Show notes
What if improving your gut health isn’t about adding more but feeding what’s already there?Professor Glenn Gibson tells Yalda how prebiotics work, why balance matters, and how to support your gut microbiome effectively.Professor Glenn Gibson, one of the world’s leading microbiome scientists and the man who coined the term prebiotic, joins Yalda to explain how the gut ecosystem truly works. He breaks down the difference between prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics, and why feeding beneficial bacteria is often more important than adding more strains. The conversation explores how modern diets affect gut health, why excessive fibre or supplementation can cause bloating, and how small, consistent changes can improve digestion, reduce cravings, and enhance overall well-being.Professor Glenn Gibson is the Chair of Food Microbiology and Head of Food Microbial Sciences at the University of Reading in the UK, where his research focuses on gut microbiology, probiotics, and prebiotics. He is widely recognised for co-authoring the landmark 1995 paper that introduced the term prebiotics — “Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics.”Across his career, he has overseen more than 145 research projects, supervised over 85 PhD students, published over 500 papers and 8 books, and received more than 100,000 citations. His work has spanned from fundamental microbial ecology (his PhD was on sulphate-reducing bacteria in marine sediments) to applied human dietary interventions, including the development of prebiotic ingredients to enhance beneficial gut bacteria, modulate inflammation, improve metabolic markers, and support immune and gut health. He has also held visiting professorships at institutions such as Imperial College London and has held leadership roles, including co-founding and serving as past president of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP). His ongoing research explores how the gut ecosystem influences not just digestive health but also systemic health outcomes, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, immunity, brain–gut links, and the role of diet and microbes in long-term wellness. Share this episode with someone who wants to better understand their gut health.