Pendulum is a supplement brand that sells a novel probiotic marketed as a natural GLP-1 alternative. GLP-1 is the class of weight loss drugs like Ozempic that suppress appetite and cause weight loss.
But can probiotics have similar effects? Does Pendulum's most popular probiotic have research-backed ingredients to support weight loss? Does it have any questionable additives? And how do real customers rate and describe the effects?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Pendulum's GLP-1 Probiotic to give our take on whether or not it's likely to be effective, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also feature real customer reviews of the supplement.
Ingredient Analysis
The active ingredients in Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic are shown above.
Akkermansia muciniphila is a probiotic species which was described as "the most promising next-generation probiotic" in a medical review published in the Nutrients journal.
There appears to be an inverse correlation between gut levels of this probiotic and obesity, which suggests (but doesn't necessarily prove) that it may have an anti-obesity effect when supplemented.
We can't find any human trials showing this probiotic to have a significant anti-obesity effect, nor can we find any human trials testing the specific strain used by Pendulum (Akkermansia muciniphila WB-STR-0001) on obesity levels in humans.
Clostridium butyricum was analyzed in a 2023 medical review, and the study authors stated it "reduced obesity" (in a rodent model).
We can't find any human trials showing that the specific strain (Clostridium butyricum WB-STR-0006) used in this supplement reduces obesity.
Bifidobacterium infantis is a probiotic species that's clinically shown to improve mental health in individuals with disrupted gut function, as we documented in our Seed probiotic review article.
However, we can't find any clinical evidence that this probiotic causes weight loss in humans.
The inactive ingredients in Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic, shown below, should be safe and non-toxic:
Overall, we consider Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic somewhat likely to be effective for weight loss because one of its active ingredients has some research backing for weight loss in humans.
We also believe this supplement may have other benefits such as supporting optimal gut function.
We Tried Pendulum Ourselves
One of our product testers named Matt Donnelly tried Pendulum Probiotics for 30 days and tracked his weight. Here's his experience:
The product was fairly easy to open. I was surprised that it had three of those drying packets inside, which is more than I'm used to with supplements.
There wasn’t really any taste, though the capsule had a slight vanilla smell to it.
In my experience, the product did not help to curb cravings.
There is sort of a placebo effect that takes place. By virtue of consuming one capsule per day for 30 days, I was more aware of the activity and the goal of losing weight. For the first half of the month, I didn’t change my eating habits or exercise routine, and my weight fluctuated between 182-185 pounds.
During the second half of the month, I began paying closer attention to my daily calorie intake, and I pushed myself to exercise more. I remained in the 181-183 pound range, but I can say with all certainty it had nothing to do with taking the supplement. If anything, it only helped me be more aware of the goal.
I did not experience any side effects.
Overall, I would rate Pendulum 3/10 and I do not plan to purchase this supplement in the future.
Real People Try Pendulum Probiotics
A YouTube creator named "Addictive Wellness" shared his experience taking Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic for three months:
A TikTok creator named "drrachel" shared her experience after using Pendulum's probiotic for one week:
@drrachel Gotta love the slept in makeup look right 😅 One week review of being on a Glp1-probiotic. Overall, not huge noticeable changes but I wasn’t expecting any huge changes. I feel like there were a few days I wasnt as hungry and overall generally I felt good! The directions say it can take 90 days to see changes, so Ill give a 30 day update! #probiotics #pendulum #glp1 #healthjourney ♬ original sound - drrachel
Our Concerns About Pendulum's Marketing
Our main issue with the way Pendulum is currently marketing this supplement relates to the suggestion that this supplement increases GLP-1 levels.
Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, and we haven't come across any evidence proving that this proprietary formulation increases GLP-1 levels.
Pendulum claims that Akkermansia increases GLP-1 production, and cites this study to prove it.
However, the above-linked study doesn't appear to be published in any peer-reviewed journals. It's described as a "white paper."
Further, the above-linked study states that Akkermansia bacteria stimulate GLP-1 production, but does not state that the specific strain used in Pendulum's probiotic (Akkermansia muciniphila WB-STR-0001) stimulates GLP-1 production.
As we discussed in our review of the probiotic supplement BioFit, different probiotic strains within the same species can have divergent effects in the human body.
It is worth noting that the probiotic used in Pendulum is clinically shown to increase GLP-1 levels in rodents.
Until Pendulum proves that their proprietary formulation increases GLP-1 levels (ideally with a clinical trial published in a peer-reviewed journal) in humans, we recommend that consumers disregard suggestions of such.
What are the Best Probiotics for Weight Loss?
A doctor and YouTube creator named Brian Yeung has a video sharing his thoughts on the best probiotic strains for weight loss:
Our Clean Weight Loss Picks
MBG Organic Fiber Potency+ is our top overall weight loss pick.
Dietary fiber was shown in a medical review published in The Journal of Nutrition to cause 16 pounds of weight loss in 6 months when combined with moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline).
Performance Lab MCT Oil is our top premium weight loss pick.
MCT oil was shown in a meta-study to cause more than one pound of weight loss over 10 weeks. This equates to potential annualized weight loss of 6 pounds per year with less than one tablespoon's worth of MCT oil per day.
Pique La Ginger is our top whole food weight loss pick.
Ginger intake "significantly decreased body weight" according to a 2019 meta-study on ginger and weight loss that analyzed data from 14 clinical trials.
All three of the products mentioned in this section are entirely free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Customers Rate Pendulum
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
At the time of publishing this article, Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic has been reviewed over 50 times on Amazon, with an average review rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
A top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "Mykenzi Duda" who gave the product a 5/5 rating:
"The capsules are average in size, easy to swallow, and have no taste or odor, which makes them very convenient to take daily. I've noticed some help in diminishing hunger and managing my appetite."
A top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named "albert brown" who gave the product a 1/5 rating:
"This was the worst item I ordered from amazon!!!! Don’t give them a penny! Doesn’t work, and it’s $75.00 with no returns!!!!"
Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic currently has an average review rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars on Google.
Pendulum currently responds to all customer complaints on their Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile, which is a sign of a high-quality brand.
Pendulum Probiotics Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Pendulum's probiotic in our opinion:
Pros:
- May cause weight loss
- Likely to support gut health
- No unhealthy ingredients
- Positive consumer survey results
- Mostly positive Amazon reviews
Cons:
- Doesn't appear to be clinically tested
- We can't find any evidence the active ingredients increase GLP-1 levels
- Expensive
- Mediocre Google reviews
