Conversations That Matter: The magic of probiotics

In 1983, scientist Gregor Reid had a wild idea. “Is lactobacilli bacteria good for your health?” he wondered.

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. Indeed, the term microbiome didn’t exist.

Reid faced ridicule. “Oh, I was called a whole host of names.”

He 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 that idea, a worldwide industry has evolved. As of 2021, the probiotics field is estimated to be worth more than $60 billion annually and it has spanned the development of multiple products that are available and in use around the world.