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The world’s top scientists explain the latest health, nutrition, and gut health research and translate it into practical advice to improve your health & weight. Join ZOE Science & Nutrition, on a journey of scientific discovery. Hosted by Jonathan Wolf.

ZOE Science & Nutrition

10 million deaths a year. 

That is how many people are predicted to die from antibiotic-resistant infections if we do not find new treatments.

In today’s episode, Professor Martha Clokie and Professor Tim Spector explore the secret gut viruses, known as phages, being studied to fight deadly infection, target cancer cells, and to protect your gut microbiome. 

Martha is a world-leading expert on the mysterious phage and, for the last 20 years, has pioneered research to revolutionise the treatment of infections without antibiotics. She explains why antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat, why everyday infections are becoming harder to treat, and how some bacteria are now resistant to every antibiotic available. We explore how the viruses in our gut may help solve this problem, and how scientists may one day use them to deliver highly targeted cancer treatment.

By the end of the episode, you’ll have some ideas to help support a healthier gut ecosystem and understand how to increase the number of friendly gut viruses that live inside you.

The science is still early, but the message is clear: the small choices we make every day are shaping our long-term resilience to disease.

If viruses can help protect us from infection rather than cause it, how much of human health are we only just beginning to understand?

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Intro

01:34 The gut viruses scientists say we need to survive

03:19 There are more gut viruses than stars in the universe

10:50 The billion-year war happening inside your gut

13:10 The hidden system controlling your microbiome

14:42 What healthy microbiomes have that unhealthy guts lose

16:33 The gut viruses that may protect you from infection

17:38 Why your immune system allows trillions of viruses to live inside you

19:25 The natural viruses that kill salmonella

20:52 Why ageing may weaken your gut’s viral defences

22:05 Scientists still don’t know what most gut viruses do

25:12 The strange origin story of phage therapy

27:22 Doctors are already using viruses to treat deadly infections

28:02 Why antibiotics are starting to fail

29:07 The deadly infection crisis bigger than cancer

30:38 How factory farming fuels antibiotic resistance

32:27 The antibiotic resistance emergency is already here

33:25 The forgotten treatment abandoned after antibiotics

35:50 Why phage therapy may spare your microbiome

36:37 The dying patient saved by experimental viruses

39:41 Could phages replace antibiotics in the future?

40:50 The viruses scientists are using to target cancer cells

44:35 How diet shapes the viruses living in your gut

46:05 The surprising link between coffee and gut health

47:25 The foods that may increase healthy gut viruses

50:34 The future of gut health, cancer treatment and infection prevention

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

How gut viruses shape your gut microbiome

Phages to the rescue, Trends in Microbiology (2024)

Compounds in the foods we eat can trigger phage production, Gut Microbes (2020)

Microbiomes of garden vs supermarket produce, Nature (2022)

Phage Therapy at Belgium’s Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Viruses (2019)

Habitual coffee intake shapes the gut microbiome, Nature (2026)

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.Episode transcripts are available here.

10 million deaths predicted but science is fighting back! The secret gut viruses that attack cancer, fight infection and slow aging | Prof Martha Clokie & Prof Tim Spector

Today, we’re diving into one of the most requested topics we’ve ever had: cold water therapy.

Cold showers, ice baths and wild winter swimming have exploded in popularity over recent years with supporters claiming a range of health benefits. 

But are these claims actually backed by science, or is it all just another wellness fad? 

I’m joined by Dr. Susanna Søberg and Proffesor Tim Spector to break down the studies and discover if we could all do with a bit more ice in our life.

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Most replayed moment: Ice Baths: Science or Fad? | Susanna Søberg & Prof Tim Spector

Allergies have tripled - with hay fever, seasonal allergies, eczema and food intolerances now affecting millions of people. But why are allergy symptoms getting worse, and what does gut health have to do with it?

In this episode, Adam Fox, a world-leading allergy Professor at King’s College London, explains why allergies may be rising so fast, why many beliefs about allergies are wrong, and what new science reveals about your immune system, skin and gut.

Professor Fox explores why some foods are more likely to trigger reactions, and why modern allergy science is increasingly focused on gut health. Adam also discusses why 90% of people told they are allergic to certain things may not actually be allergic, the difference between allergies and intolerances, and why some antihistamines may be doing you more harm than you realise.

By the end of this episode, you will have some practical ways to manage hay fever and seasonal allergies, including which antihistamines experts now recommend avoiding, simple ways to reduce pollen exposure at home, and when allergy testing or desensitisation treatment may help. Adam explains how newer treatments are starting to retrain the immune system rather than simply suppress symptoms.

If allergies barely existed a few hundred years ago, what changed? And could your gut now be shaping the way your immune system reacts to the world around you?

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Intro

03:19 Why peanut allergies became so common in children

08:05 Why allergies are different in every country

10:00 The hidden link between eczema and food allergies

11:14 Your gut and skin train your immune system differently

12:42 What eczema actually does to your immune system

15:15 Did hay fever barely exist 200 years ago?

17:36 Why hay fever can seriously affect your life

18:11 Hay fever may affect exam results and work performance

20:20 Most people diagnosed with penicillin allergy may not have it

22:30 90% of penicillin allergies may be wrong

25:52 The hygiene hypothesis may not explain allergies after all

28:10 The microbiome connection scientists can’t ignore

31:24 The mouse experiment that changed allergy science

34:05 The eating pattern linked to fewer allergies in children

36:35 Food allergy vs food intolerance - what’s the difference?

39:51 What anaphylaxis actually feels like in the body

43:43 Gluten allergy, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity explained

47:49 Why allergy blood tests can give misleading results

49:46 The new treatment changing peanut allergy care

52:41 5 science-backed ways to reduce hay fever symptoms

55:16 The antihistamines some doctors now avoid

56:40 The future of allergy treatment is changing fast

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

Professor Adam Fox OBE uses Instagram to share clear bite-sized insights on children’s allergies, eczema & other allergic diseases - Follow at @DrAdamFox

Rising Trends in Food Allergies, The Lancet (2024)

Pollen exposure and exam performance, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (2026)

Almost nine in ten patients labelled allergic to penicillin had no allergy, The Lancet (2025)

Risk Factors for the Development of Food Allergy, JAMA (2026)

Food Allergy and the Microbiome, Current Research in Microbial Sciences (2025)

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is your gut making hay fever, seasonal allergies, eczema and food intolerances worse? Here are 5 ways to fight back | Prof. Adam Fox

Today, we’re zooming out to look at the bigger picture.

On this podcast, we often talk about things that you can do to improve your diet. However, you're not the only one who has an impact on your health. The truth is, our food system - from government policy to supermarket placement - has a profound influence on what we eat, how we eat, and ultimately how healthy we all are.

So, what steps can we take to improve not just our own health, but the health of society as a whole? 

Today, I’m joined by Professor Brian Elbel and Professor Tim Spector to explore the forces shaping our food system — and the changes that could benefit our collective well-being.

Most replayed moment: Is Our Food System Making Us Sick? | Prof Brian Elbel & Prof Tim Spector

What if boosting your immune system is the wrong goal? 

Today, Dr Giulia Enders explains how boosting immunity may increase inflammation and why your symptoms are often part of your body’s defence. Your immune system is not failing when you feel sick. It is trying to protect you. So what should you focus on instead?

That’s the idea at the very heart of Giulia’s new book, Organ Speak. Giulia is a gastroenterologist and author whose previous book, Gut, sold eight million copies and helped convince the world that gut health was worth taking seriously.

She explains how the immune system really works and why symptoms like a runny nose, cough, or fever come from your body, not the infection itself. You’ll learn how sugar may push the immune system toward inflammation, how stress can weaken it, and why sleep is key for producing immune cells. This episode also explores how exercise helps regulate your immune response. The core idea is simple: health is not about making your immune system stronger. It is about keeping it balanced.

By the end of this episode, you will have practical ways to support that balance and habits to help your immune system respond in the right way.

If the sneezing, runny nose, fever - all of it - are actually the whole point, how much energy should you spend in suppressing them?

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Intro

02:45 Why being sick feels like failure

04:30 The problem with only treating the gut

07:16 Why your body is not broken

10:25 When your immune system gets overprotective

13:28 The virus may not cause your symptoms

15:36 Should you stop cold symptoms?

16:40 When diarrhoea medicine can backfire

18:05 Should you take painkillers when sick?

18:52 Why immunity is not a war

20:46 The invisible microbe cloak protecting you

22:49 How your body clears bacteria from skin

24:10 Your microbiome is part of immunity

26:58 Is your immune system like AI?

28:00 Why boosting immunity can go wrong

30:36 Are immune supplements worth taking?

31:45 How stress weakens your gut barrier

34:25 The one-minute breathing reset

37:48 Why sleep builds immune cells

39:27 The most important half of sleep

44:16 Do naps help your immune system?

46:40 What to eat for immune balance

48:00 How exercise moves immune cells

49:10 Why exercise when sick can be risky

54:26 Strength vs cardio for immunity

56:00 The immune system takeaway everyone needs

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

Organ Speak: What it really means to listen to our bodies by Giulia Enders

Gut by Giulia Enders

Association of Stress-Related Disorders With Autoimmune Disease, JAMA (2018)

Sugar-sweetened soda consumption and risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, AJCN (2014)

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

How 'boosting' your immune system increases inflammation and 4 ways to support balance instead | Dr Giulia Enders

Today, we’re shining a light on a lesser-known form of depression.

When we imagine depression, we often think of someone unable to get out of bed, someone who struggles to complete daily tasks. However, many people with depression are the exact opposite. They meet deadlines, achieve goals and appear successful. Yet, on the inside, they feel disconnected and distant from joy. 

This quieter, harder-to-spot condition is known as high-functioning depression.

I’m joined by psychiatrist Dr. Judith Joseph and Professor Sarah Berry to unpack what high-functioning depression looks like, why it’s so frequently missed, and how we should approach it. Sarah starts by asking for clarity on a word that is closely connected to this condition.

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Most replayed moment: Do You Have High-Functioning Depression? | Dr Judith Joseph & Professor Sarah Berry

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are now everywhere. But what do they actually do beyond weight loss? And what do you need to know before starting them?

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Ania Jastreboff, a world-leading researcher at the forefront of GLP-1 treatments and writer of the New York Times bestselling book Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's Like To Be Free, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey.

Dr Jastreboff explains everything you need to know about Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and other GLP-1 medications for 2026. You’ll learn how GLP-1s may reduce the risk of heart disease, improve blood sugar control, and support conditions like sleep apnoea. We also explore why weight often returns after stopping, and what you need to know about Ozempic side effects and long-term use.

If these drugs can change how your brain controls hunger, what does that mean for willpower, weight gain, and how we treat obesity long term?

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Intro

04:25 What these drugs are really treating

06:42 The hunger problem nobody could name

10:57 The diabetes side effect that changed everything

12:15 Why Ozempic isn’t just “more GLP-1”

15:51 Why Mounjaro works differently to Ozempic

17:56 The part everyone gets wrong

20:15 Can these drugs protect your heart?

21:25 The 94% diabetes finding

22:09 Why the weight can come back

23:50 Do you have to take them forever?

25:30 Can you trust pharma-funded trials?

27:46 The risk of microdosing GLP-1s

31:41 Are these drugs becoming surgery-level?

34:10 The health effects beyond weight loss

37:22 The side effects people should expect

40:15 Could stopping leave you worse off?

41:35 Who should actually take GLP-1 drugs?

43:40 The biggest mistake when starting treatment

46:28 What to eat when your appetite drops

50:03 Why these are not weight loss aids

51:52 Should healthy people take small doses?

53:14 The exercise rule people miss

54:24 What comes after Ozempic and Mounjaro?

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's Like To Be Free by Dr Ania Jastreboff & Oprah Winfrey

Retatrutide for Obesity, The New England Journal of Medicine (2023)

Healthy Weight Loss Maintenance with Exercise, Liraglutide, or Both Combined, The New England Journal of Medicine (2021)

Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients, The New England Journal of Medicine (2016)

Tirzepatide for Obesity Treatment and Diabetes Prevention, The New England Journal of Medicine (2025)

Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity, The New England Journal of Medicine (2024)

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Should you take Ozempic? The 5 things you need to know before starting GLP-1 drugs | Dr Ania Jastreboff

Today, we’re exploring the brain-gut axis

We’ve all heard phrases like “gut instinct” or “trust your gut”. These sayings hint towards a sort of mind in your midriff - and it turns out there is some truth to it. Emerging science reveals that the brain and gut are, in fact, closely connected, constantly exchanging signals through this intricate network of nerves.

So, the question is: if they’re so tightly intertwined, can treating one help heal the other?

I’m joined by gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz to unravel the mystery of this connection - and find out how we can use it to our advantage.

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Most replayed moment: Fix Your Gut: Improve Your Mind | Dr Will Bulsiewicz

You have around 10,000 cancer cells in your body right now, but most never become dangerous. The science suggests cancer risk is not just about genetics, but how your body responds to these cells. So what can you do, day to day, to support your body’s natural defences?

In this episode, Dr William Li, a world-renowned physician, scientist, speaker, and two-time NYT Bestselling author, explains how everyday foods can fuel cancer growth or help your body keep it under control. We explore how cancer starts, why it is part of normal biology, and explain why lifestyle and environment are more important than genetics when managing your cancer risk.

Dr Li shares simple guidance on eating patterns that support your body’s defences, including increasing plant-rich foods and reducing ultra-processed foods. He also highlights everyday habits such as staying active, supporting gut health, and limiting toxin exposure as ways to tip the balance in your favour.

If your body is already managing cancer cells every day, what small changes could help it do that job better?

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Intro

02:26 Almost everyone has microscopic tumours

08:15 We all have cancer right now?

10:45 Why most cancer cells stay harmless

13:40 The hidden trigger that fuels cancer growth

14:35 What makes cancer turn deadly

16:35 Cancer cells behave like seeds

19:05 How sunburn can lead to cancer

20:55 What smoking really does inside your body

22:20 The new way to fight cancer

24:20 Why genes matter less than you think

26:00 Is vaping worse than smoking?

27:05 The drinking habit that raises cancer risk

29:25 The environmental risk we can’t ignore

33:47 The diet pattern linked to cancer risk

35:10 Why processed meat is a class 1 carcinogen

37:25 How processed meat affects your gut

41:50 A simple way to reduce BBQ toxins

43:40 Does sugar really feed cancer?

45:51 The truth about soy and cancer

47:25 The soy study that shocked scientists

49:05 How tomatoes may lower cancer risk

51:00 Why berries are more powerful than you think

54:40 How tea and coffee support your defences

56:05 The gut link to cancer risk

57:40 Dr Li’s simplest rules to reduce risk

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

Eat to Beat Disease: The Body’s Five Defence Systems and the Foods that Could Save Your Life by Dr William Li 

Eat to Beat Your Diet by Dr William Li

Huge microbiome breakthrough from ZOE, thanks to community science

Shanghai Breast Cancer Study, JAMA (2009)

The Anti-Cancer Activity of Lycopene, Nutrients (2022)

Health Professionals Follow-Up Study

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

The 5 best foods to fight cancer and lower your risk of death | Dr William Li

Today we’re talking about some foods that can change your life.

Fatigue, disease, gut problems and weight gain. Many of the issues we discuss on this podcast can be linked back to one thing: chronic inflammation. 

However, you don’t need drugs or detoxes to quell this fire. One of the most powerful tools we have to control inflammation is right in front of us: food.

I’m joined by Dr. Federica Amati and Professor Tim Spector to spotlight three inflammation-fighting foods - and explain why these small changes to your plate can make a big difference to your body.

🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily 30+

Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint

How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Most replayed moment: Ice Baths: Science or Fad? | Susanna Søberg & Prof Tim Spector

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

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