Mold Toxicity Symptoms, Identification, and Treatment

Mold-related health issues impact millions of Americans every single year. However, long-term mold problems typically go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. The effects of mold and mycotoxins may be the root cause of autoimmune disorders, chronic fatigue, nervous system dysfunction, and allergies.

Many buildings in the US have mold, exposing homeowners and employees to hidden mold. Many foods, including coffee and grains, may also contain mold.

Some conventional researchers don’t agree that mold toxicity can increase the risk of chronic disease. We disagree. We’ve treated many patients with chronic illnesses as a direct result of toxic mold exposure.

Below, we’ll discuss mold toxicity, common symptoms, identification, and holistic recovery through conventional and natural treatments.

If your symptoms might be explained by mold exposure, but your doctor won’t listen, schedule your appointment with PrimeHealth in Denver, Colorado. We’ve helped patients like you overcome rare and misdiagnosed problems for years.

What Is Mold Toxicity?

Mold toxicity is an under-recognized health condition caused by exposure to toxigenic mold spores and mold mycotoxins. This sickness can manifest as allergies, autoimmunity, asthma, brain fog, and so much more.

Mold is a common fungus that grows in places with a lot of moisture, such as:

• Roofs
• Pipes
• Ceilings
• Windows
• Bathrooms
• Basements
• Around heating or air conditioning
• Where there has been flooding
• Moist, spoiled food

It can be difficult to know if your chronic illness is caused by mold, especially because visible mold isn’t the only culprit. Mold growth can happen in hidden areas of a structure and spread through air circulation, meaning you may have been exposed to mold without realizing it.

Read this review to see how we can help you, too:

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Most Dangerous Mold Types

All molds produce invisible spores, but these spore allergens are only dangerous to people with mold allergies. Five main types of mold produce invisible mycotoxins, which are dangerous to anyone exposed to them and may lead to many negative health effects.

The 5 types of mold that produce mycotoxins and can cause toxicity include:

• Aspergillus
• Cladosporium
• Fusarium (orange mold)
• Penicillium
• Stachybotrys (black mold)

Whether or not long-term exposure to mold toxins can make patients chronically sick is still controversial to conventional doctors. However, we’ve found that mold toxicity absolutely can result in chronic disorders, including long-lasting autoimmune activity or memory loss.

Perhaps the controversy is that different molds do different things to different people, but the term “mold” refers to all mold types. Specifying which molds you’re exposed to can greatly increase your chances of effective treatment.

We have worked with patients who have suffered from long-term brain fog, mental health disorders, and inflammatory disorders and have seen improvement after just several months of partnership with PrimeHealth. 

Testing for mold toxicity with urine tests, and then treating it appropriately is how we can uncover mold toxicity as an underlying cause of illness and treat it effectively. 

A common manifestation of mold toxicity is MCAS (mast cell activation syndrome), a mysterious illness characterized by extreme allergic reactions to food and various other factors. Treating mold toxicity is incredibly helpful to these patients.

The problem within most mainstream healthcare systems is that doctors aren’t trained in identifying or treating mold toxicity, so millions of Americans get misdiagnosed. If your symptoms aren’t going away, find a doctor who is educated on mold and will listen to you.

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Common Symptoms of Mold Toxicity

What are the signs of mold toxicity? The most common signs of mold toxicity are respiratory tract health problems and allergic reactions.

In our experience, patients can display thyroid issues, hormone problems, immune response, and mental health symptoms as well. There are a lot of potential symptoms, but few exhibit every single symptom.

Mold toxicity may cause these categories of symptoms:

• Respiratory symptoms: Such as asthma, sinusitis, shortness of breath, and sneezing
• Allergy symptoms: Like watery eyes, itchy nose, rash, runny nose, and difficulty breathing
• Autoimmune symptoms: Including thyroid problems, rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, and lupus
• Neurological symptoms: Like brain fog, headaches, memory loss, vertigo (dizziness), and depression
• Digestive symptoms: Such as cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or vomiting
• Chronic fatigue: Feeling tired all the time despite your sleep quality
• Inflammatory response: Including weight gain and unexplained pain and swelling
• Hormone fluctuations: Including weight changes, menstrual irregularity, and mood changes

Other mold toxicity symptoms that are not easily categorized include:

• Hair loss
• Vision changes
• A metallic taste in your mouth
• Numbness and tingling of the limbs
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Unquenchable dehydration
• Bed-wetting (in children)

None of these symptoms are unique to mold illness alone, and most people do not exhibit all the symptoms. Therefore, mold toxicity is difficult to recognize if you aren’t trained in diagnosing and treating it.

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Identifying Mold Toxicity

There is no one test to identify or diagnose mold toxicity. However, several tests can paint a complete picture:

• Symptom questionnaire: Your healthcare provider should take stock of your symptoms, checking if they line up with mold toxicity.
• Medical history: Your doctor may ask about your personal or family medical history, searching for patterns that point to mold toxicity.
• Indoor mold testing: To confirm mold is a risk factor in your everyday life, your doctor may ask for indoor mold testing at your home, place of work, and community gathering areas.
• Urine testing: This can measure metabolites of mold toxins and glutathione levels, the latter of which can be depleted due to mold exposure.
• Blood testing: Your healthcare provider may order a blood test to look for elevated IgG antibodies to mycotoxins or other markers specific to CIRS (chronic inflammatory response syndrome).
• VCS test: The Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) test measures your ability to discern between black, white, and gray objects on a screen. This inexpensive test can indicate mold toxicity as a potential culprit before moving on to more expensive diagnostics. It’s not very specific to mold toxicity, but can add to the overall picture. 

Unfortunately, most insurance plans will not help with testing for mold toxicity. We help our patients by offering the lowest possible costs for blood work and mold toxicity testing. 

The best doctors for diagnosing and treating mold toxicity are integrative and functional doctors. At PrimeHealth, we have diagnosed hundreds of patients with hard-to-diagnose disorders. Colorado residents, schedule your free consultation!

Remediation and Mold Removal

Healing your body with lifestyle changes and supplements is essential, but removing mold from your home or place of work is also critical to recovering from mold toxicity.

Professional mold remediation may be necessary. Hiring pros can cost $500-$30,000, depending on the size of the mold infestation and the mold location. A bathroom or basement may cost less, while an HVAC system or entire house will cost more.

For smaller mold problems (less than 3’x3’ patches of mold), DIY mold remediation may save you money while effectively addressing the issue. Here’s how to get rid of mold without hiring a professional:

1. Protect your nose and mouth with an N95 mask.
2. Wear gloves to protect your hands and wrists.
3. Open every door and window for ventilation.
4. Check for current leaks.
5. Stop ongoing leaks.
6. Repair water damage and eliminate dampness.
7. Remove standing water with a shop vac.
8. Wear goggles to protect your eyes.
9. Scrub hard surfaces with diluted bleach (never mix bleach and ammonia).
10. Dispose of soft or porous items such as drywall, carpeting, or ceiling tiles.
11. After cleaning anything, quickly dry all surfaces.

Ways to prevent mold in your home include:

• Keep humidity between 40%-60% in your home.
• Remove carpet from humid areas like the bathroom or basement.
• Regularly check pipes, windows, and roofs for leaks.
• Fix leaks right away; don’t wait.
• Address water damage immediately.
• Schedule a mold inspection.

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Recovering from Mold Toxicity

Some people have mold hypersensitivity and are allergic to all molds. Most people, on the other hand, can be negatively impacted by toxic mold-releasing mycotoxins. Mold toxicity is a widespread and under-recognized threat to human health. Thankfully, recovery is possible.

Is mold toxicity reversible? Yes, mold toxicity is reversible if you eliminate your mold exposure, detoxify your body, and support your body’s natural healing processes.

Based on scientific evidence and our clinical experience, here are the best tips for recovering from mold toxicity:

• Stop mold exposure: The most important part of mold detox is removing yourself from any exposures. If you can’t afford full mold remediation, move away from a moldy home. If your workplace won’t pay for full remediation, find another job. As long as you are exposed to toxic mold, you will continue to exhibit symptoms of mold exposure.
• Exercise regularly: Regular exercise not only exposes you to fresh air and promotes whole-body health, but it also boosts your immune health and helps you recover from mycotoxin exposure. Sweating is also an amazing detox tool. 
• Sauna: We recommend using the Infrared Sauna in our office to all of our patients, especially for those dealing with any kind of toxicity. Our favorite IR sauna brand is ClearLight. Use this link and use code PRIMEHEALTH  to receive $400-600 off your purchase.
• Avoid dietary mold: A low-mold diet avoids grains, coffee, alcohol, dried fruit, canned juices, processed meats, nuts, and grain-fed beef. Yes, these foods could all contain mold. For this reason, if you do consume coffee, we strongly recommend brands that are 3rd party tested to be mold free, like Purity Coffee. Use code PRIMEHEALTH for 20% off + free shipping.
•  Eat a healthy & anti-inflammatory diet: A healthy diet that supports mycotoxin detox includes whole foods like leafy greens, wild-caught fish, organic meats, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onions, ginger, and turmeric. Avoid sugars and carbs that can hamper your body’s natural detoxification process.
• Drink plenty of filtered water: Staying hydrated helps the body flush toxins by expelling them through urine and stool  
• Ensure you’re having daily bowel movements: Many mold toxins are removed from the body through the stool. If you need help with increasing your bowel movements, you can take magnesium or triphala to ensure they’re occurring at least daily .
• Take detox supplements: Glutathione, quercetin, activated charcoal and/or other binders, and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) are all excellent mold detox supplements.

Concerned about mold toxicity? PrimeHealth’s team of expert providers is ready to help you take control of your whole-body health and reverse chronic illnesses that disrupt your life. If you live in Colorado, schedule your appointment today!

Sources

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