Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by fungi or mold that can cause illness in humans. Symptoms of mold illness can include brain fog, memory loss, headaches, chronic sinusitis, fatigue, weight gain, unexplained rashes/itchy skin, anxiety, depression, and/or even digestive issues like bloating- to name a few. Some patients only have a handful of these symptoms and others could have many more. Below, you will learn about the steps needed to assist patients on their road to recovery.

1: Identify risk and test (don’t guess!)

We always include a question in our intake form for new patients to identify if they have any known or possible exposures to mold via water-damaged homes or workplaces through leaks or flooding in the basement or even just musty smelling areas in the home. We test to confirm mycotoxins using a simple urine test that can be completed at home from RealTime Laboratories.

2: Get Out of the Moldy Environment

Once mycotoxins are confirmed via testing above, an ERMI test or a professional mold inspection can be completed at the home or place of concern to confirm if the suspected area has mycotoxins present. It is crucial that we are certain that the person’s current environment is not causing or contributing to their illness. If a person is still living or working in a moldy or water-damaged building, healing is near impossible unless thorough, effective remediation takes place in a timely manner.

3: Support the Liver’s Detoxification Pathways

The liver is in charge of detoxifying harmful substances, meaning that it converts substances that are harmful to our body into substances that are more neutral, and can then be excreted and eliminated effectively. Glutathione, the body’s most potent antioxidant, is crucial for effective detoxification and is included in each of our patient’s mold supplement protocols. We use liposomal glutathione with patients for better absorption. Our favorite is Tri-Fortify Glutathione by Researched Nutritionals. Other herbal supplements like LV-GB complex by Designs for Health can be used as well to provide nutritional support for the liver and gallbladder with ingredients like Milk Thistle and B vitamins.

Certain foods can also be used alongside supplementation to boost detox efforts. Incorporating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc. will be vital due to their unique sulfur-containing compounds that assist with making detrimental substances, like mycotoxins, more soluble so they can be easily excreted by the body.

4: Encourage daily bowel movements

When the liver detoxifies substances, the next step is to get them out of the body. The bowels play a significant role in this process. It is imperative that the bowels move well in order to excrete toxins. This means a minimum of one bowel movement a day, but preferably two.

Magnesium citrate is one of our favorite remedies for getting bowels moving. We can adjust the dosing based on bowel tolerance and can titrate up or down when needed. Some may even respond well to prune or aloe juice. We avoid any regular use of laxatives due to their dependent nature. The goal will always be daily elimination!

Drinking more water might seem overly basic, but it’s surprising how many people still don’t drink enough water. Proper hydration is necessary to avoid constipation. The goal should be about half of your body weight in ounces daily. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds your hydration requirement will be at least 75 ounces of water daily. Increasing dietary fiber through consumption of seeds, berries and green leafy vegetables can also be helpful to instigate bowel movements.

5: Incorporate Binders

Binders are substances that grab on to mold toxins and escort them out of the body. There are many different binders, some more gentle, some more aggressive, and some pharmaceutical grade.

Our go-to binders are activated charcoal, clay, and chlorella. On the pharmaceutical front, we do use Cholestyramine when necessary for stubborn mold clearance. Cholestyramine that is compounded through a compounding pharmacy is preferred as it then comes as a pure powder without the sugar, flavorings and preservatives found in the commercial types.

Food-based binders are also encouraged to assist the body with its burden. These types of foods include chia seed, flax seed, pumpkin seed, and sunflower seed. The goal is to incorporate 1-2 tablespoons daily of any of these types of seeds.

6: Antifungal Agents

At some point, we may need to incorporate antifungals to help kill off the mold spores that are still within the body. Many people with mycotoxin illness have issues with Candida overgrowth as well, which needs to be addressed with the use of antifungals.

Antifungal therapy can be done using natural agents and/or pharmaceuticals.

Some of our favorites on the natural front are Microcidin AF, Biocidin, berberine, and/or oregano. Prescription antifungals used most frequently in our practice are Nystatin, Diflucan, and Itraconazole.

7: Address Colonization of Mold in the Sinuses

We typically start with a nasal spray like BEI (through a compounding pharmacy) or Argentyn 23 bio-active silver hydrosol (over the counter). If for some reason an individual does not tolerate these or if their symptoms are mild, we’ll use Xlear, which is xylitol-based and available at a local pharmacy. Clearing the nasal passageways is an important piece of the treatment to ensure complete clearance of mold from the body. Furthermore, cases of chronic or recurring sinusitis may be caused by biofilms produced by mold toxins that need aggressive treatment with biofilm busting agents like grapefruit seed extract.

8: Low-Mold Diet

Eating a low-mold diet will help reduce colonization of mold and support key nutrients. Key foods to limit/avoid during treatment would include sweets, dried fruits, peanuts, peanut butter, grapes, cantaloupe, aged cheeses, pickled foods, simple carbohydrates, alcoholic beverages, fermented drinks like kombucha, and sweetened beverages like soda or fruit juice.

Foods that are encouraged during treatment and beyond include broccoli, brussels sprouts, artichoke, asparagus, cabbage, bitter greens like arugula or dandelion greens, beets, garlic, onions, shallots, berries, avocado, fresh seeds and nuts, organic and cold-pressed olive oil, cage-free eggs, wild-caught fish, and organic chicken. In addition, fresh herbs and spices can also help fight mold/fungus like cinnamon, cumin, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and basil.

Conclusion

Mold illness recovery takes both time and consistency. Having patience is critical. Everybody is different and their ability to detox the mold toxins will depend on many factors. The bottom line is that you will feel better and lower the serious health consequences of mold illness once you get on a good protocol and stick with it. If you are struggling with symptoms mentioned above above and want to be tested for mycotoxins, please schedule a free 20-minute discovery call here.