Got Mold?

 by 
LeeJoy Ellis
Personal Wellness

Molds have been on Earth for millions of years.  They are all around us and even in our homes. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, about 47% of homes in the United States have mold.  Unfortunately, we cannot always see indoor mold growth and its not until health problems arise that mold may be suspected.


And its not just our homes that have mold, public buildings like our office buildings and schools are also contaminated - a 2017 study found mold in every public building studied, with an average of about 14 instances of mold per building. 


There are over 100,000 different types of mold with about 25 species that affect humans.  Mold will grow where there is moisture - when wet mold produce and release spores into the air.  Theses mold spores carry with them mycotoxins that have potent toxic effects on humans. How a person reacts to these mycotoxins depends on that person’s health, nutritional status and immune function.


The World Health Organization calls mycotoxins “The great masquerader” because it can resemble so many differed diseases. Unfortunately, mold toxicity is not always suspected when someone goes to their doctor with a number of nonspecific clinical signs and symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, muscle aches etc.  
So, if you suspect mycotoxins could be at the root of your health concerns, what should you do next?

Testing for Mold

Blood serum testing for mycotoxin antibodies has been used for the last 20 years and is the most accurate test available.  The other available testing is urine, which tests for mycotoxin metabolites and not mycotoxins themselves. The mycotoxin metabolites are from food and beverages, not the environment. It is important to note that urine levels of mycotoxins mean excretion; it does not mean pathology.


Exposure to mycotoxins is primarily by inhalation. So, if you want to find out if you have been affected by mycotoxins then doing a blood test that measures mycotoxin antibodies is the best option available.  Blood does not lie.


We recommend Mycolab testing that looks at IgG and IgE antibodies that indicate a toxic reaction to both current exposure and past exposure.

How to deal with mold exposure

If you have mycotoxins that are affecting your health, the following guidelines are recommended by Dr. Andrew Campbell, Medical Advisor to Mycolab.  Dr. Campbell’s areas of expertise include his treatment of thousands of patients with complex medical conditions from toxic exposures, specifically molds and mycotoxins, Lyme Disease, pesticides, silicone breast implants, industrial chemicals and more.


At our clinic we utilize Dr. Campbells protocol as follows:
Firstly - Identify and remove the source of mold toxicity.  The best way to control mold growth is to control moisture. Fix any sources of water leakage, reduce indoor humidity (optimal indoor humidity is around 40%) and use exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and running clothes dryer.  


Secondly - build back a strong, robust immune system while destroying the mycotoxins. Since 80% of the immune system is in the gut, this is a primary place to begin. Colostrum helps to repair and rebuild the gut while vitamin C and D3 help to support the immune system. Other nutrients like CoQ10, Magnesium, B vitamins and zinc also play a vital role in building a strong immune system.  Avoiding gluten and processed foods replacing them with an organic, nutrient dense, high fiber diet instead.


Ozone therapy is a safe and effective treatment for destroying mycotoxins and we have had great success using it alongside a healthy diet and supplements at our clinic.


A broad-spectrum anti-fungal medication like itraconazole may be necessary to to help eradicate mycotoxins and can be taken alongside supplements and healthy diet modifications.


Binders are not recommended because they are only effective in neutralizing aflatoxins, which are rarely found in indoor environments, and not effective with other mycotoxins.  In addition, binders bind and excrete vital nutrients.  


Glutathione should be used with caution in those testing positive for Gliotoxin since a 2006 study showed that glutathione promotes gliotoxin induced toxicity.

Mold protocols typically take six months but can vary on the individual, their health status and length of exposure.  At our clinic we typically test 6 weeks into the protocol to ensure mycotoxin load is being reduced and that the protocol is effective.

Take Away

Molds are everywhere and lie dormant until wet, then they release their spores into the air.  Those spores contain mycotoxins that are dangerous to our health.  Mold toxicity is often misdiagnosed and overlooked so if you suspect you may have mycotoxins then your best option is a blood test. Blood tests look at mycotoxin antibodies, the most accurate test that give you insight into current and past exposure.  
We have seen patients at our clinic begin to regain their health and get their life back after following the mold protocol. So, there is hope!
We remain grateful to Dr. Andrew Campbell and his work on mycotoxins in helping us better understand these toxins and how to effectively help those with mold toxicity.

References

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509516300833
Akbari P, Braber S, Gremmels H, et al. Deoxynivalenol: a trigger for intestinal integrity breakdown. 
FASEB J. 2014;28(6):2414-2429. doi:10.1096/fj.13-238717 Andersson MA, Nikulin M, Köljalg U, et al. Bacteria, molds, and toxins in water-damaged building materials. 
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2002;14(1):67-76. doi:10.1515/IJAMH.2002.14.1.67 Anyanwu EC, Campbell AW, Vojdani A. Neurophysiological effects of chronic indoor environmental toxic mold exposure on children. 
ScientificWorldJournal. 2003;3:281-290. doi:10.1100/tsw.2003.22 Anyanwu E, Campbell AW, Jones J, Ehiri JE, Akpan AI. The neurological significance of abnormal natural killer cell activity in chronic toxigenic mold exposures. 
ScientificWorldJournal. 2003;3:1128- 1137. doi:10.1100/tsw.2003.98 Anyanwu E. The validity of the environmental neurotoxic effects of toxigenic molds and mycotoxins. 
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2004;16(2):107-118. doi:10.1515/IJAMH.2004.16.2.107 Anyanwu EC, Morad M, Campbell AW. Metabolism of mycotoxins, intracellular functions of vitamin B12, and neurological manifestations in patients with chronic toxigenic mold exposures.
A review. ScientificWorldJournal. 2004;4:736-745. doi:10.1100/tsw.2004.133 Bin-Umer MA, McLaughlin JE, Basu D, McCormick S, Tumer NE. Trichothecene mycotoxins inhibit mitochondrial translation--implication for the mechanism of toxicity. 

You might also like