Biologics: The Dangerous Shortcut to Temporary Relief
The health industry is handing out biologics like candy for autoimmune conditions like psoriasis. You’re told it’s quick, easy, and effective. But beneath that shiny sales pitch lies a reality the pharmaceutical companies and many doctors don’t want you to question. Let’s get into it—because biologics are not the magic bullet they’re marketed to be.
Biologics work by "turning down" your immune system, suppressing the body’s natural defense mechanism. And yes, this might help with visible symptoms like flare-ups on your skin, but here's the harsh truth: your immune system isn't attacking you for no reason. It’s responding to something—often foreign invaders leaking into your bloodstream through a compromised gut lining, triggering a cascade of inflammation. And where do these invaders come from? Our modern diet, laden with food additives, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and chemical preservatives. The very diet that no one in the medical establishment seems to want to address.
Instead of tackling this problem head-on, the solution is to slap a prescription on the issue and mute the immune system’s cries for help. But this approach is like turning off a fire alarm while the house continues to burn.
The Gut-Immune Connection: It’s Not You, It’s the Food
Here’s what most people don’t know: around 70% of your immune system is housed in your gut. Yes, 70%. The gut barrier, made up of tightly packed cells and a protective mucus layer, is designed to keep harmful substances out while allowing nutrients in. But modern food additives like emulsifiers (carrageenan, polysorbates) are bulldozing this barrier. Studies show these compounds disrupt the integrity of the gut lining, alter the composition of your gut flora, and increase gut permeability—better known as “leaky gut” in common parlance.
When the gut barrier weakens, bacteria, toxins, and undigested food particles can leak into the bloodstream, setting off a firestorm of immune responses. In other words, when the immune system goes on high alert, it’s not "overreacting"—it’s responding to the constant invasion of foreign particles. Your immune system is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do: defend you.
And yet, biologics are designed to shut down this response. The problem isn’t your immune system being overactive—it’s what’s breaking down the barrier and letting these invaders in to begin with. Instead of addressing that, the medical industry’s answer is to suppress your body’s defense mechanisms and cross their fingers that the consequences don’t come back to bite you. This is a prime example of treating the symptom, not the cause.
Why Turning Down the Immune System is a Game of Russian Roulette
Let’s talk about how biologics like Humira (adalimumab) work. Humira is a TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitor. TNF is a cytokine—basically an immune system messenger—that plays a key role in systemic inflammation. TNF also has another, lesser-known role: it helps identify and destroy abnormal cells, including cancer cells. So when you suppress TNF, you’re not just calming inflammation. You’re also impairing your body’s ability to eliminate dangerous cells.
This is why biologics like Humira carry a black box warning—the FDA’s most severe warning label—due to an increased risk of serious infections and certain cancers, particularly lymphoma and melanoma. So while your skin might clear up, you’re essentially leaving your front door wide open for infections and tumors to waltz right in. But that’s not all: biologics can also increase the risk of other serious diseases, such as liver damage, congestive heart failure, and neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.
Think about that. You’re risking life-threatening diseases for clearer skin. That’s the deal the medical establishment is offering you because it’s easier than helping you overhaul your diet and lifestyle.
It’s Not Just TNF—Biologics Are Playing Whack-a-Mole With Your Immune System
Don’t be fooled into thinking TNF inhibitors are the only problematic biologics. There are other classes of biologics that target different cytokines, like IL-12, IL-23, and IL-17 inhibitors. But here’s the kicker: they all work by disrupting immune pathways critical for keeping you healthy.
Interleukin-12/23 Inhibitors like Stelara (ustekinumab) block signals that influence immune cell behavior, reducing inflammation but also compromising the immune response.
Interleukin-17 (IL-17) Inhibitors like Cosentyx (secukinumab) and Taltz (ixekizumab) interfere with IL-17, a cytokine that not only drives skin inflammation but also helps protect the body against fungal infections and maintains mucosal integrity in organs like the lungs and gut.
Interleukin-23 (IL-23) Inhibitors like Skyrizi (risankizumab) selectively target the p19 subunit of IL-23, a key player in activating and maintaining Th17 cells, which are crucial for immune responses against bacterial and fungal infections. In short, while you may experience fewer psoriasis symptoms, you’re compromising your body’s ability to defend against other invaders.
Suppressing these pathways can lead to a host of side effects: upper respiratory infections, candida overgrowth, and even cardiovascular complications. Why? Because the immune system is a complex, interdependent network. You can’t just turn off one part without throwing the rest out of balance.
Biologics and Cancer Risk: The Ugly Truth
Let’s confront the elephant in the room: cancer. Most biologics carry a potential risk of cancer due to the way they modulate the immune system. A healthy immune system is constantly patrolling the body for abnormal cells, eliminating them before they can grow into tumors. When you inhibit critical cytokines like TNF or IL-17, you reduce your immune system’s capacity to do its job.
A study published in JAMA Dermatology highlighted that long-term use of TNF inhibitors significantly increases the risk of lymphoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. And while newer classes like IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors may show a slightly lower risk profile, their long-term safety data is still being collected. In essence, you’re part of a massive clinical trial to see if these drugs are safe for a lifetime of use.
Are we really willing to take that risk when we know that addressing gut health and diet can achieve similar, if not better, outcomes without compromising long-term health?
Let’s Talk About Root Causes—Not Quick Fixes
Biologics offer a temporary Band-Aid. They suppress symptoms, but they don’t cure the disease. The root of autoimmune conditions like psoriasis often lies in the gut. When the gut lining breaks down, your immune system goes on high alert. Emulsifiers found in processed foods have been shown to increase intestinal permeability and promote inflammation by altering gut microbiota. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose can disrupt the balance of good bacteria, leading to dysbiosis and increased inflammation.
Yet, how often do you hear a doctor recommending a gut-healing protocol before suggesting a biologic? Rarely, if ever. Why? Because diet and lifestyle changes aren’t as profitable as a lifetime subscription to a biologic.
The Medical Industry’s Dirty Secret: It’s Not Your Fault—It’s Theirs
I’m not blaming anyone suffering from psoriasis or any other autoimmune condition. This isn't about personal responsibility; it’s about corporate culpability and the medical establishment’s refusal to acknowledge how deeply food impacts health. The modern diet is toxic—loaded with additives and inflammatory agents—and no one seems to care. Instead, you’re handed a biologic prescription and sent on your way, while your gut continues to deteriorate.
It’s not your fault you’ve been fed a steady stream of processed junk marketed as food. But it is the food industry's fault for prioritizing profits over health, and it's the medical establishment’s fault for being complicit in this system by offering quick fixes instead of lasting solutions.
The Solution is in the Gut, Not the Medicine Cabinet
It’s time we start focusing on gut health. Research shows that people with autoimmune diseases often have lower microbial diversity and higher levels of pathogenic bacteria. The answer isn’t in biologics—it’s in healing the gut with fermented foods, fiber-rich vegetables, and by avoiding inflammatory foods that cause disruption.
Because here’s the truth no one’s talking about: you can't out-prescribe a poor diet, and you sure as hell can’t medicate your way out of a broken food system.
The fix isn’t in a biologic—it’s in healing your gut.
Sources:
- Integrative Healthcare: "70% of the immune system is housed in the gut"
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI): Study on emulsifiers and gut permeability
- JAMA Dermatology: Long-term risks associated with TNF inhibitors
- American Journal of Gastroenterology: Risks associated with long-term biologic use
- Journal of Immunology Research: Impact of artificial sweeteners on gut health
- Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology: Importance of microbial diversity in immune function