Sandra and Wagdy are back with another episode, this time joined by Dr Jason Hawrelak all the way from Australia, to unpack the confusing world of probiotics: what they are, when they’re useful, and how to separate real evidence from clever marketing. This episode covers:
- Probiotics 101: what probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics actually are, why they all matter, and whether everyone really needs a probiotic supplement.
- Strain-specific science: which probiotic strains have evidence for IBS, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, mood support, and more plus the biggest myths Jason wants people to stop believing.
- Women’s health and probiotics: what we know (and don’t yet know)
- Prebiotics explained: why prebiotics often have a bigger impact on the microbiome than probiotics themselves and much more!
This was a practical, myth-busting conversation to help you choose probiotics with confidence and understand when they’re worth it, and when they’re not.
About Dr. Jason Hawrelak
Dr Jason Hawrelak is a researcher, educator, Western herbalist, and naturopathic physician with 25 years’ clinical experience. He did his PhD examining the capacity of probiotics, prebiotics and herbal medicines to modify the gastrointestinal tract microbiota and teaches worldwide on the topics of microbiota modification, clinical application of probiotics and prebiotics, and gut health. He has published extensively in these areas, including 20 textbook chapters. Dr Hawrelak is on the Medical Nutrition Council of the American Society for Nutrition and is a Fellow of both the American College of Nutrition and the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia. Dr Hawrelak maintains a busy telehealth clinical practice as lead clinician in the Hawrelak Gut and Microbiome Clinic.
Dr Hawrelak is Chief Research Officer at ProbioticAdvisor.com, which offers a searchable database that enables easy, evidence-based prescribing of probiotic products. He also established, and is Lead Educator at the Microbiome Restoration Center, an online educational centre devoted to training health professionals to become microbiome clinicians, through his key courses – Naturopathic and Functional Medicine Approaches to Gastrointestinal Disorders and Advanced Microbiome Manipulation.
Connect with Dr. Hawrelak:
Disclaimer: This podcast is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalised medical advice. The content shared is for educational purposes only.
What is The Gastroenterologist And His Daughter?
Your pursuit of gut health has probably taken you down a rabbit hole of misinformation, useless concoctions and false promises so this is where this uncensored podcast comes in!
The gastroenterologist and his daughter is the first of its kind bringing a specialist gastroenterologist and his daughter to help you navigate the world of all things gut health, from mouth to bum and everything in between! Join your hosts Sandra Mikhail, gut health-specialist dietitian and founder of nutrition A-Z and Dr. Wagdy Mikhail, specialist gastroenterologist and internist, as they unpack the most talked about topics in gut health covering both the medical and lifestyle aspects of all things gut with a ton of comedy and faecal tête-à-tête.
Disclaimer: This podcast is not meant to be used, nor should it be used, to diagnose or treat any medical condition. For diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, consult your own physician or healthcare provider. The podcast is for education purposes only and it is advised that you exercise your own judgment before using the information provided. Always consult your healthcare team for medical advice before taking any action.