The Glucose Never Lies®
The Glucose Never Lies® Podcast is brought to you by John Pemberton, together with Chad, his innovation partner who helps turn ideas into production. Behind the scenes, the creative team brings research, stories, and lived experiences of type 1 diabetes into an accessible format — combining science, storytelling, and strategy to help people live better with diabetes.
About Me
I’m John Pemberton — dad, husband, diabetes dietitian, researcher, and someone who’s lived with type 1 diabetes since 2008.
This podcast is my way of giving back. When my son Jude tested positive for type 1 diabetes antibodies, everything changed. I knew I had to act quickly and create a resource that was both comprehensive and easy to understand, so that anyone who might one day help manage his diabetes would feel supported. That’s how The Glucose Never Lies started — as an education platform to support my son’s future care.
Fortunately, his confirmatory test came back negative — but this doesn’t rule him, or my daughter, out. And since I was diagnosed at 27, I know just how real that risk can be.
The last two years have been the hardest of my life — battling depression, a functional motor disorder, and finally receiving an ADHD diagnosis. My journey back to health was made possible by the incredible support of my family, friends, and the wider diabetes community.
That experience taught me the power of giving. Written guides don’t work for everyone, but podcasts bring information to life in a real and relatable way. So that’s why I started this podcast — to make diabetes management engaging, practical, and fun.
I’ve been fortunate to work alongside some of the world’s leading researchers and thought leaders in type 1 diabetes, and I bring them onto the show to share their research, their stories, and their innovations.
You’ll also hear from people living with type 1 diabetes who are doing amazing things, and from advocates and clinicians shaping the future of diabetes care.
Here you’ll find guides, reflections, and conversations on everything from partying with T1D, continuous glucose monitoring and automated insulin delivery, to nutrition, exercise, insulin resistance, and childhood diabetes care.
Just to be clear — this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It’s not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare team before making any changes to your management.
I’m glad you’re here. Let’s get started.
The Glucose Never Lies®
2 - Mastering Control-IQ – The Spider-Man of AID Systems
Welcome to The Glucose Neverlies Podcast
In today’s episode, we are exploring the Tandem t:slim X2 with Control-IQ, a system that offers great power but also requires great responsibility. If you are considering this system or already using it, this episode will guide you through everything you need to know to make the most of Control-IQ.
With its highly customisable algorithm, multiple insulin profiles, and Activity and Sleep modes, Control-IQ provides a high degree of flexibility. However, much like Spider-Man’s abilities, this power requires understanding and maintenance. We will cover how the algorithm works, the key settings you need to get started, and essential tips and tricks to help you maximise your time in range. We will also discuss strategies for preventing and treating hypoglycaemia, managing high-fat meals, and adjusting for exercise to ensure you stay in control.
Control-IQ is built on three main components: the t:slim X2 pump, Dexcom G6/G7 or Libre 2 Plus (depending on where you live), and the onboard Control-IQ algorithm. Understanding how these elements interact is crucial for optimising the system. The algorithm adjusts insulin delivery based on manually set basal rates and correction factors, which provides both automation and control. However, achieving the best results requires effort, particularly in fine-tuning the correction factor, which is key to determining how aggressively the algorithm responds to high glucose levels.
We will also explore common challenges, including how to handle high-fat meals such as pizza, how to adjust for exercise, and how to prevent hypos before they happen. Whether you prefer a quick and simple approach or a more structured plan, we will guide you through how to manage Control-IQ effectively.
If you are ready to take control like Spider-Man, let’s get started.
For more information:
Mastering t:slim with Control IQ - The Spider-Man of AID Systems
