Latest news with #AntioxidantIndex
Forbes
3 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Adds Strange Health Stat, But There's A Catch
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Samsung has announced its next wave of wearables, which comprises the Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic and Watch Ultra. Their most eye-catching new software feature is the Antioxidant index stat. This analyzes the prevalence of carotenoids in your skin, using the rear sensor array, the same collection of hardware that measures your heart rate throughout the day. Carotenoids are antioxidants, and they end up deposited in your skin. Or to be more specific, they are pigments found in fruit and vegetables, like spinach and peppers, carrots and broccoli. Having a healthy level of carotenoids visible in your skin can be taken as a health marker. And carotenoids themselves are associated with lowered risk of certain cancers, including prostate and lung cancer, according to a study published in the BBA. The idea is the stat could help motivate you to make healthier choices. 'These insights can reflect behavioral changes. For example, drinking carrot juice may result in a measurable change in the index, offering motivation to adopt healthier habits,' says Samsung. This is not a feature I've come across in wearables before. Sure enough, Samsung calls it an 'industry first.' But you can find plenty of studies online checking out the efficacy of monitoring carotenoid levels using, like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, spectroscopy. It involves shining light into the skin, and analyzing what is reflected back into a light sensor. However, here it also involves an unusual style of interaction unlikely to see frequent use of this Antioxidant index feature by many Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 owners. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 needs to be removed from your wrist, so you can place a thumb over the BioActive Sensor, the name for the assorted sensors of the rear heart rate array. While it only takes five seconds — a lot less than an ECG reading — it is clearly not that convenient. Samsung hasn't said why this elaborate method is used, but one possible reason is fairly obvious. Placing thumb over sensor may give more consistent values across readings compared to a wrist reading, where the position may change more between sessions. And given this is in part a measure of colour, pigment, the thumb is less likely to be affected by sun tanning or sun burn than a more outwards-facing area. There's no word on how well the feature works yet for those with darker skin, which has proved an issue for optical heart rate reader hardware in the past. Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 wearables are up for pre-order now, and begin shipping from July 22.
Phone Arena
4 days ago
- Health
- Phone Arena
Galaxy Watch 8's best feature is a scientifically proven longevity marker
Samsung lifted the curtain before its next wearables and unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 to the world. The lineup consists of a regular Galaxy Watch 8, coming in two sizes; a Galaxy Watch 8 Classic; and one additional color for the Galaxy Watch Ultra, coupled with more storage. In terms of hardware, there aren't many upgrades. The chipset is the same, there's kind of a new design, borrowed from the Galaxy Watch Ultra, and the displays are brighter. But Samsung updated its BioActive sensor system to add a couple of new metrics, one of which could be a game-changer. I'm talking about the new Antioxidant Index, and in my opinion, it's the best Galaxy Watch 8 feature. Let me try to explain why. Galaxy Watch 8 Antioxidant Index—what is it? Oxidative stress and aging Reactive species play a key role in aging | Image by PixaBay One of the key factors in aging is oxidative stress. You've probably heard of antioxidants as the miracle anti-aging substance, and even though these molecules are wildly overhyped, there's truth to the story. What happens is that as your body functions, oxidative species, also called free radicals, are released into your system. These chemicals are very reactive and oxidize cells (think how iron rusts when oxidized) causing cell damage. Free radicals damaging the cell | Image by Auro Wellness Now, specific lifestyle choices can speed up this process, and these include drinking alcohol, smoking, UV exposure, stress, and lack of sleep. Conversely, the aforementioned antioxidants can slow this process down by removing the harmful free radicals from your system. Surprisingly, some of the most potent antioxidants out there are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and other amino acids that can be found in many foods. If only there was a way to know if we're getting enough of those without going to our GP and visiting the lab. Well, now there is. How does it work? The new Antioxidant Index measures carotenoids on your skin | Image by PhoneArena Samsung has managed to provide us with a metric that reflects the amount of antioxidants in your body. This "Antioxidant Index" uses skin measurement of carotenoids to assess the overall levels of antioxidants in your body. These carotenoids are compounds similar to the vitamins I was talking about and do the same job—they remove "bad" free radicals from your system. Just place your thumb on the sensor | Image by PhoneArena You take your watch off, place your thumb on the BioActive sensor array on the back, and wait for five seconds to get a measurement. Your score is on a scale from 0 to 100 with three zones in between—Very Low, Low, and Adequate. I guess I should eat more veggies | Image by PhoneArena The system uses light reflected from your skin (reflection spectroscopy) in a certain way to assess the level of these carotenoids, much like the SpO2 sensor measures the levels of oxygen in your blood. But is this method scientifically proven, and how accurate is it? Is it scientifically proven? A medical-grade skin carotenoid scanner | Image by NuSkin The short answer is yes! Measuring carotenoids both through blood samples and through skin (using reflection spectroscopy) are both scientifically proven methods of assessing overall health in humans. There are many studies on the subject, including a peer-reviewed one from 2021, which aimed to assess how measuring skin carotenoids in low-income schools correlates with the overall health of the children there. Another big study published in ScienceDirect reviewed the measurement of skin carotenoids and their association with diseases. Scientists found that skin carotenoid levels correlate with blood carotenoid levels and can be used as a marker for health and longevity. Here's an excerpt from the study: " Skin carotenoid levels are correlated with blood carotenoid concentrations and can serve as an alternative indicator for evaluating carotenoid levels in the body, thus reducing the need for blood concentration measurements. Skin carotenoid levels can be measured using optical methods, and once the equipment is available, there are minimal costs associated with these measurements. Additionally, the measurement process is quick, making it suitable for large-population studies, such as epidemiological research. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants associated with the prevention of various diseases. Extensive research has been conducted on the relation between blood carotenoid levels and diseases, with carotenoid indices indicating susceptibility to certain diseases." It's worth noting that during my test with the system, the results were slightly different between my left thumb and my right thumb, and there was also a slight deviation between different measurements. But overall, the results were in the same ballpark. The best Galaxy Watch 8 feature? Foods high in antioxidants | Image by PixaBay Okay, this is all fine and dandy, but why do I think it's the best feature in such a feature-packed smartwatch? Well, first—almost all smartwatches on the market now measure very similar metrics and also use similar algorithms. You get your heart rate or ECG readings, your SpO2 levels, your stress levels (via algorithms tied to the heart rate variability), and in some cases skin temperature on the wrist (which is not a very useful metric). But the Galaxy Watch 8 is the first mainstream gadget that's able to measure the concentration of a chemical compound in your body in a non-invasive way. The Galaxy Watch 8 is a powerful mini lab on your wrist | Image by PhoneArena Second, while heart rate and SpO2 levels are important, these metrics are not very good at showing your dietary habits and choices. You have to use a separate app and manually punch in what you eat to get an idea of how you're doing on that front. Having the ability to check your antioxidant level on the go in just five seconds is just astonishing. When you couple these measurements with the other BioActive suite of metrics, including body composition, you're getting a mini medical lab on your wrist. And any feature that helps you feel better and live longer must be deemed "the best," right? What do you think about the new Antioxidant Index? Would you be using it on a regular basis, or is it just another gimmick for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area.
CNET
5 days ago
- Health
- CNET
My Favorite Feature's Back! I Tried Out the New Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
You have to hand it to Samsung -- the company has never been afraid to break from the cookie-cutter smartwatch mold. Unlike the predictable updates from its competitors, Samsung surprises us nearly every year. The new Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, announced at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event, blend design cues from previous generations: There's the Ultra's functional, squared-off frame and the romantic elegance of the Classic's physical rotating bezel -- a feature that made me fall in love with Galaxy Watches in the first place. The company is also stepping things up when it comes to health tools, including several features that I've never seen on a smartwatch, like noninvasive skin analysis and AI-powered coaching for sleep and running. The Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic also have a smarter voice assistant and are the first smartwatches with Google's Gemini AI baked right inside, ready to handle complex tasks. The 40mm version of the Galaxy Watch 8 has a new design with a circular screen and squircle frame. Joseph Maldonado/CNET Pricing and availability The Galaxy Watch 8 starts at $350 for the 40mm model and $380 for the 44mm one. The LTE versions are $50 more: $400 for the 40mm model and $430 for the 44mm watch. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, with its rotating bezel and physical crown, comes in a single 46mm size and costs $500, or $550 for the LTE model. The Titanium Blue version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra is $650, the same price as the original 2024 model. This version gets the same internal upgrades as the Watch 8 lineup, including a 64GB storage bump. All models are available for preorder starting July 9, and you can reserve early and get $50 in Samsung credit. Health and fitness features Samsung continues to expand the Galaxy Watch's role as a health and wellness tool, building on existing features like ECG, SpO₂ (shorthand for peripheral capillary oxygen saturation), sleep tracking and its AGEs Index, which reflects your metabolic aging process. The headliner is a new Antioxidant Index, which measures carotene (one type of antioxidant) levels in your skin with a simple five-second press of your thumb on the sensor (no needle needed). Since antioxidants help clear toxins from the body, knowing your levels can offer actionable steps for improving your health. The watch will rate your levels on a scale from low to high and then offer generic recommendations on the Samsung Health app on how you can improve your levels if they're on the lower side. It's important to note that this metric isn't clinically verified and isn't meant to replace a medical-grade test. It's designed to offer a baseline reading that may help you make real-time lifestyle adjustments, but it won't provide the detailed or precise results you'd get from a traditional blood test. The Antioxidant Index on the new Galaxy Watches. Joseph Maldonado/CNET There's also a new metric called Vascular Load, which measures strain on your heart during sleep. These readings are translated into a low-to-high scale to help you understand how behaviors (like sodium or alcohol intake) may be contributing to long-term heart disease risk. Sleep tracking gets a serious upgrade, too. A new Bedtime Guidance tool uses a three-day analysis of your circadian rhythm and sleep pressure (aka sleep debt) to recommend an ideal bedtime window. It factors in heart rate, HRV, skin temperature, and even environmental cues like room temperature or brightness (if you've got connected SmartThings devices). The goal: Improve your sleep quality, recovery and energy throughout the day. The new Running Coach gives you a personalized training plan to help meet your goals. Samsung The coaching isn't just for sleep; the new Galaxy Watches are also debuting a Running Coach feature. It starts with a 12-minute running assessment that scores your fitness from level 0 (beginner) to level 10 (marathon-ready). From there, it builds a personalized four-to-six-week training plan tailored to your distance or performance goals. Similar to Apple's new Workout Buddy, Samsung's Running Coach offers real-time, contextual feedback while you're running, like pointing out a major milestone. But unlike Apple's version, Samsung's tool goes a step further by actually adapting your future training plans based on your progress. Design The two new Galaxy Watches take a page out of the Galaxy Watch Ultra's playbook ditching the traditional circular watch face for a "cushion" design that has a round screen set inside a "squircle" frame (square with rounded edges). As someone who thought the Ultra looked too big and masculine for my wrist, I'm still not totally sold on the design shift. But I'm a sucker for that rotating bezel on the Classic (the Ultra's is static), so I can't help but love the look, even if it doesn't feel like it was made for me. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic brings back the rotating bezel in two color options: white or black. Joseph Maldonado/CNET The Classic also adopts the customizable quick-action button of the Ultra that also doubles as a crown wedges between the two navigation buttons. Despite my preference for the sleeker, edgeless circular design of past Galaxy Watches, there may be some benefits to the new design, including a slimmer form factor. According to Samsung, the Galaxy Watch 8 is 11% slimmer and lighter than its predecessor. When trying it on, I was blown away by how light it felt on my wrist without the usual belly bump bulge of the body. Pair that with a new band system, which reduces the gap between the watch and your wrist and you have a noticeably more comfortable fit. Thanks to the tighter sensor-to-skin contact, it's also more accurate at capturing heart rate data. This is still subject to testing, but if it holds up, it may be a justified design trade-off. Width comparison between the Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and Galaxy Watch Ultra. Both the Ultra and the Classic have the crown that doubles as an action button. Joseph Maldonado/CNET The Galaxy Watch 8 comes in silver and graphite with an aluminum frame, while the Classic opts for a stainless steel finish in just silver. Size-wise, the regular Watch 8 comes in 40mm and 44mm options, while the Classic is only available in 46mm, which looks pretty large on my [[TK]]-inch wrist and definitely leans more masculine. I can't help but miss the days when Samsung offered more feminine options like rose gold or even just plain gold, though it's been a while since those were part of the lineup. The new Galaxy Watches are the first smartwatches to debut Google's Gemini AI assistant out of the box. Joseph Maldonado/CNET Gemini on the watch The new One UI 8 software brings a refreshed user experience that is easier to navigate. Notifications are separated by app and instant access to your six most-used apps. The Watches also takes a page from the Galaxy phone with a new "Now bar" at the bottom of the screen for quick access to active apps like timers or media controls. But the most important software update is the addition of Gemini AI. The new Galaxy Watches are the first with Google's AI assistant built-in, bringing more complex commands and contextual understanding to your wrist. You can ask it to check your most recent running pace, start a five-mile run and launch your workout playlist simultaneously, set a timer to boil pasta based on a recipe in your notes, adjust the font size on the watch, or have it draft a text letting a friend know you're running late. Since Gemini requires an internet connection to work, you'll need to have your phone paired nearby or use an LTE version of the watch. Battery and storage Let's set expectations: Just because the Galaxy Watch 8 looks like the Ultra doesn't mean it matches the Ultra's three-day battery life. But there's still good news to share. Samsung says the Watch 8 has an 8% larger battery than the Watch 7: 325 mAh vs. 300 mAh (for the 40mm), and 435 mAh vs. 425 mAh (for the 44mm). The Classic tops out at 445 mAh, which is still well below the Ultra's 590 mAh battery. How much that translates into real-world use remains to be seen, but any boost is welcome, especially paired with the efficiency gains from the new Wear OS 6 update. Storage also doubles across the board, with 64GB now standard (up from 32GB), including a new Titanium Blue version of the Ultra. This is just a first look based on hands-on time. We'll find out if these features live up to the hype when put to the test in our full review, coming soon.
The Irish Sun
18-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Samsung could charge monthly FEE for top gadget owned by millions – and you'll miss perks if you don't pay
CUSTOMERS could be charged a monthly fee if they want to get their hands on Samsung's latest update. The latest software in the tech giant's smart watch line introduces unrivalled health features, but also an update that could alienate millions of its existing users. 1 Samsung's new update could see customers charged a monthly fee Credit: AFP The tech company is exploring the introduction of a premium subscription model, comparable to Garmin's Connect Plus and But who will be affected? Well, with only one month until its official release, Samsung has yet to announce who will have to pay to access this functionality, and also how much it will cost. READ MORE IN TECH Pak told CNET: "We believe wellness isn't just one thing. It's activity, nutrition, mental health, and sleep combined. "What we really think we can do is bring this data about sleep, nutrition, activity and stress, and really contextualize it for the user," Pak added. Samsung first launched its smartwatches with the Samsung Galaxy Gear in September 2013 . This watch update comes one year after the tech giant unveiled the Galaxy Watch 7, which retailed at £289. Most read in Tech The update will debut with the imminent release of the Galaxy Watch 8 series next month, but is currently undergoing a trial phase. The One UI 8 Watch Beta Programme will be launched in select countries and will be accessible to those with compatible older watches. Available in both the USA and The update, once released, will give users a variety of health features, including a non-invasive Antioxidant Index check, Bedtime Guidance, AI Running Coach, and Vascular Load. The reason behind having such innovative and unrivalled features is that the company aims to make a more proactive health monitor to help stand out in a market full of like-for-like fitness trackers. Who gets these features? The soon-to-be-released update and watch form part of Samsung's goal of making clinical-level insights accessible at home. While the features will make an official debut with the arrival of the new Galaxy watch in July, it will be available on some older models. The compatibility for each device will depend on whether it has advanced LED sensory, which will be essential to power these premium functions. Therefore, more complex features, Vascular Load and Antioxidant Index, will be available only on any watch after and including Galaxy Watch Ultra, with the AI Running Coach available on the Galaxy Watch 7 or later. How much does it cost? It is not known how much this may cost. The Sun has approached Samsung for a comment.
Stuff.tv
17-06-2025
- Health
- Stuff.tv
Your Samsung Galaxy Watch is getting these new fitness features soon in a free update
Samsung's just revealed its next major free update for Galaxy Watches. One UI 8 Watch is on the way later this year, and will first launch as a beta. It's packing some serious new fitness features that are going to give your smartwatch a major upgrade. A new feature called Bedtime Guidance sifts through three days of your sleep data to suggest the best bedtime for you, in an attempt to get your circadian rhythm to behave like a responsible adult. Then there's something called Vascular Load. This tracks the stress on your vascular system while you sleep. Basically, your Galaxy Watch is now judging your arteries. If things are a bit too turbulent in your bloodstream overnight, it could be a sign your heart's not doing so well. It'll use this data to gently prod you towards healthier choices – whether that's more sleep, less stress, and so on. Speaking of running, there's also a new Running Coach. It uses data from a quick 12-minute jog to give you a running score and build a plan that'll apparently take you from couch potato to 10K runner. Or at least help you not destroy your knees in the process. It even adapts as you improve – so long as you wear your Galaxy Watch each time you pound the pavement. Antioxidant Index supposedly checks your skin's carotenoid levels in just five seconds. Carotenoids being the good stuff you get from veggies that fight off free radicals. It might sound gimmicky, but if seeing your antioxidant levels jump after a week of carrot juice encourages you to actually eat something green, I'm all for it. This whole suite of features is landing later this year as part of the free One UI 8 Watch update. Before that, though, it's heading into beta. Samsung's being tight-lipped on the exact release date, but expect it later this year. The update will roll out to the latest Galaxy Watch series, including the Galaxy Watch 6 and newer models.
