Medically reviewed by: Taylor Berggren, MS, RDN
Your gut is home to trillions of microbes that help your body do more than digest food. These microbes play a role in how you process fiber, regulate metabolism, and respond to carbohydrates and sugars.
Because everyone’s gut microbiome is different, there isn’t a single “perfect” mix of bacteria. Instead, gut health is about supporting the right microbial functions—especially those involved in metabolism and blood-sugar regulation.
Probiotics and prebiotics: what’s the difference?
Probiotics are live bacteria that can support gut and metabolic health when taken in specific strains and amounts.
Prebiotics are special fibers that your body can’t digest on its own. They pass through the upper digestive tract and reach the colon, where gut microbes break them down into compounds that support digestion, metabolic signaling, and gut health.
Prebiotics are found naturally in fiber-rich plant foods like garlic, asparagus, chicory root, and flaxseed. Their structure allows them to reach the gut microbes that rely on them.
Polyphenols, another type of plant compound, can also act as prebiotics, maintaining their structure until the colon. There, they can interact with your gut lining and microbes to support a strong overall microbiome.
Why probiotics and prebiotics work better together
Probiotics don’t work in isolation. Their activity depends on whether the gut environment can support them.
Prebiotics help create the conditions that allow certain microbes to function more effectively. When probiotics and prebiotics are intentionally paired, they can work together more reliably than either one alone.
This combination is called a synbiotic.
What makes a synbiotic “next-generation”?
Traditional synbiotics combine probiotics and fiber in a general way. Next-generation synbiotics are more targeted.
Instead of pairing any probiotic with any fiber, next-generation synbiotics are designed so the prebiotic supports the specific activity of the included strains. This creates a functional partnership that helps those microbes do what they’re meant to do in the gut.
This targeted approach is especially important for metabolic health.
Next-generation synbiotics
Certain gut microbes help break down fiber into compounds that influence how the body handles blood sugar after meals.
Over time—or with diets low in diverse fibers—these microbes may become less active or less abundant. This can affect carbohydrate metabolism and post-meal glucose responses.
Next-generation synbiotics are designed to support microbial pathways involved in metabolism and blood sugar stability, including the production of short-chain fatty acids and gut-hormone signaling.
Putting it all together
Next-generation synbiotics go beyond simply adding bacteria to the gut. They are designed to support specific benefits by pairing targeted probiotic strains with the prebiotics those microbes use.
This more precise approach reflects how the gut microbiome actually works and represents the future of microbiome-based support for metabolic health.
Pendulum has 3 products that fall under the synbiotic category and combine the power next generation strains and inulin: Pendulum Glucose Control, Pendulum Akkermansia, and Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic. Inulin, which is found in chicory root, has been shown in pre-clinical studies to specifically support Pendulum’s probiotic strains.