Klick Labs has just published a new study in Scientific Reports that confirms the connection between blood glucose levels and voice pitch. This discovery could lead to advancements in non-invasive glucose monitoring for individuals with Type 2 diabetes, potentially enhancing health outcomes.

In the study “Linear Effects of Glucose Levels on Voice Fundamental Frequency in Type 2 Diabetes and Individuals with Normoglycemia,” researchers examined how blood glucose levels affect voice frequency in 505 participants with different glycemic statuses—non-diabetic, pre-diabetic, and type 2 diabetic. The participants wore continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and recorded their voices several times a day for two weeks. The analysis showed a linear relationship: as CGM glucose levels increased, the fundamental frequency of the voice also increased.

“By establishing a significant positive association between glucose levels and fundamental frequency, our study provides compelling justification for more research on using voice to predict and monitor glucose levels,” said Jaycee Kaufman, lead author and scientist at Klick Labs. “Current glucose monitoring methods are often invasive and inconvenient, but voice-based glucose monitoring could be as easy as talking into a smartphone. This could change the game for the estimated 463 million people around the world living with Type 2 diabetes.”