You feel like you’re doing everything right, you you’re still struggling with chronic health issues.
You’re frustrated with the constant fatigue, itchy or painful skin rashes, and anxiety. If that’s you, it’s time to look deeper. There may be a hidden cause behind your symptoms: toxic mold and mycotoxins. During my years in residency, i experienced mold exposure. Those specs of black, fuzzy substances not only look bad, but some can release mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxic substances that can make you very sick. Mold and mycotoxins are in many places, even places you might not expect. Some molds are nontoxic but cause allergy-like symptoms.
Most people have some experience with mold, but what does toxic mold look like? the black gunk in a window frame, the moldy smell in a damp basement, or the fuzz on food left in the fridge for too long. Not all molds are inherently harmful. Some strains of mold are common outdoor molds found in nature, serving a critical purpose for the planet. They aid in the decomposition of the planet and are a natural part of nature’s cycle of regeneration and recycling (check out the netflix documentary fantastic fungi – it’s great!). But in large quantities, mold can make a susceptible person very sick. https://d4h.z1.web.core.windows.net/blackmold/Mycotoxins/A-Brief-Guide-to-Mold-Moisture-and-Your-Home.html
Exposure to black mold is probably one of the most overlooked health hazards of the modern age, with black mold being commonly found in residential and commercial structures in all climates. This is because fungi are ubiquitous organisms that can get into buildings by attaching to the surface of structural materials or fabrics. The spores that cause black mold can also be transported via active and passive ventilation due to their diminutive size, then silently cause signs of mold sickness or exposure to black mold. Once indoors, black toxic mold finds the presence of moisture and nutrients and grows.
Who does the condition affect?
Cognitive symptoms like memory problems, or worsening alzheimer’s or dementia, has been associated with mold exposure by some researchers, as explained in a 2016 article in aging. Exacerbated problems with neurological conditions like autism spectrum disorder and mycotoxins have been studied without definitive answers. A 2017 study suggests a link, but a 2016 study found no association. Both conclude that more research needs to be done to understand how mycotoxins affect neurological health, especially in children. A 2019 study from toxicological research links headaches with mycotoxin exposure.
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › knowing how to get rid of a black mold is a skill set every diyer and homeowner should have in their know-how arsenal. As a naturally occurring and pervasive substance in our world, mold exists in a variety of different forms, many of which are nontoxic and mainly affect those with allergies and asthma. Black mold, however, is more serious. Exposure to the toxic variety of stachybotrys chartarum can cause respiratory issues that can be mild or severe. Like most kinds of mold, stachybotrys chartarum grows at an alarming rate under the right conditions—namely, in places with prolonged exposure to moisture and humidity, such as bathrooms , basements, under-sink cabinets, or recently flooded areas.
Mold toxicity, often referred to as mold poisoning, happens when your body has a negative reaction to prolonged or significant exposure to mycotoxins. Unlike allergies, mold toxicity involves more than sneezing or itchy eyes—it can encompass a much wider range of dangerous symptoms that may affect the respiratory, neurological, and immune systems. This condition usually develops slowly, especially in people who are regularly exposed to mold in their homes, workplaces, or other frequently visited places. Some people may even develop heightened sensitivity over time, which can make even minor mold exposure uncomfortable or even harmful.
it’s difficult to quantify how much mold will cause symptoms. That's because every person and their sensitivity levels are different. What causes symptoms in one person may cause no notable symptoms in another. Rest assured, though, that symptoms of black mold exposure do not usually appear from a small amount of mold. Black mold allergy symptoms typically occur when there is a significant, long-standing leak from which water and moisture have accumulated over time.
Before dr. Ritchie shoemaker’s work, we knew very little about mold toxicity. We have dr. Shoemaker to thank for the breadth of knowledge we now have regarding mold sickness. With dr. Shoemaker’s groundbreaking research on mold illness and chronic inflammatory response syndrome, people were able to come up with treatment protocols to improve the lives of those experiencing symptoms of mold toxicity including respiratory symptoms. The shoemaker protocol proved to be effective for thousands of patients. However, as more people received treatment, the diversity of patients’ medical histories and the complexity of their health conditions made the treatment process less straightforward.
Fungi produce toxic substances that can cause intense health effects, often with multiple or vague symptoms. More common mycotoxin symptoms include chronic coughing, wheezing, sinus congestion, flu-like symptoms, headaches, or fatigue. People with symptoms apparently due to long-term exposure to molds call this “toxic mold syndrome. ” this is similar to the illness now called chronic inflammatory response syndrome ( cirs ), thought to be caused from biotoxins (including mycotoxins) in combination with genetic susceptibility to these toxins. Toxic mold syndrome is still controversial. It is thought to be caused by exposure to molds commonly found indoors such as stachybotrys chartarum (black mold), cladosporium, aspergillus, penicillium, alternaria and their mycotoxins, such as ochratoxin a.