I Took the “Ozempic Probiotic”—Here’s What Happened

If there’s one benefit from having struggled with weight in my childhood, it’s that by age 11, I’d been forced to embrace healthy eating and daily walks or bike rides. What most of us didn’t understand in the 1980s and ’90s is what we’re finally accepting today: Contrary to traditional belief, having a fuller body type is often not due to laziness or a lack of discipline. For many of us, it’s genetic and scientific. That’s one reason an estimated 16 million Americans are benefiting from the injectable diabetes medications, like GLP-1 agonists, that have exploded onto the weight loss market.

The Cleveland Clinic explains that GLP-1 agonist medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro work by “triggering your pancreas to release more insulin,” adding: “The slowed digestion also helps decrease blood sugar spikes.” These factors can play into appetite, digestion, the metabolization of food into energy—and in turn, possibly weight loss.

But some of us don’t want to take medication unless it’s to deal with a diagnosed condition. And, some of us also have loved ones who need these injectable drugs to manage their diabetes. If you’re like me, you don’t want to contribute to the unavailability problem that many diabetes patients have experienced in the past couple years.

Still, no thanks to the pandemic, a lot of us have found we need help—something to jumpstart our systems and help us trim down again. In my own case, as I’m sure plenty can relate to, it felt like life was just piling the weight onto me. Never had I been so sedentary as I was at the start of the pandemic, when my work called me to sit in front of a computer for often 12 hours a day. A year in, my now-husband underwent cancer treatments—then a year after his diagnosis and six months into remission, his career called us to move across the country. We were excited for a new start in Northern California, with farmers markets and year-round sunshine and biking and hiking trails! But as soon as we arrived, I learned I was pregnant. One miscarriage was followed by a second exactly a year later, with me managing lingering logistics of our move (including three cross-country drives) in between.

With both pregnancies I put my health, not work, first and re-adopted a steady gym routine. After the second loss I added weekly acupuncture sessions. “You’re damp,” my acupuncture doctor said, which was her way of saying that my body was retaining a lot of water. My body, my hormones, were adjusting to my early forties just as I was experiencing pregnancy for the first, then second, time. My body didn’t look or feel like the strong, fit machine I’d spent my adult years developing. Last winter it was serendipitous that my old driver’s license expired before I’d had the chance to apply for one in our new state: For months, I took advantage of the reason to walk everywhere I needed to go.

I figured even if this didn’t begin to help me trim down, at least long walks in the sun would be good for my mind. I didn’t want to turn to prescription medication, but I asked my primary care doctor whether I should consider it. For my circumstances, he responded that it was “not something I would recommend.” I was glad I could put the question out of my mind. Still, I thought…I needed a little help with my appetite and the weight I’d gained.

Last winter, around that same time, a representative for Pendulum reached out to our team about their “gut health” product. Every day we receive dozens of pitches asking us to feature wellness products, and not all of them seem genuinely safe or effective. Their collaboration with a Hollywood actress made me a little uncertain of the brand: I don’t want bells and whistles from the products I sample; I want science-backed results and safe ingredients. But I suppose it did help cement their name on my radar.

But as their reps stayed in touch, I read their emails closely: The team who developed Pendulum was “made up of experts in microbiology, biochemistry, medicine and nutrition from research institutions such as Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Stanford, and Mayo Clinic,” they said. With that caliber of researchers involved, I took them up on the offer to sample a 30-day supply.

I don’t believe that there’s a magic pill for getting in shape—being healthier takes a commitment to total wellness. But my 30-day experience turned into 60 days, and then 90. That’s because for me, discovering these supplements made a very noticeable shift in my appetite, energy, and my body’s efficiency to process food. They didn’t disrupt my sleep or make my heart race like I’ve heard old-school “diet pills” can do—in fact, my sleep quality has improved. (Keep reading.)

Speak with your doctor before changing your diet or trying new supplements or other health products.

How these probiotics work

Pendulum brand marketing materials explain that when a human eats, this triggers metabolic processes in the body. Certain bacteria that live in a healthy gut convert the fiber we eat into butyrate, which slows down how quickly the stomach empties and makes us feel fuller for longer. Also, one strain of gut bacteria, Akkermansia municiphilia, acts as probiotic that the brand says “helps strengthen the gut lining, improves digestive health, and helps manage a healthy weight.” Akkermansia also triggers the secretion of GLP-1.

GLP-1 then sends the message to the pancreas to produce insulin, which slows the emptying of the stomach and messages to the brain that you’re full. So whereas grehlin is known as the “hunger hormone” that tells your body you need to eat, Pendulum calls GLP-1 the “un-hunger hormone that helps curb appetite and cravings.”

Under ideal circumstances—that is, with a well-balanced gut microbiome that contains the correct amounts of healthy bacteria, such as Akkermansia—all of this happens in rhythm. However, they explain, GLP-1 can decrease due to age and all sorts of lifestyle factors that affect the gut. These might include stress, diet, physical activity, sleep, medications, and more.

So, to date, the Pendulum products I’ve tried are:

• The GLP-1 probiotic, which the brand says “naturally curbs cravings.” I sampled a 30-day supply and wanted to keep it up, except that when I went to re-purchase the product on Amazon, it didn’t appear to be available.
• So instead, I bought the Metabolic Daily Bundle in a 30-day supply. This includes the Akkermansia muciniphila, which the brand suggests they’ve exclusively developed as a product, as well as the Metabolic Daily, which is a blend of multiple probiotic bacteria.
• I also purchased the Polyphenol Booster, simply for the antioxidant benefits of its pomegranate, green tea, and grape seed ingredients.

via merchant

via merchant

How to take, and store, these products

A representative for Pendulum asked me to emphasize: “Pendulum products are not intended for weight loss. [They are] meant to curb cravings and reduce appetite, all in service of maintaining a healthy weight.” I spent ages 11 through 26 weighing myself daily, so I don’t do that anymore—but to me as a tough self-critic, it’s obvious there’s been an effect from what I can discern from the mirror, the fit of my clothes, and the way my body moves.

To discuss my experience, I connected with Pendulum chief medical officer Dr. Adam Perlman, MD, MPH, who is the former director of Integrative Health and Wellbeing at the Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus and former associate vice president for health and wellness at the Duke University Health System.

My original shipment came without instructions, and a brief online search suggested it was best to store this probiotic in the fridge. I wanted to verify this with Dr. Perlman, who responded: “While refrigeration isn’t strictly necessary, all of our probiotics are formulated with live bacterial strains, so refrigeration can help maintain the viability of the strains for a longer period of time.”

Was there a best time to take them?, I asked. Are they better on an empty stomach, or are they most effective when they’re taken with food, like fat-soluble vitamins? “The best time of day is the time that you will remember to take your probiotic consistently,” Dr. Perlman told me. “Some people find that taking probiotics with food is best for them, but there is no best time. You just want to be consistent.”

And—because there’s a handful of foods to eat on semaglutides like Ozempic—are there foods that can be complementary to this supplement? “Yes,” Dr. Perlman said, “there are foods you can eat to support your probiotics. Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provide essential fuel for the good bacteria in your gut. These bacteria thrive on this fiber, creating a healthy gut environment. Additionally,” he said, “polyphenols found in fruits, vegetables, and some dark chocolate (enjoyed in moderation!) offer protection for these beneficial bacteria. By prioritizing a diet rich in both fiber and polyphenols, you’re laying the foundation for a thriving gut microbiome, potentially impacting overall health.”

With all this in mind, here’s what I experienced from taking these probiotics.

The effects I experienced from this GLP-1 probiotic

My hunger is less severe

For most of my adulthood, my morning routine has been like clockwork: After waking up and walking the dog for 20 minutes, I’d drink a big glass of water and pour my coffee, then sit down to my desk and focus into my work. I always know when it’s 11 a.m. because my hunger creeps up then suddenly feels so violent that, as I told Dr. Perlman, I feel like my stomach is caving in on itself. Often by noon, I eat a heavy meal while feeling pulled back to my desk so quickly that I eat fast to send my body gets the message that I’m full. Fast eating is not good for the gut.

Starting on the very first day I tried the GLP-1 probiotic, that intense degree of hunger was no longer the case. Was it not normal for me to experience the insane level of hunger I have always felt early in my day?, I asked Dr. Perlman. In other words, did my hunger suggest that these bacteria weren’t present in my belly in the quantities they should be?

Dr. Perlman’s answer was gentle: “The ideal gut microbiome composition in a perfectly healthy person may not necessarily reflect the specific bacterial strains or quantities present in Pendulum probiotics,” he said. “However, our formulations are designed to target common imbalances observed in modern diets, aiming to restore a more optimal gut environment. Many people complain of significant cravings and hunger that can be difficult to control. Several factors can contribute to this, including an imbalance in gut bacteria, often referred to as ‘dysbioisis.’ Pendulum probiotics, specifically [the] GLP-1 Probiotic, were designed … to help promote a gut environment that supports healthy appetite regulation.”

When Amazon’s unavailability of the GLP-1 probiotic spurred me to purchase the Metabolism Bundle instead, I noticed the effect even more. (My mom, who has been taking the products for a little over a month, experienced the opposite and said the GLP-1 has been most effective for her.) I simply did not get as hungry, and didn’t need to eat as much as I often need to feel full.

My sugar cravings lessened

My afternoon sugar craving hits right around the hour when my schoolday used to end so many years ago—and it is a beast. Trying these probiotics, I could not believe that while I still had a taste for a little something sweet, for the first time in my life it felt like I had a choice about whether to give in. This was another noticeable, almost instantaneous shift.

Dr. Perlman said my experience aligned with the findings of a survey the company conducted. Of 274 participants, 91% reported reduced overall food cravings at six weeks.

My emotional eating was confirmed

While my sweet tooth was suddenly under control, I have still felt the urge to wrap my work day by snacking on something sweet, sometimes accompanied (or replaced) by something crunchy and salty.

The truth is, I’ve always known that my daily snacking session has been a way to decompress. The good news with Pendulum is that it’s been so much easier for me to step away from the treats after a small bite.

My sleep improved

I’m a light sleeper to begin with, which means a lack of restful sleep calls me to nap in the afternoons. Any formula that promises to amp up my metabolism makes me wary that my sleep will be disrupted even more.

Thirty days into taking the GLP-1, I noticed I was sleeping better and didn’t feel the need to rest in the afternoons. “I’m not surprised to hear about your experience,” Dr. Perlman said, because some of Pendulum’s blends, particularly Metabolic Daily, “help you sustain your energy levels … by helping your body better metabolize sugars and carbohydrates, converting the food you eat into energy more efficiently. This may help prevent sugar crashes, and yes, may lead to sustained energy levels.”

Yes, I have trimmed down

Taking these Pendulum probiotics has become part of a daily routine that has helped me get my body back to a place that I recognize. The support managing my hunger has been a great complement to my morning routine of eating protein before I have my coffee. Pendulum has also helped manage my hunger after I exercise…and those results are showing more lately, too.

So the probiotics are helping to contribute to a slimmer summer—but, I asked Dr. Perlman, were they directly helping my metabolism?

“The Akkermansia muciniphila in the products you are taking is an important probiotic strain for gut health and metabolism,” he explained. “Research has shown that Akkermansia, along with the other strains in the products, have a positive influence on metabolism most likely through effects on the release of GLP-1 hormone.

How long should someone take the products before seeing results?

I started to notice immediate effect on my hunger and cravings, and it took about six weeks before I started to really notice a change in how my body looked in the mirror. However, I’d read that these products can be even more effective if they’re taken for 60 days. What timeframe should someone expect to feel and see the results?

“This is a common question,” Dr. Perlman said. “The timeframe for experiencing the full benefits of a probiotic can vary depending on the initial state of your gut microbiome. If there’s a significant imbalance of bacteria in your gut, it may take longer to see a noticeable effect. As a general guideline, I typically recommend a minimum of 90 days of consistent use. It’s important to remember that probiotics work by introducing beneficial bacteria. Once you stop taking them, the impact on your gut microbiome may diminish.”

Even when we went away for a beach weekend and I forgot to bring them, I noticed I didn’t get super hungry. By the fourth day without these probiotics, my hunger level reminded me it was time to get back into my routine.

For more wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

• “Here’s What Happened When I Stopped Taking Ozempic”: One Patient’s Story Navigating a New Normal
• ‘Counterfeit’ Ozempic Is Under Investigation As at Least 3 Users Are Hospitalized
• I’m a Doctor: Here’s Why I’ve Prescribed Ozempic to the ‘Healthy Overweight’
• Insurance Will Now Cover Popular Weight Loss Drugs for Some Patients