All About Mycotoxins

All About Mycotoxins

Mold

Mold is a fungal growth that forms and spreads in various kinds of damp, warm and humid conditions. They are a natural part of the environment and can be found almost anywhere that moisture and oxygen are present.

Mycotoxins

Mold toxins

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds that are naturally produced by certain types of mold.

Mold Toxicity

Mold toxicity is an illness primarily caused by exposure to mold spores and mycotoxins. Mycotoxins can cause a variety of adverse health effects at different levels of exposure and pose a serious health threat to humans. Since there are hundreds of mold toxins, each with many possible effects, mold toxicity is a complex illness with a large and confusing spectrum of chronic symptoms, from headaches and allergies to autoimmune conditions. They can wreak havoc on essentially any system in the body. Additionally, mycotoxins can aggravate and complicate numerous other health problems and can be a missing link to healing.

Symptoms of Mold Toxicity

Insomnia, extreme fatigue, hair loss, unexplained weight gain or weight loss, sweet cravings, light sensitivity, poor depth perception, poor memory, intolerance to fragrances and chemicals, nose bleeds, chronic pain, headaches of all types, brain fog, numbness, tingling, weakness, tremor, nerve pain, dizziness, vertigo, ringing in the ears, joint and muscle pain, muscle cramps, general weakness, tics, muscle twitches, new or worsening anxiety, depression, mood swings, skin rashes, pruritus (itching), recurrent infections, autoimmunity, asthma, allergy, nausea, bloating, pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, urinary urgency and incontinence.

As you can guess, the average person might experience any of the above and not think much of it. That’s why it’s important to work with a qualified health expert that is trained to look for the underlying cause.

Common Sources of Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins thrive under the right conditions, with high temperatures and moisture being the major determining factors. The most common sources of toxic mold are:

Food (coffee, grains, spices)
Building with water damage/leaks
The air
The environment
Vehicles
Workplace
Behind walls
Under the floors
On the ceiling
Basements

Baseboards
Behind wet drywalls
Wet carpeting
Water lines to appliances
Plumbing
AC drains
Shower pans
HVAC systems and ducting
Behind wallpaper
Areas where you have condensation
Crawl spaces

The Problem with Mold

Mold is essentially everywhere, however, most of it won’t usually cause any damage. That is because the problem doesn’t lie with the mold itself, it’s the amount of time we’re spending near it. Thats why mold toxicity is not usually a problem outdoors. The problem occurs when the mold is present indoors and the toxins accumulate in our air and belongings (and then our bodies).

Common Types of Toxic Mold Species

Several hundred different mycotoxins have been identified, but the most commonly observed mycotoxins that present a concern to human health include:

Zearalenone
Fumonisins
Fusarium
Ochratoxins
Patulin
Aflatoxins
Trichothecenes

Diagnosis

Mycotoxin Tests to Quantify Mold Species

— Measure for mycotoxins in urine
— Check for antibodies to mold (which tests if you have an immune system response to an exposure to mold)

Light Tests

— Visual contrast sensitivity (VSC) tests: Tests your ability to distinguish contrast between black, white, and grey tones since certain molds can have neurotoxic effects, which can manifest as inhibited vision.

Blood Tests

— C3a and C4a blood immune markers: Low C3a levels can be a helpful indicator that there’s mold toxicity and C4a is a very dependable biomarker for the exact level of mold overload.
— Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH): This homrone may possess antifungal and antimicrobial properties and low levels of MSH has been linked with mold toxicity symptoms.
— Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide: This hormone regulates inflammation in the hypothalamus and according to some early research, people with mold toxicity tend to have lower VIP levels.
— Genetic testing: Check for a persons genetic health risk for developing mold toxicity symptoms. For example, genetic variants within the HLA and MTHFR genes may influence your risk of developing severe symptoms.

Looking for the Source of Mold

If a mycotoxin test is positive, then it is important to start looking for the source. But if the mycotoxin test is negative, it doesn’t mean there is not toxic mold exposure—because there aren’t tests for all of the important mycotoxins yet. If you get a negative result but you still suspect mold is an issue, it could still be helpful to look for potential sources of mold in your spaces.
The best way to assess your indoor air quality for a mold problem is to work with a mold inspector. An indoor air specialist will look for evidence of visible mold or less obvious signs of mold and water damage, leaks, or dampness on drywall, ceiling tiles, flooring, and more. A mold expert may also test air and dust samples for molds and mycotoxins.
If no source of mold has been found in your environment, it may be that the mold toxicity is coming from a past exposure to mold.

Current vs Past Exposure

Mold Toxicity arises from past or current exposure to mycotoxins produced by molds.

Past Exposure

Exposure to toxic mold in the past that is now stuck in the body and has not been appropriately eliminated. The body has not been detoxing and methylating these toxins properly out of the body, so the mold just keeps on circulating and living in the body.

Current Exposure

Exposure to a current source of toxic mold.

Treating Mold Issues

If mold has been found to be the root cause of your symptoms, it is important to get treated. Each case is different and everyone is unique and must be looked at on a one to one basis. It is important to get a personalised mold treatment plan that is unique to your situation.

Eliminate Mold Exposure

Remove Mold from the Environment

If a source of mold is found in your space, you will either need to move yourself from the toxic environment or complete mold remediation of some kind. An indoor air specialist or mold clean up expert can help you plan your project.

Avoid High Mold Foods

Coffee
Grains
Corn
Dried fruits
Nuts
Spices
Meat
Alcohol
Cheese
Mushrooms

Support your Body in Detoxifying Mycotoxins

Supplement with Key Nutrients

Taking supplements to help support the immune system, augment the detoxification systems, rebuild the gut, reduce inflammation, and boost the mitochondria is also helpful in supporting your body.
— Liposomal glutathione. To augment the detoxification system
— NAD +
— Antioxidants & Vitamin C. To support the immune system
— Omega 3. To reduce inflammation
— CoQ10. To boost the mitochondria (Mitochondria are the “powerhouses” inside our cells and they often get damaged by environmental toxins, including mycotoxins)
— Probiotic supplement. A healthy gut microbiome binds mycotoxins for stool excretion. Imbalances in the gut microbiome may compromise your ability to excrete mycotoxins.

Adopt a Healthy Diet

Adopting a mostly organic and plant-based diet and eliminating inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, grains and sugar is best to lower inflammation and support your body’s natural detoxification system.

Add Chelators/Binders

Binders are naturally-occurring minerals that bind to mycotoxins in your system and help your body remove them.
Zeolite
Activated charcoal
Clay

Incorporate Healthy Practices to Maintains Good Health

— Get sunshine. Direct sun exposure has been shown to raise MSH levels, a hormone that is often low when you have mold toxicity.
— Manage stress
— Sweat and exercise often
— Get good sleep

Preventing Mold Growth & Toxicity

— Keep the humidity in buildings low.
— Invest in a high-quality air-filter.
— If you have a water spill or leak it needs to be dried in less than 24 — 48 hours. If drywall gets wet, remove it.
— Inspect all barriers to water and/or re-caulk bathrooms, kitchens, windows, roof (where exhaust ducts exit) annually.
— Minimize your exposure to other environmental toxins (in food, personal care, and household products).
— Take supplements that support your detox pathways to keep ahead of exposures.
— Bigger picture: We need to update our building guidelines to reduce the risk for mold growth. The issue is that buildings are being built so tight for energy conservation that now they don’t “breathe” correctly. This decreases the likelihood that moisture will dry out and increases the risk for condensation. If you have an opportunity to build a house or remodel find experts to work with who are familiar with these tradeoffs.