Mold...a Catalyst for Illness

Mold is infamous for being a tremendous catalyst for chronic illnesses as it is capable of creating inflammatory reactions, activating infections that were once dormant, and designing an environment where autoimmune conditions can prosper. Mold, along with the mycotoxins they release, unleash chaos on the immune system by creating oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and dozens of so-called “random” symptoms such as hair loss, chronic fatigue, and neurological damage.

It is estimated that 50% of buildings have moisture problems/mold damage. This poses extreme danger to both of your homes: your house and body.

What is Mold?

Mold is a type of fungus that grows in places where moisture exists (plants, wood, drywall, floors, ceilings, food, etc.). It can appear in a variety of colors including: black, white, green, purple, orange, and blue. All colors and species of mold produce microscopic spores that germinate where moisture has gathered. These spores multiply and create larger infestations that have the ability to cause severe health problems.

Common types of mold that cause illness include:

Aspergillus
Penicillium
Stachybotrys (black mold)
Cladosporium
Fusarium
Chaetomium

Check out our article on the types of mold here!

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

What are Mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are naturally-occurring fungal toxins that are present in mold fragments and spores. These toxins are released into the air, creating a harmful environment for a person’s health. Mycotoxins can also be absorbed into the body through direct skin contact and through the digestion of mold-contaminated foods.

Mycotoxins can have a destructive effect on humans. Unlike bacterial toxins, which are proteins, mycotoxins have diverse structures that utilize different mechanisms to create debilitating symptoms. Mycotoxins generate harmful effects by disrupting transcription and translation. Transcription is the biological process where DNA is copied to RNA, and translation is the process where RNA is used to produce proteins. According to a 2017 study, “mycotoxins have a strong tendency and ability to penetrate the human and animal cells, and reach the cellular genome where it causes a major mutagenic change in the nucleotide sequence which leads to strong and permanent defects in the genome. This defect will eventually be transcribed, translated and lead to the development of cancer.”

Mycotoxins also produce their harmful effects through inflammatory responses mediated by cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins that are crucial for cell signaling that assist in cell-to-cell communication as they activate cell movement to areas of infection, inflammation, and trauma. Due to the inflammatory effect of mycotoxins, the body is prompted to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that create an inflammatory response. Hence, why mold illness is referred to as “Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.”

Common types of Mycotoxins that cause illness include:

Aflatoxins: This group of mycotoxins can penetrate the cell membrane and attach to its DNA where it causes a multitude of harmful cell mutations. Aflatoxin toxicity may result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, convulsions, and other signs of acute liver injury. Long-term exposure also leads to various complications like growth retardation, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Ochratoxin: This mycotoxin can cause a change in gene expression that results in affecting calcium homeostasis which will disrupt the different pathways regulated by the HNF4α and Nrf2 in the kidney, influence the expression of genes that are involved in DNA synthesis and repair, in response to DNA damage and it has a very small influence on the genes that are responsible for apoptosis (cell death). Common symptoms of an Ochratoxin toxicity include: IBS, chronic fatigue, sinusitis, brain fog, and histamine/allergy issues.
Patulin: This mycotoxin will cause an inactivation of the active site of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP). This specific protein is a crucial regulator of intestinal epithelial barrier functions. Further damage done by Patulin include leaky gut, food sensitivities, and intestinal/stomach cancer.
Fumonisin: This mycotoxin is commonly found in crops. For example, intake of fumonisin-affected diets by pregnant women is known to cause neural tube defects in the developing fetus. Moreover, fumonisin exposure negatively impacted child growth among children in Tanzania, which was confirmed based on urinary biomarker levels of fumonisin. Fumonisin can also cause digestive problems and chronic fatigue.
Zearalenone: This mycotoxin can cause hormonal activity which makes it genotoxic, carcinogenic or both at the same time, and it can impose changes in the reproductive organs; hence, it can cause reproductive disorders and reproductive organ cancers.
Nivalenol/Deoxynivalenol: These mycotoxins are a part of a group called trichothecenes. They have been reported to cause vomiting, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis, whereas higher doses cause severe damage to the lymphoid and epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa, resulting in hemorrhage, endotoxemia and shock. Chronic exposure to trichothecenes can cause anorexia, reduced weight gain, diminished nutritional efficiency, neuroendocrine changes, and immune modulation.

All mycotoxin toxicities can demonstrate Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome symptoms.

According to a 2013 study, it is reported that 104 of 112 (93%) observed patients with chronic fatigue syndrome were positive for at least one mycotoxin. This study states that “exposure histories indicated current and/or past exposure to WDB [water damaged buildings] in over 90% of cases.” Another 2016 study reported that patients exposed to mycotoxins had altered neurologic functions, including changes in body balance, blink-reflex latency, visual fields, reaction time, and color discrimination.The mold-exposed groups also demonstrated depression.

What is Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)?

Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome often presents itself in humans shortly after exposure to mold in water-damaged buildings. The symptoms of CIRS can last decades after the removal of mold. The persistent inflammation of CIRS can virtually affect any organ system and can be completely debilitating if left untreated.

Symptoms of CIRS/Mold Exposure include:

Respiratory problems (asthma, wheezing, coughing, chest pain)
Chronic Fatigue
Brain Fog / Memory Issues / Word Recollection Issues
Insomnia
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Mental Disorders (Depression, Anxiety)
Cancer
Eye Problems (Blurred Vision, Watery Eyes, Light Sensitivity, Red Eyes)
Joint Pain / Body Aches
Digestive Problems (Abdominal Pain, Leaky Gut, Food Sensitivities, Bloating, Diarrhea)
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
HPA-Axis Dysregulation / Cortisol Imbalances
Excessive Thirst / Frequent Urination

Is CIRS a Mold Allergy?

CIRS is a mold illness NOT a mold allergy. A mold allergy is a specific histamine response. The symptoms of a mold allergy are typically located in the respiratory tract, similar to seasonal allergies. A diagnosis of a mold allergy requires a skin test or an allergen specific IgE blood test.

CIRS is a type of biotoxin illness that demonstrates the body’s inflammatory response to mold. The proper definition of CIRS is “an acute and chronic, systemic inflammatory response syndrome acquired following exposure to the interior environment of a water-damaged building with resident toxigenic organisms, including, but not limited to fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes and mycobacteria as well as inflammagens such as endotoxins, beta glucans, hemolysins, proteinases, mannans and possibly spirocyclic drimanes; as well as volatile organic compounds.”

Why Does Mold Affect People Differently?

Since all humans are bioindividual, a small exposure of mold may severely affect one person while another person is completely unaffected.

For example, approximately 25% of the human population has the HLA-DR (human leukocyte antigen) gene that makes humans susceptible to mold illness. This gene creates this susceptibility by making the body unable to recognize and detoxify biotoxins. People with the HLA-DR gene hold onto these toxins while exhibiting a chronic inflammatory response. This can create Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS).

If a person has the MTHFR gene mutation, this may also cause difficulty eliminating toxins including mold and mycotoxins from the body. MTHFR is an acronym that stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, the enzyme used to convert folic acid (vitamin B9) into folate’s active form, methyl-folate (5MTHF). Methyl-folate plays a crucial role in the biological process called methylation. This process is the blueprint for detoxification. If this process is not working when biotoxins enter the body, the body will suffer the consequences by creating debilitating symptoms.

Mold can also affect people with Lyme Disease quite intensely. Mold exposure may exacerbate Lyme Disease symptoms and create an environment where healing is nearly impossible if left untreated. Mold may trigger Lyme Disease from remission and cause an even greater effect on the body. If a person is using a Lyme protocol, but does not address a pre-existing mold toxicity within the body, they may be unable to overcome their Lyme Disease symptoms. Addressing a mold toxicity prior to healing from Lyme Disease is crucial for recovery.

Check out our article on how mold affects Lyme Disease here!

Mold Illnesses are Underdiagnosed

Mold is a sneaky culprit of disease and is often overlooked as a root cause for severe illnesses. For example, mold has been linked to the development of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Certain types of mold/mycotoxins are known to cross the blood-brain barrier. This results in the destruction of myelin sheaths (an insulating layer that protects the nerves). Without myelin sheaths, nerves do not conduct normal electrical pulses. This causes MS-like symptoms that are actually the body’s response to a mold toxicity/CIRS.

Recently, researchers have also found a connection between CIRS and Type 3 Alzheimer’s Disease. According to a 2016 study, “it is unlikely that the coexistence of type 3 Alzheimer's disease and CIRS described here is simply a coincidence: although both Alzheimer's disease and CIRS are relatively common illnesses, the finding that most patients with type 3 Alzheimer's disease also have laboratory abnormalities typical of CIRS, the repeated finding of biotoxin-sensitive HLA-DR/DQ haplotypes in type 3 Alzheimer's disease patients, the discovery of well-described neurotoxin-producing mold genera in the homes of these individuals, the initial response to treatment, and the similarity of the symptoms all argue that type 3 Alzheimer's disease is most commonly IAD, a phenotypic manifestation of CIRS.”

Mold has also been proven to be the root cause for “neurological, autoimmune diseases, e.g., hypothyroidism as well as cancer and multiple chemical syndrome (MCS), and even higher mortality.”

Additionally, mold has been found to be a root cause for insomnia. Mold causes this by interrupting neuropeptide production in the hypothalamus of the brain. Melanocyte Stimulating Hormones (MSH), is a particular family of peptide hormones and neuropeptide, responsible for regulating melatonin. Since mold disrupts this process, people with a mold toxicity may suffer from a sleep disorder. A decreased level of MSH can also cause gut permeability and mitochondrial dysfunction.

How Can You Check for Mold?

Mold infestations are not always obvious. You may start by keeping a close eye on leaking pipes (especially under sinks), examining your washing machines (especially front loaders), checking out your HVAC units for any musty smell or mold growth, and looking for hidden leaks in the walls/ceilings as well as inspecting your crawl space/attic for any improperly ventilated areas that impose a risk for mold growth. If mold is a serious concern to you, an at-home ERMI test or a Mycotox urine test may be beneficial to you as well as examining certain blood and urine markers that are often elevated/reduced with mold exposure.

Blood markers to watch for when dealing with a potential mold issue are:

Elevated Complement C4A
Elevated TGF Beta-1 (Transforming Growth Factor)
Low MSH (Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone)
Low VIP (Vascular Endothelial Peptides)
Low ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone)
Elevated MMP-9 (Matrix Metallopeptidase 9)
Elevated Leptin

Click here to check out our article to learn how to take action against mold!

If you believe you are dealing with mold illness, please contact a functional provider. Dr. Jaban Moore, a functional medicine provider, can help you if you are experiencing chronic symptoms.

Please reach out if you are interested in taking your health back! You can give our office a call at (816) 889-9801.