# Tim Spector: The science of the gut microbiome and chronic inflammation

An episode of [The Big Think Interview](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/6797911690), 19 Jun 2026, 1 h 13 min.

Audio: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APO6670233620.mp3

Could depression, dementia, and poor oral health all have one uniting link? The gut microbiome contains 200 more genes than human cells, and research shows its strong impact on mental illness, brain health, and chronic inflammation. Professor of epidemiology at King's College London Tim Spector breaks down the science of how gut microbes produce the chemicals that shape your mood, your immune system, and your cognitive health, and why the standard Western diet has been systematically destroying them for 50 years.

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