Gut instinct: how we all went microbiome mad

Anyone for a big dose of colonising bacteria? Just us?

- Harriet Hall

There had been signs-the communal fridge at the yoga retreat; filled with bottles of probiotics; the advert for dog food that promised to improve your pup's microbiome; the NYE dinner table conversation that turned to bloating remedies. Gut chat had entered the room. Is this simply where conversations go to die when you reach your thirties, or is something else going on?

In recent years we've obsessed over our sleep, our step counts, we have added varying blends of so-called health powders to our drinks and now we are turning our attention to our stomachs. Call it gut instinct if you will, but talk of our once taboo bodily functions has emerged from the bowels of society to take centre stage. Since January 2019, Google search data show a 370% increase in people seeking gut health advice. When Cosmo UK polled their readers*, 88% of said they cared about their gut health, with 43% avoiding certain foods for this reason and 26% taking probiotics to improve it. The bottom line? Le shit, c'est chic.

And thank goodness, because our tummies are in a bit of a state. In a 2021 survey of over 73,000 adults, 40% reported gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, from bloating to constipation. In the UK alone, an estimated 13 million people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) according to their National Health Service, with one in every 123 people diagnosed with a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn's or ulcerative colitis. Medical experts aren't certain on why this is, but among the key factors that can contribute to gut malaise are genetics, poor diet, a lack of exercise, and stress. Meanwhile, conversations around the health risks of ultra-processed foods have risen to the fore in recent years, with data suggesting that in the UK, they account for at least half of their diet.