Your Body Is Home to Millions of Bacterial Pilots feat. Anders Corbett

In this episode, I talk with Anders Corbett, microbiome researcher and founder of Craft Microbiome, about how the bacteria living inside us may be influencing far more than we realize — from performance and recovery to cognition, mood, and long-term health. Anders’ journey into microbiome science started at Harvard Medical School, where he sequenced his own microbiome as a former elite rower. What he discovered sparked a much bigger question: do elite athletes carry different microbial patterns than the rest of us? That curiosity led him to study Olympic athletes, UFC fighters, NBA players, endurance competitors, and high-performing executives — identifying how certain bacterial strains correlate with inflammation control, lactate metabolism, testosterone signaling, VO₂ capacity, and stress resilience. In this conversation, we explore the rapidly evolving science of the microbiome and human performance, including: • How the microbiome shifts before and after elite competition • Inflammation-reducing bacteria found in endurance athletes • Growth-hormone–associated strains identified in sprinters • Gut changes after concussive and non-concussive hits • The gut-brain axis and its impact on mood and decision-making • How bacteria influence dopamine and serotonin production • Microbiome changes that tend to happen around 40 and again around 60 • Epigenetics and how microbes may turn genes on or off • Why sunlight, soil exposure, and environment matter for microbial health • How stress reshapes bacterial populations in the gut • The future of performance-focused probiotic formulations We also talk about something many of us overlook: how modern life — sterile environments, limited food diversity, chronic stress, antibiotics, travel, and poor sleep — may be reducing microbial diversity and resilience. Anders shares practical ways to begin supporting your microbiome even if you’re not a professional athlete — including simple shifts that may improve sleep, digestion, recovery, focus, and energy. This conversation bridges cutting-edge science with something more timeless: the idea that our bodies are ecosystems. And it raises a deeper question worth considering: Who’s really in charge — you or your gut? CONNECT WITH ANDERS Craft Microbiome (Custom microbiome sequencing and consultations available) CONNECT WITH ME Instagram: YouTube: If you enjoyed this conversation, please

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Your Body Is Home to Millions of Bacterial Pilots feat. Anders Corbett is an episode from The Gabby Reece Show by Dear Media.

This episode is 01:41:21 long.

This episode was published on Apr 6, 2026.

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