A specific question has been asked a lot lately, as to what is my protocol for handling Biofilms. Most of these questions have been directed to me by people diagnosed with or think they may have, Lyme disease.
First a little background on biofilms:
Fig. 1: The biofilm life cycle. 1: individual cells populate the surface. 2: extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) is produced and attachment becomes irreversible. 3 & 4: biofilm architecture develops and matures. 5: single cells are released from the biofilm. Related Post – Biofilm Basics and Quorum Sensing and Biofilm
This is an excerpt from a Klaire Labs product monograph which is a basic primer on the topic (My additions are in RED) The National Institutes of Health estimates that 60% of all human infections and 80% of refractory infections (def. unresponsive to medical treatment) are attributable to biofilm colonies. I have seen this, most commonly, in cases I’ve worked-up, where the pathogen is: Chlamydia pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Helicobacter pylori, [Lyme disease - Borrelia burgdorferi] and Candida albicans.
The protection conferred upon microorganisms by biofilms allows them to achieve a high level of antibiotic resistance, stealth and invisibility. Biofilms not only provide a physical barrier to antimicrobial agents (pharmaceutical antibiotics) and host antibodies, but facilitate the exchange of antibiotic-resistant genetic material between organisms and may contain antibiotic-degrading enzymes such as b-lactamase, effectively neutralizing incoming antibiotic molecules. The decreased growth rate of sessile microorganisms (def. Permanently attached to a substrate; not free to move about; “an attached oyster”) also reduces their antibiotic susceptibility as most antimicrobial agents require rapid cell growth in order to effectively kill or inhibit the microbes. Biofilms thus render pathogenic microorganisms enormously difficult to eradicate, and can almost single-handedly contribute to localized or systemic inflammatory reactions and delayed wound healing. Depending on the type of biofilm, one or more species of pathogens may be found embedded in the extracellular polymeric substance (def. Composed primarily of polysaccharides and can either stay attached to the cell’s outer surface, or be secreted into its growth medium). Bacterial extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) maybe a carrier of, or may have heavy metals embedded in them, thus the indication for chelation w/EDTA).
Pathogenic bacterial known to reside in biofilms include: Borrelia burgdorferi, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Helicobacter pylori, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Vibrio cholerae. The number of human diseases shown to be associated with biofilms is expanding and includes chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, cystic fibrosis pneumonia, infective endocarditis, periodontitis, recurrent otitis media, and virtually all device and implant related infections. Strong evidence is also beginning to emerge for an etiologic role of pathogenic mucosal biofilms in gastrointestinal diseases, such as Irritable Bowel Disorders: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
S. aureus biofilm
Dr. Marcus Ettinger’s Biofilm Protocol – Only the eradication phase is presented here. There is a pre, post and toxin reduction step as well. I will add these soon.
A. Products (mandatory products in RED):
- Monolaurin (lauric acid) 600mg’s 2 caps 2x per day
- Nutiva Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil (almost 50% lauric acid by volume) 1-3 tablespoons per day
- Nattokinase (a potent fibrinolytic enzyme) 100mg’s 1-3 times per day
- InterFase Plus™ (broad-spectrum enzyme formula w/EDTA) 2 caps 3x/day on an empty stomach
- Serrapeptase or (Serrazimes – Now Foods) 20,000 units 2x per day
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid – Not buffered, as most of these contain metals) 500mg’s 4x/day
B. Avoid Supplemental forms of: Magnesium, Iron and Calcium as they may feed the biofilm.
C. Take a broad spectrum probiotic and prebiotic. I like the combination of Now Foods brand Gr8, 2-3 per day and their Probiotic Defense Powder, 1/4 tsp 2-4x per day. These products will help to crowd out the bad bacteria, and also help disrupt biofilm colonies along the mucus membrane.
D. Specific Additions based on condition:
- Candida* – SF722 (10-Undecenoic Acid 50 mg) Thorne Research. I’ve used 9 up to 20 a day with clients. This is as close as you can get to a medication and still be natural. There are a few chat rooms blasting this product, based on who knows what. I’ve used it for over 15 years and it is amazing, never a problem! *Do not take if you are allergic to fish.
- Chlamydia pneumonia – Pneumotrophin PMG by Standard Process, Inc. 1 tab 3x/day. How it works. I use it because it helps direct the body’s attention to the lung where it is needed most.
- H. pylori – Complete write-up on another post.
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis – Quercitin (600mg’s) and Bromelain (200mg’s) combination by Now Foods. 3-6 capsules per day. Decreases inflammation and oxidant stress in the prostate while increasing local concentrations of beta-endorphins.
If you are interested in ordering any of these products, please contact our office/Rene at (714) 639-4360, for product and shipping costs.
