoach secured $4 million in seed funding last week from SecretLab LLC founder Jason Bright. The Minneapolis-based company will use the seed funding to expand its new digital health platform to address diabetes and prediabetes.
One in three Americans has prediabetes, according to the CDC. According to the CDC, that equates to 96 million Americans with prediabetes who, if left untreated, could develop type 2 diabetes. However, more than 8 in 10 people with prediabetes do not know they have diabetes. This is especially concerning because prediabetes is reversible if measures are taken.
According to the CDC, the number one way to reverse prediabetes and prevent it from developing into full-blown type 2 diabetes is to make lifestyle changes — including following a specialized diet and exercising 150 minutes a week. That means 5 brisk 30-minute walks a week and a serious diet check.
It is worth noting that type 1 diabetes cannot be reversed and is genetically related, among other factors. However, type 2 diabetes can be treated in the pre-diabetic stage, which is exactly what BioCoach is addressing.
BioCoach’s smart glucose and ketone reader.
The current standard of care for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes includes diet and exercise, as well as regular blood sugar measurements. If a person’s sugar levels are too high, changes (diet modifications or extra exercise) are needed to lower sugar levels and, in extreme cases, medication.
However, what and when to eat can be challenging, not to mention confusing. The goal of diabetes is to flatten the curve in which blood sugar rises after eating. The way to do this is to balance carbohydrates, fats and proteins in each meal. This is proving difficult to grasp, as society teaches us that healthy eating for the average person is not always healthy for people with diabetes.
Case in point: Nonfat yogurt with granola and berries for breakfast and a cup of black coffee seems like a healthy choice. However, people with diabetes may experience a blood sugar spike due to an unbalanced meal. Yogurt is protein, but granola and berries are carbohydrates that add sugar. Additionally, having no fat in the meal can help flatten the peak sugar curve. A healthier meal might include eggs (protein), a small piece of whole-grain toast (carbs), and heavy cream (fat) in coffee.
So knowing how to balance a prediabetes-friendly diet can take a lot of mental gymnastics as we have to filter out what we’re learning is healthy, not healthy. and Will flatten the well-known sugar curve. Gymnastics moves to the Simone Biles level when adding variables that vary in how each body responds to certain foods. For example, some people with diabetes may not be able to handle as many carbohydrates in one meal as others.
That’s where BioCoach comes in. BioCoach has a smart glucose and ketone meter paired with the BioCoach app. Expert coaches on the BioCoach app provide each individual with tailored dietary advice based on individual readings.
And it’s practical: BioCoach offers meal prep ideas and grocery lists. They work with Walmart Grocery so all the ingredients needed for a personalized meal plan can be added to a Walmart cart for pickup or delivery. In addition, according to a company spokesperson, if an item is out of stock at Walmart grocery stores, it will find the right replacement based on nutritional content, not price, as the replacement app does. Professional grocery lists based on personalized meal ideas take the guesswork out of the process for those with prediabetes and diabetes.
BioCoach’s platform and technology are also suitable for people with gestational diabetes — women who develop diabetes during pregnancy.
“Other digital health companies rely on what we call ‘diet reflection’, where users reflect on their diet by entering data on activity, calories, macros, etc. They may then discuss this data with a coach to make adjustments. At BioCoach, we’re taking a ‘diet coaching’ approach, where our coaches tell you what to do every day to be successful and guide clients on their unique health journey.” biology coach, in the email. “This includes what to buy at the grocery store (we integrate with Walmart Grocery), when to take biometric readings, and more. Our unique approach provides our customers with a personable, professional experience and practical steps to truly improve Their health, which our competitors are not.”
Payne is right about “other digital health companies.” From Livongo (now part of Teladoc Health) to Omada Health to Onduo to Glooko, there are tons of health tech companies trying to help people with prediabetes and diabetes manage this chronic disease well.
Photo: Biology Coach
