The Buzz Around Pendulum and Why Everyone’s Talking About Halle Berry

If you’ve been following the health and wellness world lately, you’ve probably heard of Pendulum Therapeutics. The company’s cutting-edge probiotics—especially their flagship Pendulum Glucose Control—have made waves for their potential to help people manage blood sugar and gut health naturally.

And when someone like Halle Berry joins the company as Chief Communications Officer and investor, it’s clear this isn’t just another celebrity endorsement. Halle isn’t merely lending her name to the brand—she’s deeply involved in shaping Pendulum’s story. After using Pendulum’s products herself to support her blood sugar and gut health, she decided to invest in the company and help lead its communications strategy. In her own words, Berry said, “Your gut and microbiome are so important to your overall health. It’s all connected.” Her personal journey with diabetes and holistic wellness perfectly aligns with Pendulum’s mission: blending biotechnology with natural solutions to improve metabolic health.

But here’s the big question: Does the research actually back it up?

Let’s dive into the clinical trials behind Pendulum’s products and see what the science really says.

Pendulum’s Groundbreaking 12-Week Clinical Trial

In a peer-reviewed, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, researchers tested Pendulum’s probiotic blend (called WBF-011) on 76 adults with type 2 diabetes.

Participants took the probiotic daily for 12 weeks, and here’s what happened:

Result	Outcome
Post-meal blood sugar (AUC)	Dropped by 36 mg/dL compared to placebo (p = 0.05)
HbA1c (average 3-month glucose)	Decreased by 0.6%
Fasting glucose	No major change
Tolerability	Excellent – no major side effects reported

Translation: The probiotic didn’t drastically lower fasting sugar, but it did help stabilize post-meal spikes—a major win for anyone with metabolic issues.

How Does Pendulum Work? The Gut–Metabolism Connection

Pendulum’s formula combines five specialized probiotic strains—including the superstar Akkermansia muciniphila—plus prebiotic fibers that feed those microbes.

Why that matters:

These bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which support gut lining health and improve insulin sensitivity.
They also influence bile acids like ursodeoxycholate (UDCA), which help regulate glucose and lipid metabolism.
The combination can improve the gut’s communication with your metabolism through gut hormones like GLP-1 (the same hormone targeted by drugs such as Ozempic).

In short: better gut balance → better metabolic control.

Follow-Up Research: The Metabolomics Study

Pendulum didn’t stop there. A follow-up metabolomics analysis confirmed that participants taking the probiotic showed increased butyrate and UDCA levels—both linked to healthier glucose metabolism.

These findings suggest that Pendulum’s effects go beyond digestion and reach into the body’s metabolic and inflammatory pathways.

The Fine Print: What the Science Can—and Can’t—Say (Yet)

Before you rush to stock your supplement cabinet, it’s worth noting what scientists and clinicians are saying:

What the evidence supports:

Pendulum’s strains can modestly reduce post-meal glucose levels.
It’s safe and well-tolerated.
It shows biologically meaningful metabolic changes (like butyrate increases).

What still needs proof:

The main trial was small (76 people) and lasted only 12 weeks.
Long-term benefits—like preventing complications or sustaining lower HbA1c—need larger, independent trials.
Many researchers involved were Pendulum employees or investors, so independent replication is important for credibility.

What Pendulum Glucose Control Actually Is

Pendulum markets this formula as a “medical probiotic”—not just a supplement. It’s designed to be used under healthcare supervision for people with type 2 diabetes or blood sugar challenges.

The official product page claims:

“Pendulum Glucose Control helps lower A1C and post-meal glucose spikes through gut microbiome support.”

Its key strains include:

Akkermansia muciniphila
Anaerobutyricum hallii
Clostridium butyricum
Clostridium beijerinckii
Bifidobacterium infantis

These are combined with inulin and oligofructose—fibers that fuel the probiotics’ metabolic activity.

Pendulum’s Next Chapter: Real-Time Microbiome Monitoring

In 2024, Pendulum began partnering with biotech firm BiomeSense to pilot real-time microbiome tracking. Participants can send stool samples from home to monitor how their gut bacteria—especially Akkermansia—respond to Pendulum supplements over time.

This could lead to personalized probiotic therapy, where your supplement formula adapts to your microbiome data.

So, Should You Try Pendulum Glucose Control?

If you’re managing blood sugar, struggling with post-meal spikes, or just want to support your gut microbiome, Pendulum may be worth discussing with your healthcare provider.

Here’s a quick pros-and-cons summary:

Pros	Cons
Backed by published human trial	Studies are small and short
Targets both gut and metabolic health	Cost may be higher than generic probiotics
Contains clinically researched strains	Long-term data still limited
Safe and well-tolerated	Works best with diet and exercise

The Bottom Line

Pendulum’s clinical trials show promising early evidence that targeted probiotics can help people manage blood sugar through the gut-microbiome connection. While the improvements are modest, they’re meaningful—and represent a huge step toward evidence-based probiotics.

And with Halle Berry using her voice (and business acumen) to spotlight the importance of metabolic health, Pendulum isn’t just a supplement company anymore—it’s becoming a movement that merges science, celebrity, and self-care.

For now, think of Pendulum as a scientifically backed support tool, not a magic cure. The company’s ongoing research—and partnerships with scientists, investors, and advocates like Berry—show just how fast microbiome science is evolving.

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