The Signs of Mold Toxicity - And 4 Proven Ways to Detox
Learn how to spot a mold exposure that could be causing your life-altering symptoms.
Do you have a lingering illness that you can’t seem to get to the bottom of? Maybe you’re feeling fatigued all the time or can’t shake your chronic allergies.
Unfortunately, your unresolved illness could be a sign of mold toxicity. Here’s everything you need to know about detecting and treating exposure to mold.
First Off, What is Mold Toxicity?
You're heading into the boardroom for a big meeting you're leading today. Even though you were up all night coughing, you still prepared fully and you're ready to present.
But before you enter the room, you start sneezing over and over. Your head and brain feel heavy with a cold.
What you thought were pesky spring allergies have persisted all year long. And now they're getting in the way of your life and work.
Sound familiar? You're not alone.
It's time to get to the bottom of your lingering symptoms. Whether you're experiencing chronic allergies, fatigue, gut issues, brain fog or something more serious.
All these symptoms could be a sign that you've been living with mold toxicity. Mold exposure is exactly what it sounds like: you were exposed to mold at some point in your life and your own immune system couldn’t fight it off completely. So these mycotoxins continue lingering in your body, wreaking havoc on multiple levels.
Some factors that may affect susceptibility to mold include health status, length of exposure, and toxin load. Genetics can also make a difference. (11)(12)
Based on certain genes (called HLA-DR), 24% of people are more susceptible to mold toxicity.
Because mold illness can inhibit the immune system, chronic infections — such as Lyme disease or viruses — may flare. Plus, parasites may also be an issue. Parasites and other infections can weaken the immune system and make the body more vulnerable to mold toxicity. (13)
These are the main ways you could be exposed to mold:
Air – mold spores and fungus could be in your home or place of work, released into the air you breathe
Food – you could be ingesting foods contaminated with mycotoxins
The home you live in or the office you go to could have a mold problem that you don't know about. Removing your exposure to the mold and doing a detox can resolve your symptoms. But first, we need to find out if you're experiencing mold toxicity.
Signs and Symptoms of Mold Toxicity
There’s no “clear-cut” list of signs and symptoms that specifically point to mold illness. The symptoms of mold toxicity and exposure range in presentation and severity. At first, they’re small enough to pass off as allergies or other pesky symptoms.
You may have been given a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, or irritable bowel syndrome. But what is the root cause? Long-term mold exposure can lead to more serious symptoms and conditions. It’s important to identify and address mold toxicity as early as possible to avoid more serious health issues.
The following signs and symptoms are often found in chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) due to mold toxicity:
Brain function: Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, trouble finding words, problems taking in new information
Digestive system: Abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, food sensitivities, leaky gut, metallic taste in mouth, nausea, vomiting
Eyes: Blurred vision, eye irritation, itchy eyes, sensitivity to bright light
Energy: Excessive fatigue, thyroid dysfunction
Immune system: Autoimmune conditions, flu-like symptoms, over-reactivity to foods and chemicals, poor immunity
Mental state: Anxiety, depression, irritability, mood swings
Muscles and skeleton: Muscle pain, joint pain, morning stiffness
Nervous system: Dizziness, headaches, “ice-pick-like” pain, numbness, poor balance and coordination, seizure-like events, skin sensitivity to light touch, static shocks, temperature regulation problems, tingling, tremors
Respiratory system: Chest tightness, chronic sinus congestion, cough, new-onset or worsening asthma, runny nose, shortness of breath, sneezing, sore throat
Scent sensitivity: Unpleasant symptoms upon exposure to chemicals, fragrances, and other odors (multiple chemical sensitivity)
Skin: Dryness, irritation, rashes
Sleep: Frequent waking during sleep, insomnia, night sweats
Urinary system: Incontinence, increased urination, urgency
Weight: Appetite swings, weight gain or weight loss resistance
Sources: (4)(5)(6)(7)
Ultimately, mold toxicity can lead more serious health problems such as (10):
Cancer
Immune suppression
Kidney toxicity
Autism
Of course, symptoms like these could be a result of multiple things. But it’s best to get to the root cause of your issue and detect mold toxicity sooner rather than later.
It may surprise you to learn that symptoms like allergies, gut issues, and fatigue could actually be a sign of mold toxicity. These may not be life-threatening yet, but they certainly get in the way of the quality of your life. Taking action to uncover the root cause of mild symptoms can restore your daily vitality and prevent long-term, serious illness.
What are Mycotoxins?
When you hear about mold exposure, you imagine the terrifying black mold hiding behind your apartment walls. A serious exposure like this is possible. But remember that mycotoxins can be hard to detect, especially the spores – they could also be hiding in the foods you ingest.
While some types of mushrooms have incredible healing properties, mycotoxins are the toxic chemicals produced by certain fungi and molds that are harmful to our body.
Some common mycotoxins and ways they may negatively impact on your health include (8):
Aflatoxins: These are produced by Aspergillus flavus and some Penicillium species, among others. Aflatoxins are linked with an increased risk of liver cancer.
Ochratoxin A: It can suppress the immune system. It can also damage the nerves and impair brain function. Some of this could be due to the oxidative stress — also known as free radical damage — that it triggers.
Trichothecenes: These are produced by Stachybotrys, as well as some other molds. They can interfere with the cells’ ability to make proteins the body needs. They can also damage nerves, impair the immune system, and trigger oxidative stress.
There are hundreds of different mycotoxins produced by molds. Their modes of toxicity vary. In addition to the effects listed above, they can also harm mitochondria, kidneys, and lungs. (9)
How can these end up in your foods?
Livestock animals could consume foods contaminated with mycotoxins. This can cause health threats to the animal, but also to the human that consumes the animal products.
Mycotoxins can harm your immune system, nervous system, and even affect your DNA. This can lead to chronic, serious illnesses.
Mycotoxins are more likely to be found in certain foods, such as:
Barley
Wheat
Peanuts
Corn
Rye
Spices
Dried fruit
Coffee
You can decrease your amount of intake of these foods or make sure they are coming from a highly reputable source. And keep an eye on how you’re feeling after you eat. If you notice mold toxicity symptoms, it could be time to get tested and examine the foods you eat. (2)
4 Ways to Support Detoxification From Mold Exposure
So, you found out that you have mold toxicity. What do you do next?
First off, you need to find and remove the source of the mold exposure. This may be tricky if you don’t know where it is. Inspect your home and workplace, looking for places that are damp or leaking. You could even consider hiring a mold expert to help you find it and mitigate it.
Once you’ve removed the mold, it’s time to get started the detoxification process. To recover from mold illness, you need to support natural detoxification and drainage systems in their body.
An excellent method for binding mold toxins is Carbon Technology made of specially-selected and precisely-formulated extracts of fulvic and humic acids. They tightly bind toxins to help remove them from the body via stools. (15)
The fulvic and humic acids in Carbon Technology have advantages to “old-school” binders like charcoal, clay, and diatomaceous earth. One big advantage is that Carbon Technology can travel beyond the gut. This is key for clients to combat mold toxicity because mold and mycotoxins can affect all organ systems, not just the intestines.
Since fulvic and humic acid has been designed to bind only the substances that are toxic, they don't deplete your body of vital nutrients and minerals, unlike the “old-school binders” that do.
As a matter of fact, fulvic and humic acid extracts are a good source of what mold-damaged cells need to rebuild. This includes amino acids, essential minerals, and phytochemicals. (16)
Other organ systems such as the thyroid, liver & gallbladder, immune system, mitochondria, and digestive system also need support at the right stage of the process.
Because this is a highly complex and individualized process that needs to be taken in stages, consult a holistic health care professional experienced with treating mycotoxins.
These are 4 ways to support the detoxification process that you can do on your own:
Diamine Oxidase (DAO) supplementation. DAO is an enzyme that breaks down histamine and is produced naturally by healthy gut bacteria. Its production can be compromised when there is dysbiosis or high amounts of estrogen in the body.
High levels of estrogen can result from poor detoxification ability, excess adipose tissue, high amounts of xenoestrogens, and/or hormone replacement therapy or hormonal birth control. While DAO supplementation is natural and can give you some relief of symptoms, it is not a root cause treatment. (19)Sweat it out. Sweating can assist you in mold detoxification and can reduce their overall toxin burden. Toxic chemicals and heavy metals have been found in sweat. Exercise and infrared sauna are both excellent ways to induce sweat.
Take a salt bath. Soak your body in a salt bath to remove harmful toxins. Be sure to use Epsom salt, which specifically helps draw toxins out of the body. A nasal salt rinse or breathing sea air can also help with respiratory symptoms. (3)(17)
Use an air purifier. As your body is detoxing from mold toxicity, you want to prevent any additional toxins from entering your system. Certain air purifiers can help remove mold particles from the air you breathe. (18)
Although it’s important to consult a health provider, these at-home remedies can help support your detoxification process. Your body can naturally detox from a certain number of toxins. But when your toxic buildup gets too high, it needs assistance to successfully eliminate the toxins.
How to Detect Mold Toxicity and Mold Exposure
You may have a feeling that your symptoms are a result of mold exposure, but it's time to know for sure. The most effective way to determine your exposure is to get tested for mold toxicity.
Schedule a consultation with Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine. We'll talk through your health concerns and perform functional lab testing to assess your overall toxic burden including mycotoxins, environmental toxins & heavy metals.
What happens if it turns out your symptoms aren't linked to mold toxicity? We'll get to the bottom of the actual root cause. As a Certified Mold Practitioner, we become your partner in achieving and maintaining the optimal health you deserve.
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