Biofilm Disruptors 101: The Key To Gut Healing? 

In functional medicine, our focus is always on identifying and treating the root cause of disease. One underlying cause of illness that is often essentially hidden in plain sight is biofilms. 

These sticky formations of microbes are often overlooked, even though they’re a significant contributing factor to recurrent or treatment-resistant infections, antibiotic resistance, and chronic diseases including SIBO, urinary tract infections, IBD, and candida. 

And while they don’t necessarily act alone, biofilm disruptors—foods, herbal remedies, and supplements that can break up stubborn biofilms—can in many keys provide the key to healing. 

Let’s get into what biofilms are, why biofilm disruptors are so important, some of the best natural options, and how to know if you need one. 

What Are Biofilms? 

Biofilms are groups of microorganisms, which may include different species of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and protozoan parasites, that form in environments where there is natural moisture. For survival and protection, biofilms enclose themselves in a sticky, protective film, surrounded by fluid. 

These microbial communities can form on medical devices, in soil or natural bodies of water, on industrial equipment, and within us: for example, on our teeth, in our cardiovascular system, and in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. (1) 

Here’s the big reason why they matter: when an individual has a bacterial or other infection, conventional healthcare typically treats the infection under the assumption that the pathogen is in its planktonic, or free-floating, form. 

But in reality, an estimated 80% of bacterial infections involve biofilms, which are much more resistant to antibiotic and other treatments. (2, 3) 

Once biofilms have been created, they’re very difficult to break down, resisting immune system attacks, antibiotics, and antimicrobials. (4, 5) And I’m not saying this lightly. Research shows that, compared with single bacterial infections, bacterial biofilms can be 1000 times more resistant to antibiotics. (1) 

This is a major reason why infections, including UTIs, and bacterial overgrowths like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), fail to be eradicated or keep coming back, or why patients with IBD get stuck on a constant loop of antibiotics, to name just a few examples. (6, 7) 

What Are Biofilm Disruptors? 

A biofilm disruptor is any substance that can break down biofilms. This includes certain foods, herbal extracts, supplements, enzymes, and synthetic compounds. For the purposes of this article I’ll focus on natural biofilm disruptor options, of which there are several. 

Biofilm disruptors work in different ways to weaken or break down the protective layer of biofilms, at which point natural or pharmaceutical antimicrobial or antibiotic treatments can get to the problematic microbes inside. Some biofilm disruptors, like garlic and oregano oil, also have powerful antimicrobial properties. 

Biofilm disruptors can make a huge difference in the treatment plans of those suffering with chronic or recurrent infections or bacterial overgrowths. Some may also help to prevent the formation of new biofilms. 

Biofilm Disruptors: Foods

Healing starts with food, and there are several foods that naturally contain biofilm-disrupting compounds. Some of the active ingredients from these foods are also available as supplements for additional potency. 

• Garlic: Garlic is a gut-healing powerhouse. It has antimicrobial properties, can disrupt biofilms, reduce inflammation, and it feeds beneficial gut bacteria. (8, 9) Allicin, found in garlic, may disrupt biofilms including those containing E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.
  • Note that if you have SIBO, which does often involve biofilms, eating garlic can exacerbate symptoms due to its high FODMAP content. Pure allicin supplements may be better tolerated. 
• Cranberry: One of the reasons why cranberry is so helpful in the prevention and treatment of UTIs is that it contains proanthocyanidins, which can reduce biofilm formation in the urinary tract. (10) 
• Turmeric: Turmeric, which contains the active compound curcumin, may help to weaken biofilms in addition to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic capabilities. (11) 
• Manuka honey: Manuka honey has antimicrobial properties and can help to fight biofilms including those containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. (12, 13) 

Other foods that may disrupt biofilms include apple cider vinegar, natto, and pomegranate. 

Biofilm Disruptors: Supplements and Herbal Remedies

Here are some of the most effective supplements for breaking up or weakening biofilms, most of which also offer additional antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and/or gut-supportive benefits. 

• Curcumin: Curcumin is the active component found in turmeric (listed above). This is one of my most recommended supplements for reducing inflammation, and it also offers protective benefits against biofilms.
  • Try The Curcumin or Turmeric Root Extract from my Art of Being Well collection.
• Berberine: Berberine has been shown to disrupt bacterial signaling (known as quorum sensing) inside biofilms, helping to weaken them and inhibit further formation. (14) Berberine also has several additional immune supportive and antimicrobial benefits.
  • Try The Berberine, one of my most recommended products. 
• N-acetylcysteine (NAC): N-acetylcysteine, the precursor to the body’s “master” antioxidant glutathione, may help to both inhibit and break down biofilms. (15)
  • Find NAC and other biofilm disruptors, including pomegranate and alpha-lipoic acid, in The Detoxer.
• Oil of oregano: Oil of oregano contains the compounds carvacrol and thymol, both of which offer powerful antibiofilm activity. (16) Oil of oregano is also a potent antimicrobial. 
• Enzymes: Certain enzymes including nattokinase, bromelain, and serrapeptase can help to fight and disrupt biofilms. (17)
  • Get The Enzymes, my broad-spectrum digestive enzyme blend, here.

Who Are Biofilm Disruptors Right For? 

How do you know if you have a biofilm problem? There isn’t a very reliable way to test for them, but there are a few clinical signs that often suggest or indicate the presence of problematic biofilms. 

A telltale sign that you’re dealing with biofilms is an infection or overgrowth that resists treatment or keeps coming back. This can show up in many different ways, but some examples of conditions that often involve biofilms are: 

• SIBO and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (18) 
• Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) 
• Chronic Lyme disease
• Candida albicans or other yeast or fungal overgrowths 
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis (19, 20)
• Mold illness
• Chronic sinusitis
• Skin infections
• Strep throat (21)

Just as they resist standard treatments, microbial biofilms can resist all kinds of testing. So another indicator of a possible biofilm problem is experiencing the symptoms of a chronic infection, especially one you’ve had before, but testing negative for it. 

This isn’t always the case; plenty of people test positive for infections and have biofilms, but it’s one possibility. When I see someone experiencing symptoms of gut dysfunction or infection and their comprehensive stool test shows up relatively normal, I often suspect biofilms are keeping the infection from showing up. 

On this note, it’s often worth running a biofilm disruptor protocol before testing, to make hidden infections and overgrowths visible. 

Side Effects and Safety Considerations

There are many different kinds of biofilm disruptors. While the ones I’ve listed are generally safe for most people (though you should always consult with your practitioner for specific guidance and any possible contraindications), side effects are always possible. 

One important consideration is that breaking up biofilms and clearing out toxins and pathogens can lead to a “die-off” reaction, in which symptoms temporarily worsen before improvement occurs. 

Moving gradually and gently through the biofilm eradication process can help, as well as the inclusion of binders or detox support supplements as recommended. 

My best tip here is really to work with a knowledgeable functional medicine practitioner who can support you through the process. 

A Functional Medicine Approach to Biofilm Disruption 

As I’m sure you’ve heard me say before, there’s no such thing as a magic pill. No supplement or herbal treatment or single food medicine acts alone. If you’re dealing with biofilms, you’ll have the most success when you build biofilm disruptors into a strategic holistic protocol that supports overall gut health, immune system function, and detoxification. 

The gut is naturally an ideal environment for biofilms to grow because of its mucous layer and the nutrients it provides. (22) But biofilms may especially thrive in a dysbiotic, or imbalanced, gut environment. An important part of treatment is repairing and restoring gut health to help prevent the formation of future biofilms. 

Biofilms can also further damage gut health, often contributing to or causing increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut). And remember that within biofilms are the problematic microbes themselves that we want to get rid of. 

A well-rounded functional medicine approach to biofilm disruption involves the following broad steps, which are then further refined based on each individual case: 

1. Start with any low hanging fruit to support a healthy terrain. If you’re not already eating an anti-inflammatory diet, avoiding sugar, alcohol, and processed foods, this is the time. Having a healthy diet, exercise habits, sleep routine, and mindfulness practices in place will make a huge difference when it comes to your healing. 
2. Introduce biofilm disruptors. Ideally under the guidance of a functional medicine practitioner, you’ll introduce a biofilm disruptor to start breaking them up. 
3. Introduce antimicrobials. Once you’ve disrupted biofilms, it’s time to clear out the bacteria, fungi, and/or other pathogens that have been hiding inside. Antimicrobial agents may be introduced alongside or immediately following biofilm disruptors. 
4. Support the detox process. Releasing toxins from within biofilms and clearing them out of your system is obviously important, but can be a lot for your body to process. Detox support supplements or binders, such as glutathione or charcoal, may be recommended to help you through this process. 
5. Support long-term resilience and gut health. Both during and after biofilm disruption and antimicrobial treatment, you want to make sure you’re supporting overall gut health and immune system function. This may involve rebuilding a robust gut microbiome with probiotics and prebiotics, as a starting point. The healthier your gut and immune system, the more likely you’ll be able to fight future infections and biofilms. 

Restoring Balance With (and Beyond) Biofilms 

If there are two main things I hope you take away from this article, they’re first that biofilms are a shockingly underrecognized cause of persistent or recurrent infections, and second that biofilm disruptors, if used, are one part of a broader holistic healing strategy. 

If you’re looking for a plan and support for your own case, you’re welcome to reach out to our functional medicine telehealth center for a consultation. 

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.

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