How to Protect your Health from Mold and Mycotoxin Exposure Part III

Solutions and testing to keep you safe from (and prevent!) mold exposure

At a glance:

  • After learning about what mold and mycotoxins are and where they come from, it’s time to explore solutions for avoiding and overcoming mold toxicity
  • Testing the body for mold allergies as well as urinary mycotoxin load can give an important window into immune reactivity, and past or present exposures
  • Testing your home, car, or workplace for mold is highly advised if you suspect water damage
  • Different types of mold and associated mycotoxins all create health issues, but they each target different organs and body systems
  • The most common types of toxic mold include Chaetomium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Stachybotrys, Alternia, and Fusarium. They are commonly found in indoor water-damaged indoor environments and/or food
  • The most common health-degrading mycotoxins include aflatoxins, ochratoxin, chaetoglobsin, zearelanone, mycophenolic acid, and more. They can affect the immune system, liver, kidneys, lungs, and the body systemically
  • Solutions to combat symptoms of mold toxicity include supporting digestion, increasing antioxidant/co-factor intake through diet and supplementation, binders, detox organ support, and increasing circulation through red light therapy, exercise, or infrared sauna
  • Some members of a household or workplace may be more susceptible to experiencing symptoms from mold exposure due to many factors, such as genetics and underlying immune dysfunction
  • A healthy body is required to keep the potentially harmful effects of fungi like mold at bay. We are made of organic matter after all!
  • Want to investigate mold toxicity as a source of your health issues? Our team at the Vagus Clinic can help. Contact us here, call or text at (416) 649-6489, or click here to schedule your free 20-minute discovery call!

How to test for mold toxicity

Now that you have a foundational understanding of what mold is and why you want to avoid it, we can cover solutions to prevent mold exposure in the first place–and help the body heal from it when it does occur. Life happens, it is not possible to avoid every single exposure, even if you lived in a bubble (because the moisture and ventilation would probably be terrible!). Let’s explore different options for testing your body for both mold reactivity and mycotoxins, as well as testing your indoor environment. For example, genetic testing may be helpful. According to one source, an estimated 25% of the population has the HLA-DR gene mutation [1], which causes your immune system to not produce antibodies against mold. This is critically important, as your body does not recognize mold as a threat and thus does not create an appropriate response to remove it.

This allows mold to linger within you, causing inflammation as it becomes harder and harder to detox it. From this constant inflammatory response, chronic health conditions like CIRS can occur. This may also be an important reason as to why people in the same household, school, or work environment may experience mold illness while others do not.

Testing options:

  1. Urinary mycotoxin testing – Great Plains Lab or Vibrant America
  2. Blood fungal antibody testing – checks for allergic response to different toxic mold types
  3. Urinary Organic Acid Test (OAT) – checks for metabolic byproducts related to some types of yeast and mold
  4. MicrobiologyDX Nasal Swab – checks for colonized mold in the sinuses
  5. Visual contrast test – helps determine if mold/mycotoxins are impairing neurological function
  6. Biotoxin illness-related blood testing – MSH, VEGF, VIP, MMP-9, GGT
  7. Food intolerance testing – not directly related to mold, but important to avoid inflaming foods due to gut disruption caused by mold
  8. HLA-DR gene testing – the immune system of those with this gene mutations are unable to recognize and detoxify biotoxins. The body will hold onto these toxins while exhibiting a chronic inflammatory response
  9. Home/Environmental testing – ERMI, HERTSMI, and EMMA testing

Foods to avoid if you suspect mold toxicity

  • Fermented items miso, sake, soy sauce, cured meats, and even sauerkraut or kombucha
  • Cereal grains like wheat, rye, and barley
  • Corn
  • Dried fruit
  • Mold-containing cheeses like gorgonzola, brie, and bleu
  • Edible mushrooms
  • Conventionally raised animal products
  • High-sugar and processed foods
  • Foods you are intolerant to (testing, elimination diet)

What are the most common types of toxic mold?

Finding out what types of mold and mycotoxins are present in your body and environment can be an important part of the healing process. There are thousands of species of mold and several hundred mycotoxins that have been identified. [2] Here are the top 5 most common types of harmful toxic mold and 13 common mycotoxins:

  • Aspergillus – there are hundreds of species of Aspergillus mold, including harmful, mycotoxins-producing species that produce aflatoxin, ochratoxin, sterigmatocystin, citrinin, gliotoxin, and more. There are also health-promoting, flavor-enhancing species like Aspergillus oryzae, or “Koji”
  • Penicillium – featuring over 200 species, the handful of toxic ones are often found indoors in water-damaged or humid environments. Colonizes wallpaper, furniture, carpet, and fiberglass and is responsible for many allergic reactions. Also commonly found on moldy citrus, vine fruits, seeds, and grains
  • Chaetomium – found in up to 49% of water-damaged buildings. Most of the damage to human health comes from the mycotoxin, haetoglobosin A, as the spores tend not to aerosolize [3]
  • ‍Stachybotrys – also known as “black mold”, this is a rare and extremely dangerous mycotoxin-producing mold. If Stachybotrys is found in your indoor environment, leave immediately
  • Fusarium – grows worldwide on many types of grains including wheat and corn, and requires lower growing temperatures than Aspergillus. Fusarium is a common cause of mass crop failure and a potent source of toxic trichothecenes. These mycotoxins inhibit protein, DNA, and RNA synthesis, impair mitochondrial function, and negatively affect cell division and membranes. Generally produced by Stachybotrys and Fusraium species, these toxins increase the production of free radicals, block the cell’s antioxidant system, and initiate the inflammatory process, which ultimately leads to programmed cell death
  • Alternaria – produces more than 70 different types of mycotoxins that have effects ranging from carcinogenic, mutagenic, and induce breaks in DNA strands. Commonly found in lentils, oilseeds, tomatoes, carrots, juices, wines. beers, and cereals [4]

Common Mycotoxins and Health Effects

Mycotoxin Group - Mold Species - Where it’s Found - Toxic Effects

Aflatoxin - Aspergillus - Contaminated foods like beans, corn, rice, tree nuts, wheat, milk, eggs, and meat -Internal colonization of mold Extremely carcinogenic (cancer causing), nephrotoxic (kidneys), hepatotoxic (liver), immunosuppressant, mental disturbances, and disrupts digestion.   Toxicity increases in the presence of OTA and ZEA.

Chaetoglobosin A - Chaetomium - Found in many water-damaged buildings. Disrupts cellular division and migration, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, immunotoxin, and harmful even in small concentrations.

Citrinin/Dihydrocitrinone- Aspergillus, Penicillium, Monascus - Contaminated (mostly) grains, fruit, beans, herbs, and juices.  Nephrotoxic, carcinogenic, immunosuppressive, and mitochondrial toxin.

Deoxynivalenol/ Nivalenol (DON) - Fusarium - Grains like corn, wheat, barley, rice, legumes, and all their byproducts like cereals. Trichothecene, immuno-toxic, gastrointestinal irritant, toxic to the cells of the gut lining, disrupts microbiome, lymphotoxic, and toxic to the bone marrow.  Can cause anorexia and decreased appetite.

Enniatin B - Fusarium - Grains like corn, wheat, barley, rice, legumes, cereals, fish, dried fruit, nuts, spice, cocoa, coffee.  Antibiotic, hepatotoxic, adrenal endocrine toxicity, cytotoxic mitochondrial poison disrupts cell membrane potential, and inhibition of the acyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase (impair cholesterol regulation).

Fumonisin- Fusarium - Contaminated crops, especially corn.  This can cause neural tube defects, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, carcinogenic, cardiovascular and pulmonary toxin.

Gliotoxin - Aspergillus, Candida yeast - Internal colonization of Candida of Aspergillus, defense chemical Neurotoxic, immunosuppressant, impairs activation of T-cells, induces apoptosis in monocytes and dendritic cells.

Mycophenolic Acid - Penicillium - Blue-mold cheese like Roquefort, citrus fruit, seeds, grains Hematotoxic, hepatotoxic, gastrointestinal distress. Used as an immuno suppressant to inhibit organ transplant failure. Increases risk of opportunistic infections like Candida or Clostridia.

Ochratoxin (OTA) - Aspergillus, Penicillium - Contaminated foods like cereals, juices, animal products like dairy, spices, wine, dried fruit, coffee inhalation in water or damaged buildings.  Nephrotoxic, neurotoxic (including brain), immunotoxin, genotoxic (damages DNA), carcinogenic, causes oxidative damage, histamine problems.

Patulin - Aspergillus, Penicillium and Byssochlamys - Contaminated fruits and vegetables, especially apples and apple juice, pear, peaches, and grapes, silage.  Toxic and inflammatory to gut lining cells, induces intestinal permeability aka “leaky gut”, “leaky brain” for blood brain barrier.

Rioridan E - Stachybotrys, Fusarium, Myrothecium, Trichoderma - Water-damaged buildings and contaminated grains. Macrocyclic trichothecene, neurological damage, immunosuppression, endocrine and cardiovascular disruptor, and gastrointestinal distress.

Verrucarin A - Stachybotrys, Fusarium, Myrocethium - Water-damaged buildings and contaminated grains. Macrocyclic trichothecene. Inhibits protein biosynthesis. Extremely toxic, used as a biological warfare agent. Even low levels cause neurological damage, immuno- suppression, endocrine, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal distress.

Zearelanone (ZEA) - Fusarium, Gibberella - Contaminated plants and grains like Estrogenic, strongly disrupts hormones, impairs wheat, barley, or corn and corn oil, silage reproductive health, genotoxic, immunotoxic, hematotoxic (blood), hepatotoxic, and carcinogenic.

Bonus: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - Many toxic mold species - Emitted as a gas into the air by colonized mold, often has a smell.  Not technically a mycotoxin, but acts as a health- harming toxic byproduct of mold.  Eye, nose, and throat (mucosal) irritation, neurotoxic effects like headaches and loss of coordination, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, and carcinogenic.

Where to check for indoor mold exposure

When it comes to investigating the source of contamination in terms of indoor mold, consider checking these areas for dampness or water-damage:

  • Windows, doors, roof and foundation for leaks or excess condensation
  • Peeling wallpaper or bumpy, uneven spots
  • Water spots or discoloration on ceilings, flooring, or walls (by sinks, showers, bathtubs, or hose faucets outdoors)
  • A/C vents and floors of vehicles
  • HVAC systems and ductwork
  • Washing machines, mostly front loaders
  • Indoor plants and potting soil

Basements, bathrooms, roofs, and flooring are some of the most important areas to check regularly. Professional companies can come out with advanced tools to check for moisture and heat from mold growth behind walls for free. Consider calling a local company if you suspect water damage in your home.

Solutions to Overcome Mold Exposure & Illness

There are many possible avenues to go down when it comes to healing from mold toxicity. Nothing beats a healthy, well-balanced diet, but oftentimes, your body is in need of much greater support. Here are Dr. Steph’s favorite methods to overcome mold and mycotoxins:

Supplements:

Therapies:

  • Massage – deep tissue, lymphatic, Brazilian lymphatic
  • Chiropractic adjustments – improve immunity, detoxification, circulation, and organ function with proper structure
  • Colonics/enemas – to clean toxins from the bowels
  • Neurofeedback/Neural retraining – helps calm the chronic stress response caused by mold and mycotoxins involving the HPA axis (brain, nervous system, and adrenals)
  • Yoga, meditation, float tank – promotes nervous system relaxation

Tools:

Prevention:

  • Have a temperature and humidity gauge at work and in your living space
  • Keep indoor temperatures below 75ºF/24ºC
  • Keep indoor humidity below 50% with an effective dehumidifier
  • Perform regular checks inside and outside of buildings
  • Consider consuming a paleo-leaning diet to reduce levels of mycotoxins in the diet
  • Consume grass-fed and free-range animal products instead of conventionally raised and fed

When mold damage has occurred in a home or building, professional remediation is required. Make sure to find a company with good reviews, ask them about their practices for remediation, and have them do a free check with their advanced instruments to determine where the mold is located. DIY remediation is not recommended, as mold is hard to get rid of fully and may cause more problems in the long run if not properly remediated.

Who is most susceptible to the harms of mold and mycotoxins?

A variety of factors help dictate how a person will react to mold and mycotoxins, as everyone experiences symptoms differently. Many members of the same household can have a range of symptoms from completely fine to extremely ill. It doesn’t make sense to most people that mold would affect one person but not another. However, there are so many other underlying factors like immune system function, liver health, toxin load, autoimmunity, chronic bacterial, yeast, parasite, viral infections, adrenal, hormone health, genetics, and inflammatory conditions like asthma, etc.

Those who are compromised already are more likely to suffer noticeable negative effects. Mold allergies can negatively impact anyone, but are more serious for people who already have compromised immune systems or inflammatory respiratory conditions such as asthma.

Interestingly, (epi)genetics–or the interaction between environment and genetics–may have an important role in how a person responds to mold and mycotoxins.

So who exactly is most susceptible to mold toxicity?

  • Children, especially infants as their detoxification pathways are not fully developed and they are being exposed to the same toxic levels as an adult body
  • The elderly, as the immune system slowly becomes less effective at identifying and removing toxins and infections, as well as repairing the damage from those toxins as we age
  • Immunocompromised individuals, those with chronic inflammatory conditions and individuals with kidney or liver disease are at a disadvantage as the organs and systems required to protect you from mold and mycotoxins are already impaired
  • Those with a poor diet, as this impairs the gut microbiome, digestion, and absorption of essential nutrients like the vitamins and minerals necessary to detoxify mold and mycotoxins. Diets high in grains like wheat and corn (oil), peanuts, seeds, and dried fruits may contain higher levels of mold and mycotoxins. One study found vegans in generally carry a higher mycotoxins burden due to increased intake of contaminated plant-based foods [5]
  • Individuals with the HLD-DR gene mutation (~25% of the population) are at higher risk. It is very common for CIRS to trigger in the presence of mold, mycotoxins, as well other biotoxins from underlying chronic infections–like Lyme disease or parasites–or other organisms like toxic bacteria present in water-damaged buildings
  • Individuals with MTHFR gene mutations and methylation problems will struggle with mold toxicity due to impaired detox capacity. Glutathione is a major detoxifier of mold and mycotoxins. Glutathione is connected to the methylation cycle via homocysteine and requires amino acids and B-vitamin cofactors for further production. When glutathione is depleted by mold, immune and liver impairment may occur. Glutathione can also be depleted by other toxins like heavy metals, and that is why mold and heavy metals are often found together in hard-to-resolve chronic illness cases

Even if you do not have a pre-existing condition or genetic susceptibility to the ravages of mold toxicity, your body is not immune from experiencing the harmful effects of ongoing or high doses of mold exposure.

Conclusion of Part III

Mold and mycotoxins are in the environment all around us. It is important to remember to pay attention to what you’re eating and the air you are breathing, whether at home, school, or work. Determining the source and preventing further exposure. it is essential to healing. Many times, it is hard to actively detox while living in mold. If you are experiencing mold exposure, use the suggestions outlined above and seek out professional help from health practitioners who are experienced with mold toxicity.

Do you have unexplainable chronic health symptoms? If so, now is the time to address them. Our team at Vagus Clinic is ready to guide and assist you in addressing the root causes of your health issues to bring your back to optimal health. Contact us today, call or text at (416) 649- 6489, or click here to schedule your free 20-minute discovery call, so we can help you get the healing process started.

As we believe in full transparency with our community, it’s important we disclose that we may receive commissions when you make a purchase using links from our content. Vagus Clinic carefully curates all affiliate partnerships to ensure they are trusted and bring maximum value to our community.

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