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®
15: C-Peptide - What type of type 1 diabetes do you have?
Hosted by diabetes dietitian John Pemberton, this show blends science and real-life experience to make managing type 1 diabetes easier, clearer, and more human. Smart insights, practical tips, and honest conversations await.
It's all about C-Peptide and what it means for people living with T1D!
🕒 [00:09] Think all T1D is the same? Think again.
🕒 [02:14] Some people really do have it harder — and “brittle diabetes” might be real.
🕒 [04:37] Enter C-peptide: a marker of how much insulin your body still makes.
🕒 [06:10] Know your number:
• High: >200 pmol/L
• Intermediate: 30–200
• Low: <30
🕒 [09:11] Diagnosed young? You likely have lower C-peptide. John, diagnosed at 27, still has 220 after 10 years.
🕒 [10:20] High C-peptide = better time-in-range, fewer hypos, fewer complications.
🕒 [13:10] Why? More portal insulin + less glucagon = smoother control.
🕒 [14:01] Use your C-peptide to prioritise tech and tailor therapy (GLP-1s, HCL systems, nutrition).
🕒 [17:55] Most of all—be kind to yourself. It’s not weakness. It’s biology.
Key resources
Episode 14: Insulin Resistance and T1D
C-Peptide full article – click here
