Levels Health review: Can the app help you improve your metabolic and overall health?

Putting together a balanced diet is one of the first steps to achieving better health, but this process can look different for every person. Our bodies react differently to food, so generic advice often doesn’t cut it. To give your body the nutrients it needs and prefers, you should tailor your eating habits to your specific responses to food. One way to observe these responses is to monitor your blood glucose levels in real time. 

Besides providing a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device, Levels Health offers an app for documenting nutritional and other health data. The app can also give personalized tips for better metabolic and general health. 

This Levels Health review explains what you’re paying for and whether the cost is worth the benefits. Our research team has analyzed the features, accuracy, ease of use, and user opinions to assess its practical value objectively.

What is Levels Health, and who can use it?

Levels Health, or Levels, is an app that has received endorsements from various health experts, including Sara Gottfried and David Perlmutter. Levels allows you to track your nutritional and lifestyle habits, understand their impact, and fine-tune them to improve your health.

The app can help diabetic individuals manage their condition more effectively, but it’s also suitable for others looking to optimize their nutrition and wellness.

With Levels, you can gather data by:

• Logging your meals

• Capturing their nutritional value

• Tracking your blood glucose levels

• Importing activity and sleep data from Apple Health

Once you supply the data, Levels will provide insights like glucose stability scores and personalized tips to improve your diet, exercise, sleep, and overall health. 

Besides blood glucose, you can track other metrics and long-term progress with Levels Labs. This is a custom blood test that measures additional five markers of metabolic health:

1. Hemoglobin A1c 

2. Fasting insulin

3. Triglycerides

4. Apolipoprotein B

5. Uric acid

You’ll need to purchase Levels Labs separately, and your results will be available in the app alongside all the other health insights.

Source: Levels

Bonus read: Check out our reviews of Lumen and Tiny Health, two other services designed to improve metabolic health.

How blood glucose monitoring works with Levels

Although it’s not required, Levels can be used with a CGM, a small device you place on your arm to monitor your blood glucose in real time. The idea is that when you monitor glucose, you can link the spikes and drops with different foods you eat and the way they make you feel. 

For example, if you eat something that spikes your glucose, it might cause fatigue and nausea. Seeing this effect in action and on the app should motivate you to make better decisions in the future. 

You can use your existing CGM, buy it separately with your healthcare provider’s prescription, or purchase it from Levels. At the time of writing this review, Levels’ options include two highly popular and valued CGMs:

1. Dexcom G7

2. Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3

Levels recommends wearing the device for about a month, though the duration should be based on your goals. During this time, you should do everything as usual, including working out and swimming, to help Levels form a baseline of your metabolic health. 

According to Levels, the CGM is painless and unnoticeable and comes with a performance cover that prevents it from moving. That said, some users report that applying the CGM can be tricky and result in discomfort and bleeding if not done properly.

Source: Levels

A detailed Levels review: Analyzing 5 key elements

We’ve dug beyond the company’s claims and considered various user opinions to give you an honest assessment of Levels. Our review will consider five critical aspects that reveal how Levels performs in practice:

1. Accuracy of monitoring and insights

2. Efficacy and quality of recommendations

3. Cost and pricing model

4. Data privacy and security

5. User experience and reviews

1. Accuracy of monitoring and insights 

The CGMs that Levels uses, Dexcom G7 and Libre 3, are clinically validated and proven to give accurate glucose readings. Still, they may not be as accurate as finger-stick tests. 

They may not always show real-time data because they don’t measure glucose levels from blood. Instead, they use the interstitial fluid found in the space between cells, so their readings may entail a 20-minute delay.

CGMs are useful because they measure glucose levels every few minutes and show how your glucose levels change over time. Still, if you come across a potentially inaccurate reading, such as an extremely high or low result, you should use a fingerstick to verify it.

Some Levels users have also reported problems with their results due to technical issues. They claim that connectivity problems between the app and the CGM resulted in inaccurate, delayed, or missing readings and, consequently, inaccurate stability scores.

Source: Levels

Bonus read — If you’re looking to improve your sleep, you may find these product reviews helpful:

• Eight Sleep reviews

• Oura Ring vs. Whoop

• Eight Sleep alternative

2. Efficacy and quality of recommendations 

When accurate, Levels’ real-time blood glucose monitoring can be incredibly helpful for individuals with dysglycemia. It allows them to detect spikes and drops and take action quickly. 

The app's main advantage over native CGM apps is that it consolidates health data from various sources and helps you interpret it together. Another benefit is that Levels can offer personalized advice for diet, exercise, and sleep, but these may not be helpful for everyone.

According to a few users, Levels’ idea of a healthy glucose level range (~110–115 mg/dL) is too narrow and exclusive. As a result, the app may sometimes provide questionable recommendations, flag unproblematic foods, and lead to false concerns. Read about one user’s experience below:

[Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/levelshealth/comments/16cscpn/comment/jzz7dt4/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)

Before applying the app’s suggestions, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider to ensure they are appropriate for your specific health profile.

Tip 💡

Diet, exercise, and sleep are the pillars of good health but are not the only elements influencing your metabolism and well-being. Your genes also play a significant role in shaping your health and may predispose you to diabetes and many other diseases and conditions. Still, by being proactive and modifying your lifestyle, you can reduce the likelihood of experiencing these health problems. 

DNA testing, specifically whole-genome sequencing, can provide a complete and accurate assessment of your genetic composition and the health risks it may carry. With Nucleus, you can take the test at home and get detailed online reports for hundreds of diseases and conditions, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 

Nucleus is a clinical-grade platform, but its reports are easy to understand and contain actionable insights you can immediately implement. You can also connect with a certified genetic counselor if you want additional input on your results or the best way to leverage them.

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3. Cost and perceived value

The initial cost of Levels ranges from $40 to $398, depending on the membership and whether you want the package to include CGM sensors — which you’ll need to replace every week or two. 

Check out the pricing of available services to estimate how much Levels will cost you in total:

|                   |                                               |                     |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------- |
| <strong>App memberships</strong> | Monthly membership (access to the app)        | $40/month           |
| &nbsp;            | Annual membership (access to the app)         | $199/year           |
| <strong>Packages</strong>     | Monthly membership + one month of CGM sensors | $239/month          |
| &nbsp;            | Annual membership + one month of CGM sensors  | $398/year           |
| <strong>Optional services</strong> | CGM Subscription                           | $199/month          |
| &nbsp;            | Levels Labs                                   | $99 per set of labs

While Levels isn’t covered by insurance, you may be able to use insurance to pay for a physician-prescribed CGM if you have diabetes.

Some Levels reviews have pointed out that it’s much cheaper to buy a CGM independently, especially if your insurance plan can cover it, and use its native app to track glucose levels and food intake. For some, the additional features Levels offers, such as personalized lifestyle tips, may not warrant the high subscription price.

Bonus read — We’ve also reviewed many health-oriented DNA testing services:

• Dante Labs review

• Natera vs. Invitae

• 3x4 Genetics review

4. Data privacy and security 

Your data should be safe with Levels as the app follows industry-standard security practices. As it doesn’t provide medical care, Levels isn’t covered under HIPAA, but it does use a HIPAA-compliant cloud platform to manage and store your data.

Like any app, Levels needs to collect your personal information. The company promises not to sell or share it with anyone other than authorized persons but may use your anonymous data for research and development. 

If you want to opt out of the platform using your data for this purpose, you should email privacy@levels.com.

5. User experience and reviews 

Levels reviews mostly come from Reddit, and they’re predominantly negative. Besides the above-discussed connectivity issues, users have reported various other technical mishaps. Many have found Levels’ interface to be poorly designed and not as user-friendly as advertised.

For example, Levels should theoretically make monitoring your dietary and health habits easy as the app has an AI assistant that helps you log your meals. Still, this feature may not be intuitive in practice due to the app’s limited food database and glitches, as this user reports:

“Entering food data on Levels is a clunky process. Many foods are missing from the list, and data entry doesn't always take the first time, so sometimes you have to manually enter the data multiple times in order for it to show up in the app. Additionally, you can't enter quantities, which would be useful to reference later.”

Levels currently integrates with Apple Health only. You can’t use another health app to track meals and import the data to Levels, which would significantly improve the experience for many users.

Summary: Should you buy a Levels membership?

We’ve summarized our review of Levels in the following table:

| Pros                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | Cons                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| • Helps consolidate and interpret your health<br> data<br> • Food logging assistance<br> • Raises awareness of your habits and<br> increases accountability<br> • Personalized guidance on nutrition, exercise<br> and sleep<br> • Metabolic health testing to track progress | • Expensive<br> • Narrow definition of optimal glucose levels<br> may lead to overreaching conclusions and advice<br> • Some features are unintuitive<br> • Technical problems<br> • Limited integration options

Levels can be an excellent starting point if you want to become more aware of your metabolic health and the habits that influence it. If the app’s technical and design issues or high cost don’t bother you, it can be a useful tool to direct your lifestyle choices and motivate you to be the healthiest version of yourself. 

Metabolic health is essential to long-term health and longevity, but it’s only part of the story. To effectively manage your overall health, you should know the diseases, conditions, and traits you’re predisposed to. You can access these insights with Nucleus, an all-in-one DNA platform.

Nucleus analyzes nearly 100% of your DNA and lifestyle factors to provide detailed and accurate reports on your risk for hundreds of diseases and conditions, including those affecting your metabolism. Like Levels, Nucleus will provide personalized and actionable advice that you can use to prevent health complications and maintain your well-being.

Nucleus: Your trusted guide for metabolic and overall health

Based on your cheek swab samples, Nucleus will provide detailed online reports to help you understand and manage your genetically influenced health risks. Nucleus will screen for over 800 diseases and conditions, including food and diet-related ones, such as:

• Type 2 diabetes

• Celiac disease

• Alcohol dependence

In addition to genetics, the platform will consider lifestyle factors, such as cholesterol levels and BMI, to further personalize your risk estimates and health improvement suggestions. Your reports will be detailed but actionable and include graphs for easier interpretation. By partnering with SteadyMD, Nucleus can offer consultations with board-certified geneticists, who can provide additional input on your results and the next steps.

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Besides your personal health risks, Nucleus will reveal any hereditary conditions that you may pass on to your offspring, which is especially important if you’re planning to start a family. 

Your reports will also include trait reports, which allow you to better understand how your genes influence your height, intelligence, longevity, and other crucial aspects of your life.

Clinical-grade analysis at an affordable cost

Nucleus is a fully regulated platform that works with certified U.S. labs to ensure the quality and reliability of analyses. Using the latest whole-genome sequencing technology, Nucleus can analyze your DNA with 99.9% accuracy.

Although Nucleus is one of the most extensive DNA platforms on the market, it’s also among the most affordable. The test costs only $399*, covers shipping, and includes all 800+ health and trait reports. You can also receive new reports as the platform and your lifestyle factors evolve.

*Nucleus is HSA/FSA-eligible, so you can use your health savings account to pay for the test.

Order your test kit today

To request your all-in-one genetic health analysis, you should:

1. Sign up for Nucleus Premium

2. Fill out your personal information

3. Order the test kit

Your kit will include all the necessary equipment to collect a DNA sample. This process is painless and takes minutes, as you only need to swab your cheeks. Once the lab gets your sample, you’ll receive your results within six to eight weeks. You can view them in your secure online account on Nucleus’ HIPAA-compliant platform.

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Featured image source: Andres Ayrton