Probiotics, Prebiotics & Synbiotics

Within the human gut lives a microbial world of staggering complexity — trillions of bacteria whose balance can tip the scales toward health or disease. Probiotics, Prebiotics & Synbiotics focuses on the science of deliberately nurturing that inner ecosystem through diet and supplementation. Once a niche curiosity, this field has exploded into one of the most dynamic and commercially significant areas of nutrition, promising to harness beneficial microbes to support digestion, immunity, and far more besides.

The distinctions matter and form the backbone of the discussion. Probiotics are the live beneficial bacteria themselves; prebiotics are the fibres and compounds that feed them; and synbiotics combine the two in a single, synergistic strategy. The session unpacks how each works, the strains and substrates with the strongest evidence, and the conditions for which they show genuine promise — from antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome to emerging interest in immune and metabolic health. It also turns a critical eye on the marketplace, where bold health claims frequently outpace the supporting science.

A recurring theme is the gap between hype and evidence, and the importance of strain specificity, dose, and viability in determining whether these products actually deliver. Microbiome researchers, gastroenterologists, dietitians, food scientists, and supplement developers will find this session especially valuable, as will those advancing gut microbiome nutrition and functional dietary products. For attendees of the Nutrition Conference, it offers a balanced, evidence-led exploration of a fast-moving field — one where genuine therapeutic potential sits alongside considerable marketing noise, and where careful science is essential to separate the two.