4 days ago
The experts' guide to the probiotics that work
P robiotics, the 'gut-friendly' supplements and functional foods that purportedly transform your health, immunity and mental wellbeing, are part of a market worth £178 million — and rising. By 2035 it is estimated we will be spending £242 million on tending to our microbiome, the vast ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and yeasts that inhabit our intestines. But what happens when these products are subjected to scientific scrutiny of the highest order — do they really live up to their claims?
Until now consumers had no way of telling if the probiotic pill they were popping was worth taking or better left on the shelf. 'The probiotic market has exploded, but choosing the right product remains incredibly challenging,' says Dr Gemma Walton, a researcher at the University of Reading's department of food and nutritional sciences. 'Well-researched products sit on the shelves next to others that may have very little research behind them.'
