Lumen Reviews

Hack your metabolism | Lumen

3.56
140 reviews
Great Rating
Based on 140 user experiences

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AI Review Summary Based on 139 reviews

Lumen users report that the device provides valuable metabolic insights and helps with accountability in understanding fat versus carb burning. Many appreciate the ease of use, customer support, and the potential for healthier lifestyle changes. However, a significant number of reviews highlight issues such as inaccurate readings, high subscription costs, restrictive access without membership, and poor device functionality. There is also mixed feedback regarding the effectiveness of the device for weight loss and usability over time.

What customers love
  • Insightful metabolic data
  • Easy to use
  • Helpful customer support
  • Accountability tracking
  • Educational content
Common concerns
  • Inaccurate readings
  • Expensive membership
  • Device malfunctions
  • Limited food tracking
  • Confusing setup

Last updated 1 month ago

C

After 1 year lost only 5 pounds

After 1 year lost only 5 pounds Issues with app 1 Food logging tedious and has limited choices Some suggest using My Fitness Pal Why I quit logging because of limited choices and having to use a small screen to enter info I asked for an online app so you can use a PC but they won t do that and I do not want to buy a tablet just for this 2 Strange food suggestions i e mixed salad with sardines and rice crackers for breakfast Really Food lists give no indication as how much you should eat I would prefer some way of entering the food and calculating portion I am not overeating as once I have my morning smoothie I am not hungry until dinner I rarely eat fast food no sodas not much fruit stevia in iced tea water intermittent fasting and the weight and fat calculation doesn t move I can eat a large salad with chicken and get a 3 or I can go to Outback Steakhouse eat Alice Springs chicken full loaf of bread sweet potato salad and iced tea and get a 2 Makes no sense They have pictures using different parts of your hand to indicate portion size then you take that and build your meal 3 Device itself is good but sometimes I have to use it 10 times to get a reading 4 Device results Many times I am getting 2s so I was thinking I would lose weight but I didn t I don t understand that In my mind I should have lost a lb or 2 but no so perhaps there is no link between Device results and weight loss5 I do not like to exercise i find it boring but shoulder problems prevented me for doing any lifting Newest Lumen gimmick is now the Device tells you percentage of fat and carbs you are burning In my mind if you are burning more fat than carbs you should lose weight Lastly cost of program I paid around 250 for Device and one year of membership I thought that was reasonable To use Device after the one year is 35 per month That is unreasonable since you have no personal training yes you can ask questions only little videosConclusion They need to work on food charts create an app to calculate choices before logging make a PC component among other things It is an expensive gimmick and probably only works if you spend insane amounts of time logging every little thing
S

Readings vary wildly

My first reading was a 3 Then I sat still for 10 minutes and got a 1 That s just from moving around my apartment Those kinds of swings are not well explained
J

It always says I am burning carbs even

It always says I am burning carbs even though the only carbs I eat are above ground vegetables
L

Product review

I ordered this product from the advertising only over Youtube I give 2 stars due to general disappointment I don t know anyone personally that uses a lumen device I am curious with technology and I m always seeking ways to stay on top of self health care I just received the Lumen device and read through all the set up first before trying it out I tested my breathing and exhaling as instructed which wasn t so easy due to the sensitivity of the device After going through all of that I realized I would be risking my lung overall health Reason There s no instructions on sanitizing the ENTIRE device after each use They state to clean the tip of the device only- weekly with 70 alcohol wipe What about the entire device you suck in air and breathe out into daily Think about this if one breathes rather sucks in air through a device then hold your breath then exhale into the same device daily without cleaning it fully afterwards Ick who knows what type of residue is left Then you suck back into the device the next time and Make sure you DEEPLY inhale from the device per instructions one word Gross I got up at 1am immediately to contact support requesting a refund ASAP on 9-26-2023 I m a health coach and know better about hygiene This does not feel safe to me unless you can sterilize the product after each use The technology is one thing it may be worth having but the process NO WAY I submitted my question about sterilization to the support team and haven t received a response- only generic AI Thank-you for contacting responses No number to call or chat just received a message about a heat chamber supposedly cleans automatically No data or 3rd party proof provided The other reason I don t like this product It s literally impossible to speak to anyone directly or receive a quick response from email I make it a policy to never do business personally or professionally if its exclusively tech AI only Especially when it is Health related I m in the process of returning it and have to go through several hoops too and pay for the return 9-30 update I received my refund after a strongly worded email So my quick review is not favorable at this time If they were to prove an EASY way to clean the ENTIRE product after each use providing proper documentation I may try it again Buyer beware Use at your own risk
E

Lots of data but no information

The product itself works well and the app is clear and easy to navigate The issue is that it s a bunch of data and no information There aren t articles to read or clear direction on what affects what or what needs to change There are videos but I haven t found them really helpful and I hate having to sit through a 5 minute video when I can read it in 45 seconds I feel like I m taking a lot of measurements tracking a lot of food and exercise and I have no idea what to change to make improvements Also word to the wise - don t enter a workout plan when you setup your profile If you do it will build nutrition plans including that and also if it syncs a workout it will include the synced workout as well Basically duplicating workouts If you don t workout that day but indicate you will in your profile it will build a nutrition plan around that workout that doesn t happen
S

Inaccurate readings if any insulin resistance

I have only been using the app for a few weeks but it consistently shows I am not using any carbs level 1 and keeps giving advice for people with higher blood sugars then I do I tried asking for advise letting the coach know my blood glucose levels have always run low Firstly the coach ignored me and gave me advise for people with insulin resistance I am guessing I talked to a bot I have no problem if it doesn t work for me as I am kind of a metabolic weirdo but I was given one red flag by the coach This device does not work for anyone with insulin resistance I believe the majority of people trying to lose weight have mild to full insulin resistance issues so this really wouldn t be accurate for anyone trying to lose weight The coach said if you have insulin resistance then the CO2 levels will be inaccurately low due to you not using carbs efficiently Hope this helps everybody who needs it
M

Random number generator with poor food tracking

This device works by tracking your food intake carbs fats protein - the macros and reading your co2 level in your breath to tell you if you are burning fat or carbs or both at any given time Its supposed to then vary your macros to increase metabolic flexibility Sounds great The problem is that the food tracking part is totally useless The food database is limited its clunky to use and it s mainly based on US brands For those outside the US well good luck Its seems bizzare that for a relatively sophisticated medtech company they cant sort out basic food tracking or just buy this off the shelf from someone who does it better It s meant to integrate with MFP through Apple Health but this didn t work for me and in any case I want it all in one app not across many The other problem is that the readings often are completely random and Lumen always have some explanation for your reading even if it makes no sense I tried it for a while and in the end gave up
A

Mixed feelings

Took two days and several frustrating conversations before I talked to someone that knew enough about the lumen device to help I would recommend training your employees better on the tech and how illness effects everything
S

Device awesome app not so much not worth the subscription cost

The device is great-it is a delight to use The app is not - after taking my reading the app starts delivering food prep meal planning videos So noisy and annoying Wish I could turn it off The device is so well designed everything works amazingly from removing the cap to taking measurement to the magnetic snap when the cap goes back on Wish they would bring the same level of design to the app Also the device does not work without a subscription which totally sucks
A

Too much going on not intuitive

There s a lot going on with the main page and I don t like how it refreshes your macro plan each day I feel like that s something that should be done on a weekly basis as I plan my days in advance I had a hard time editing my macros for previous days as well but Ben helped me out via messenger with that It wasn t as intuitive as I would have liked Overall it doesn t feel like an app I d reach for compared to Carbon Diet Coach or even Myfitnesspal

About Lumen

The world’s first portable device to measure track and analyze your metabolism. See if your body is using fats or carbs for fuel in a single breath.

United States

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Frequently Asked Questions

Lumen is a personalized metabolic health platform. It consists of a handheld breath analysis device and a mobile application designed to measure your metabolism in real-time. By analyzing the carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in your breath, Lumen determines whether your body is primarily burning carbohydrates or fats for energy. This data provides personalized insights and actionable guidance for nutrition, fitness, and overall wellness, helping you optimize your metabolic health.

The Lumen device is a portable breathalyzer. Users breathe into the device, typically each morning and at key moments throughout the day. It measures the concentration of CO2 in a single exhalation. This measurement indicates your body's current primary fuel source—carbohydrates or fats. This state is known as metabolic flexibility. The result is instantly synced to the Lumen mobile app, which interprets the data to provide a personalized metabolic snapshot and daily recommendations.

The Lumen app serves as the central hub for the user experience. Key features include a Daily Metabolism Score indicating your metabolic flexibility; Customized Nutrition Plans with meal and macronutrient guidance tailored to your goals; Fitness Optimization insights for pre- and post-workout nutrition; Sleep and Metabolism Tracking to analyze the impact of rest on your metabolic rate; and access to Educational Content with science-backed information on metabolism, nutrition, and habit formation.

Lumen is designed for health-conscious individuals, athletes, and anyone seeking a deeper, data-driven understanding of their body's metabolism. It is particularly relevant for those interested in personalized nutrition, biohacking, metabolic flexibility, and moving beyond generic diet plans. Users typically aim for goals such as weight management, improved energy levels, enhanced athletic performance, and overall metabolic health optimization.

Metabolic flexibility refers to the body's ability to efficiently switch between burning carbohydrates and fats for fuel based on availability and demand. Lumen measures this state to provide your daily metabolism score. Achieving metabolic flexibility is associated with benefits such as more stable energy levels, efficient fat burning, improved insulin sensitivity, and better overall metabolic health. The Lumen platform provides personalized guidance to help users develop and maintain this flexibility.
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About Lumen

Lumen: A Personalized Metabolic Health Platform

Lumen.me is the official website for Lumen, a company dedicated to empowering individuals to optimize their metabolic health through personalized, data-driven insights. The platform centers around a unique handheld device and accompanying mobile application that measures metabolism in real-time, offering users a scientific approach to nutrition, fitness, and overall wellness.

Core Technology and Function

The foundation of the Lumen ecosystem is a compact, portable breathalyzer device. Users simply breathe into the device each morning and at key moments throughout the day. By analyzing the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a single breath, Lumen can determine whether the body is primarily burning carbohydrates or fats for fuel—a state known as metabolic flexibility. This immediate feedback provides a personalized metabolic snapshot, moving beyond generic calorie counts to understand how the body processes food.

The Lumen Experience and App Integration

The device seamlessly pairs with the Lumen mobile app, which serves as the central hub for the user experience. The app interprets the breath measurements and translates them into actionable guidance. Key features typically include:

  • Daily Metabolism Score:A personalized score indicating metabolic flexibility for the day.
  • Customized Nutrition Plans:Meal recommendations and macronutrient guidance tailored to help users reach their specific goals, whether for weight management, improved energy, or enhanced athletic performance.
  • Fitness Optimization:Insights on the best type of fuel (carbs vs. fats) for upcoming workouts and recommendations for post-exercise nutrition to improve recovery.
  • Sleep and Metabolism Tracking:Analysis of how sleep quality and duration impact metabolic rate and next-day fuel usage.
  • Educational Content:Access to science-backed information about metabolism, nutrition, and habit formation.

Target Audience and Benefits

Lumen is designed for health-conscious individuals, athletes, and anyone seeking a more nuanced understanding of their body's inner workings. It is particularly relevant for those interested in biohacking, personalized nutrition, and moving away from one-size-fits-all diet approaches. The proposed benefits promoted by the platform include achieving metabolic flexibility—where the body efficiently switches between fuel sources—leading to more stable energy levels, efficient fat burning, and improved overall metabolic health.

Company Vision and Scientific Backing

The Lumen website positions the company at the intersection of technology and preventive health. It emphasizes a commitment to scientific research, often highlighting studies conducted in partnership with academic institutions to validate its methodology. The overarching vision is to make advanced metabolic tracking accessible, providing users with a tool to make informed daily decisions that contribute to long-term health and well-being.

In summary, Lumen.me presents a comprehensive platform that combines a novel hardware device with sophisticated software. It aims to demystify metabolism by offering personalized, real-time data and actionable steps for nutrition and lifestyle, positioning itself as a proactive tool for anyone looking to take a scientific and personalized approach to their health and fitness journey.