Mold is a type of fungus that can be found indoors, outdoors and even in your food.
- Mycotoxins are toxins that are produced by mold
- Mold can make you sick. It has short term and long term consequences.
- Mold could be hiding in your home without knowing it.
- Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Stachybotrys are the most common types of mold.
- Common mycotoxins include: Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A, Patulin, Fumonisins, Zearalenone, Nivalenol/Deoxynivalenol.
Your home is your safe space. However, many homes may not be as safe as we think. Hidden mold in your home could be damaging your health. Can mold make you sick and contribute to long lasting effects? Absolutely.
What are Mold and Mycotoxins?
Mold is a type of fungus that can appear in various colors from black, white, orange, green to purple. It can live anywhere indoors, outdoors, and even within your body! Molds grow easily in warm, damp, and moist environments and can reproduce by releasing lightweight spores in the air.
Common Types of Molds: Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Stachybotrys.
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain molds. According to the United Nations, more than 25% of food may be contaminated with mycotoxins.
Common Types of Mycotoxins: Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A, Patulin, Fumonisins, Zearalenone, Nivalenol/Deoxynivalenol.
Different Mold Exposures
Food Sources: Mycotoxins can commonly be found in your food. When you ingest these mycotoxins constantly, your body can't keep up with eliminating them. Ultimately your body gets backed up, and the non-eliminated toxins can then circulate throughout your body and damage your cells.
Environmental (indoor and outdoor): We spend the majority of our days indoors. Mold can grow within just 24-48 hours in damp conditions. Some studies show that upwards of 50% of homes have dampness, mildew, or mold.
Colonization in the Body: Once these molds are inside your body, the mold acts as a parasite. It feeds on your body, growing and spreading its colonies. As it grows and spreads, it releases mycotoxins, which are poisonous toxins to your body.
Symptoms of Mold and Mycotoxin Exposure
- Upper and lower respiratory issues
- Asthma
- Immune system suppression/dysfunction
- Rashes
- Brain fog
- Chronic fatigue
- ADHD
- Insomnia
- COPD
- Depression
- Cytotoxicity/Cancer
- Neurological symptoms
- Chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS)
- Mitochondrial toxicity
How Does Mold Affect the Body?
While the level of exposure can affect the severity of mold/mycotoxin damage, your genetics also play a role. Roughly 25 percent of the population have an immune response gene, named HLA-DR (human leukocyte antigen). If you have this, your body may have more difficulty excreting mycotoxins.
Other aspects that may increase mold impact include: Other microbial infections (like Lyme Disease), nutrient deficiency, genetics (MTHFR, HLA-DR mutation), level of alcohol and drug use, other autoimmune or degenerative diseases.
Natural Ways to Address Mold Exposure
- Get out of the moldy environment as soon as possible
- Test your home with an ERMI test
- Remediate properly with a certified mold remediation company
- Open drainage pathways to allow the body to safely excrete mold toxins
- Use binders (Biotoxin Binder, Carboxy, HM-ET Binder by Cellcore) to mop up mold toxins
- Use an infrared sauna to sweat out mold toxins
- Support the liver and kidneys with TUDCA, castor oil packs, and adequate hydration
- Consider antifungal herbs as directed by a practitioner