Four years ago, Pendulum Therapeutics launched a breakthrough probiotic clinically shown to improve blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes. Do their newer products live up to the hype?
Four years ago, Pendulum Therapeutics launched a breakthrough probiotic clinically shown to improve blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes. Do their newer products live up to the hype?
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Hello and welcome to the Nutrition Diva podcast, a show where we take a closer look at nutrition research and trends, and answer YOUR food and nutrition questions, so that you can make more informed choices about what you eat. I’m your host Monica Reinagel and today’s show–like so many others–was prompted by an email I got from a listener.
Emily wrote to ask my opinion about a company called Pendulum. “They have probiotics that supposedly assist with glucose control and weight loss,” she wrote. “I want to know if it’s legitimate.”
As it happens, I actually profiled this company back in 2021, when they introduced their flagship product, because I thought the science behind it was impressive. Unlike the vast majority of probiotic supplements on the shelves these days, Pendulum’s Glucose Control formula had solid research to support its effectiveness in improving blood sugar control in people with Type 2 diabetes.
Emily’s email got me curious about what had happened in the meantime. I sent Emily a link to my original episode (and I’ll also link to it in the show notes for you) and promised her that I would do an episode updating the research. Today, I’m making good on that promise.
First, let me offer a quick recap for those who didn’t hear my original episode.
Pendulum's Glucose Control probiotic was a proprietary blend of several different bacterial strains—but the “hero” of this particular cocktail was a patented version of a bacterium known as Akkermansia. This bacterial strain had only been identified in 2004–and it was Pendulum’s initial research and product launch that really put Akkermansia on the map.
This strain occurs naturally in the human gut but it tends to be scarce in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. The hope was that boosting the Akkermansia population with a supplement could help improve glucose control and metabolic health–a hope that was bolstered by a clinical trial published in 2020.
Over the course of a 12-week study, participants taking Pendulum’s Glucose Control probiotic experienced meaningful improvements in their blood sugar control. Specifically, their hemoglobin A1C—a key marker of long-term blood sugar management—decreased by an average of 0.6%. They also saw a significant reduction in blood sugar spikes after meals.
At the time, I found these results quite promising and thought that it could represent a legitimate breakthrough in the management of this very common condition. But I also raised a couple of caveats:
First, the cost of the product was pretty high, at approximately $165 per month. That made it far more expensive than conventional diabetes treatments like metformin, potentially limiting access for those who might benefit most.
Second, a 12-week trial couldn’t shed much light on the long-term sustainability of these microbiome changes. Would ongoing supplementation always be necessary, or could the beneficial bacteria become permanently established in the gut?
And finally, I cautioned against viewing this probiotic as a "silver bullet." While it may put a new tool in the toolkit, it does not replace other tools that we use to manage Type 2 diabetes, such as dietary measures, physical activity, weight management, and—when needed—medical treatment.
In short, my take back in 2021 was cautiously optimistic. Pendulum seemed to offer something genuinely novel and potentially very useful—but it was not without limitations, and definitely not a standalone solution. So, where do things stand now, four years later?
Disappointingly, there hasn't been much movement on the research front. As of now, no new peer-reviewed clinical trials have been published on Pendulum's probiotic formulations since the initial promising study in 2020. So, my question about long-term sustainability remains unanswered for now. The company indicates that further research is ongoing, but results remain unavailable at this time. The price of the original Glucose Control formula hasn't changed either—it's still about $165 per month (although, when you factor in inflation, I guess that actually represents a discount!)
What HAS changed significantly is Pendulum's product line. In addition to the original Glucose Control probiotic, they've introduced several new products:
Unlike their flagship product, these new products do not have the same level of scientific evidence to support their effectiveness. And while they originally seemed to be positioning themselves as more of a medical-grade therapeutic formulation, with initial outreach focused on healthcare professionals, they seem to have made a stark pivot towards marketing directly to consumers.
Instead of focusing on management of Type 2 diabetes, the focus now is on weight management, appetite control, and metabolic health—categories that are always popular with consumers but especially so now, due to the surge of interest around GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. All of this raises some red flags in terms of credibility. But there may be other consequences to this strategy as well.
Product line extension is a classic marketing strategy, especially when a company finds itself with a breakout success. If the market is excited about your original product, offering a whole bunch of slightly tweaked versions can allow you to leverage your brand strength, increase sales, and maybe capture some new niche markets.
Dove soap is a good example of this strategy. Originally known for their moisturizing soap bar, Dove expanded into body washes, deodorants, shampoos, conditioners, and skincare products. Each new product allowed Dove to attract different types of customers, ultimately strengthening the overall brand.
But sometimes, this strategy can backfire. Diet Coke is an iconic brand but Coca-Cola felt that it could attract new customers (namely, young men) with a new sugar-free product that didn’t include the word Diet. The introduction of Coke Zero left a lot of people scratching their heads, wondering: “Why do we need two sugar-free Cokes? And what exactly is the difference between them?”
My point is that product line extensions may help you capitalize on an initial success but unless they are done thoughtfully, you run the risk of frustrating and confusing consumers, diluting your brand, and undermining brand loyalty. I do wonder whether Pendulum’s strategy will ultimately harm their credibility–especially with healthcare professionals who may have originally been impressed by the research-driven clinical focus, and now just see another supplement company making a lot of poorly substantiated claims.
My original enthusiasm for Pendulum's flagship Glucose Control probiotic still stands. The initial research published in 2020 remains solid, and although I’m still eager to see some longer-term data, the product may offer real benefits for people with Type 2 diabetes.
However, the new products Pendulum has introduced since then simply don't have the same level of scientific rigor backing their claims. You might perceive some positive results from them. But given the lack of supporting research, I’d approach these claims with healthy skepticism—and let the evidence, not the marketing, guide your choices.
Thanks again to Emily for suggesting today’s topic. If you have a question you'd like me to answer, you can email me at nutrition@quickanddirtytips.com
If you’d like to find out about having me speak at your next live or virtual event, you can learn more at wellnessworkshere.com
Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. Steve Riekeberg is our audio engineer, Brannan Goetschius provides script editing. Holly Hutchings is the Digital Operations Specialist and Morgan Christianson heads up Podcast Operations & Advertising. Davina Tomlin is in charge of Marketing and Publicity and we also get indispensable support from Nat Hoopes. Thanks to all of them and thanks to you for listening!