Lumen Review (2024 Upd.) Does It Work For Weight Loss?

Lumen is an electronic metabolism tracker developed by a health and wellness company, Metaflow LTD, for anyone who exercises regularly and wants to measure mostly carbs and fat levels simply by using their breath and finding out whether their body is burning carbohydrates or fat for energy.

Based on first-hand experience, the metabolic measurement it provides can help you adjust your lifestyle, customize your diet, optimize your exercise regimen based on your body’s actual needs, and make decisions that will lead you to your desired goals faster.

More details on how the device works a bit later in this Lumen review.

Lumen works by measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in your breath through an integrated sensor and flow meter that determines whether your body is burning fats or carbs.

Low CO₂ levels indicate you’re burning fats, whereas high CO₂ levels mean you’re burning mostly carbs for fuel.

Based on the readings, you get personalized recommendations through the Lumen app on workouts, sleep, or nutrition,  like what and when you should eat that day for weight loss, etc.

The Lumen device is generally easy to use, though it can be tricky to get an accurate reading. Through the app, you will get instructions on how to properly measure your CO₂ levels.

You need to inhale until a small colored ring on the screen expands to overlap with the outer gray circle. You should immediately stop once the two rings overlap, or else you have to do it all over again.

Then, you will need to remove the device from your mouth, and you should hold your breath for 10 seconds (there will be a timer on the screen), then exhale slow and steadily through the device until the ring on the screen disappears. Make sure to avoid blowing out with too much force so you don't end up with inaccurate results.

Once you succeed at breathing through the device two to three times this way, the app gives you a score of 1 to 5, which tells you whether you’re burning carbs or fat for energy.

We could put the test scores into three groups: 

• 1 or 2 for a fat-burning state
• 4 or 5 for running on carbs and
• 3 for a combination of the two energy sources (both carbs and fats)

It's ideal to use after waking up. If you get a score of 1 or 2, your body burns fats. On the other hand, a score of 4 usually means that your body is still trying to burn what you have eaten the day before.

The app also suggests that you take a breath measurement before a workout to ensure you have enough energy to last throughout the session. This is especially helpful for newbies, but if you're already familiar with how your body reacts to meals and exercise, then this device can confirm your current assumptions.

Based on your morning Lumen metabolism tracker score in the previous few days, the app typically suggests your daily nutrition plan, advising you whether to eat a low-carb, medium-carb, or high-carb diet that day, including the amount of protein, fat, and carbs.

After a month of consistent use, you should be able to see your Lumen score which is equivalent to your metabolic flexibility. This is supposed to show how well your body shifts between burning carbs and fats.

Here are some general tips clients found useful when using Lumen.

1. Learn To Customize Your Meals

The Lumen metabolism tracker application provides a list of customizable meal suggestions, which comes in handy when you don't have anything planned.

For instance, a Lumen breakfast suggestion may include scrambled tofu, black beans, and a green salad. If you prefer tuna and eggs for breakfast, you can replace the scrambled tofu with boiled eggs and a can of tuna and get nearly the same amount of protein.

2. Plan Your Cheat Meals

The Lumen metabolism tracker makes recommendations for weight loss, such as not eating after 8 p.m. to ensure proper digestion and metabolism over a 12-hour period.

This tip does not necessarily prevent your once-in-a-while desire to indulge in sweet desserts after dinner; however, if you want to see how a specific food affects your body, take measurements one to two hours after your last meal or snack.

3. Learn How Your Exercise Works

The Lumen tracker may recommend exercise routines for your upcoming workout, allowing you to see how each exercise stimulates carbohydrates or burning fat.

This tip may help you understand how different workouts affect your body. And if you want to identify the type of activity that is best suited to your current fitness level, you should take measurements before you begin your workout or half an hour after you finish.

4. Learn How Your Food and Exercise Go Together

Lumen typically recommends a low to moderate carbohydrate intake and, at times, increased carbohydrate consumption after a long, intense training session.

This tip may help you replenish the nutrients lost during physical activity and prepare ahead for a high-carb meal on your grocery list if you intend to work out at a high intensity during your next training session.

For me, I get the best results from taking measurements at least half an hour after I start resting comfortably in a relaxed seated position with a normal pulse and heart rate.