Mold Toxicity
Conveniently located to serve the areas of New York, NY
Have you ever opened something in your fridge to find that familiar green fuzzy stuff? Yes, that is mold. Mold is a type of fungus, which grows in filaments and reproduces by forming spores that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The spores float around in the air and when they land on a moist surface, the mold can then start to grow.
Some types of mold, especially black mold, can cause significant health problems with prolonged exposure.
Condition
Mold is commonly found both indoors and outdoors, however, it tends to thrive in warm, moist, and humid environments. Different types of mold are around us all the time, but some are more dangerous than others. Some people are allergic to mold or are sensitive to the naturally occurring toxins, called mycotoxins, that mold can emit. When you’re exposed to too much mold or if you are sensitive to mold or their mycotoxins, it can result in several symptoms and “mold toxicity.”
Black mold is one of the most dangerous types of mold and can be commonly found in places like showers, as well as basements which are naturally prone to moisture, or crawl spaces, walls, and other places where an unresolved leak can occur.
Common symptoms
One challenge in diagnosing mold toxicity is that the symptoms tend to overlap with other common conditions. Further, some practitioners still do not recognize mold toxicity as a real condition, which can make it difficult for people to be diagnosed and properly treated.
Mold toxicity symptoms often initially manifest as allergy symptoms like a runny nose, itchy eyes, sinus congestion, etc. If left untreated these often progress to more of an inflammatory response, as the mycotoxins can trigger a cytokine cascade commonly associated with chronic inflammatory conditions. This can result in a wide constellation of symptoms such as:
- Cognitive impairment (i.e., brain fog, poor memory, lack of mental clarity)
- Headaches
- Muscle and joint pain
- Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
- Numbness and tingling in extremities
- Metallic taste in the mouth
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- GI symptoms like gas, bloating, cramping
- Intolerances to foods you have not previously had issues with
- Excessive fatigue and lack of energy
- Mood changes
- Hair loss
- Rashes
- Chronic cough
- Low-grade fever
Accurate testing – although challenging – is important for proper diagnosis. Identifying sources of mold, having other family members who also are suffering from unexplained symptoms, as well as ruling out other conditions with similar symptoms are all important factors in determining if you are suffering from mold toxicity.
Treatment approach
There is no one-size-fits-all cure for mold exposure and toxicity. Our multi-pronged approach is the best strategy and may include the following:
- Eliminate exposure: This is a crucial step in not only resolving your symptoms but also ensuring the symptoms do not return. Assess potential areas of exposure both at home and at work, have your home inspected for mold, and resolve any areas of standing water or excessive moisture.
- Detoxification processes: There are several nutrients, natural compounds, and antioxidants that aid the body’s ability to detoxify. This may include a combination of IV and oral therapies such as glutathione, lipoic acid, N-acetylcysteine, and B vitamins. We also use certain supplements that bind and remove mycotoxins from the body such as chlorella, bentonite clay, and activated charcoal.
- Heal the gut: Much of the body’s immune system resides in the gut, therefore it is crucial to ensure the gut microbiome is balanced. Eating naturally anti-inflammatory foods, while removing foods that you have sensitivities to helps to naturally lower inflammation both locally within the GI tract, as well as systemically. Further, targeted supplementation of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics further helps the gut microbiome to heal and flourish.
- IV therapy: Prolonged exposure to mold results in an inflammatory response. IV therapies are highly effective at targeting inflammation as they allow us to infuse therapeutic compounds and nutrients directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the GI tract. There are many compounds that help reverse many of the symptoms often associated with mold exposure and toxicity.
