Ep. 433: Unlocking the Magic of Probiotics
Guest: Dr. Gregor Reid
In 1983, Dr. Gregor Reid had a wild and crazy idea.
He pondered, “Is lactobacilli bacteria good for your health?” It was an idea that was years ahead of its time. Back then, probiotics didn’t exist. No one thought of or considered the microbiome – in fact, the term microbiome didn’t exist. Dr. Reid faced ridicule: “Oh, I was called a whole host of names.”
Dr. Reid looked over the horizon and around the corner of history, and foresaw the use of beneficial microbes to treat and prevent disease. He has been proven to be right and, in doing so, provided a strong vision for the evolution of the field.
From what was an idea, a worldwide industry has evolved. As of 2021, the probiotics field is estimated to generate more than $60 billion annually and it has spanned the development of multiple products that are available and in use around the world.
We invited Dr. Gregor Reid, the 2021 Dr. Rogers Prize co-winner, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about where the future of probiotics will take us.
