Biofilms in the Gut: Hidden Communities Affecting Your Digestive Health
When we think about gut health, we often picture individual microbes floating freely in the digestive tract. But in reality, many gut microbes live in tightly knit, structured communities known as biofilms—and they play a much bigger role in our health than most people realise.
A 2024 review published in Gastroenterology sheds light on the complex world of gastrointestinal (GI) biofilms and how they can both support and sabotage gut health (Poudel et al., 2024).
What Are Microbial Biofilms?
Biofilms are dense, sticky clusters of microbes (bacteria, fungi, and sometimes viruses) that embed themselves in a self-produced protective matrix. These clusters attach to the mucosal lining of the gut wall, forming highly organised communities that are resistant to stress, antibiotics, and even immune responses.
This means biofilms aren’t just passive occupants—they’re resilient and often difficult to dislodge.
How Biofilms Impact Gut Health
Not all biofilms are harmful. Some are part of the gut’s natural ecosystem, helping to stabilise the microbiome and maintain mucosal health. However, pathogenic biofilms—those dominated by disease-promoting microbes—are linked to a range of gut issues, including:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Colorectal cancer
These harmful biofilms disrupt the mucus barrier, invade the gut lining, and promote inflammation. Because they protect the microbes inside, they also make infections harder to treat and contribute to chronic conditions.
Detection and Treatment
Historically, detecting biofilms in the GI tract has been challenging. But new endoscopic imaging techniques now allow researchers and clinicians to identify and study biofilms in the colon and small intestine (Poudel et al., 2024).
As for treatment, researchers are exploring several strategies:
Probiotics – introducing beneficial bacteria to crowd out harmful species.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) – restoring microbial diversity to rebalance the ecosystem.
Enzymes and biofilm-disrupting agents – breaking down the sticky matrix to expose microbes to treatments.
These methods aim not just to kill off pathogens, but to restore a healthy balance in the gut environment.
The Bottom Line
Gut biofilms are a crucial, often overlooked factor in digestive health. While some support balance and resilience, others contribute to inflammation and disease. Understanding and targeting these microbial communities could unlock new pathways for treating chronic gut issues—and help us take better care of our microbiome from the inside out.