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Mold Sensitivity


 

Background

According to the EPA, Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors, and the Mayo Clinic has found that over 90% of chronic sinus infections have been attributed to mold with mold allergies affecting about 10% of the population.

Molds are fungi that grow indoors and outdoors in warm, damp, and humid conditions, with some capable of producing toxic compounds (Mycotoxins) that have the potential to cause illness in humans.  More than 400 mycotoxins have been reported, and they can cause health problems through inhalation, absorption through the skin or consumption if on a food product. 

Exposure to mold can elicit an immune system reaction producing symptoms similar to allergies such as sinus congestion, runny nose, itchy skin and eyes, shortness of breath. Mold exposure can also manifest as chronic inflammation with the body producing a chemical and inflammatory reaction to mycotoxins. 

Some symptoms that may be experienced include:

  • Confusion and poor memory
  • Abdominal pain and muscle pain
  • Unexplained weight loss or gain
  • Numbness and tingling
  • Metallic taste
  • Dizziness
  • Ringing in ears
  • Gut problems 
  • Fatigue
  • Mood changes
  • Excessive thirst 
  • Hair loss, skin rashes

 

What are fungi?

Fungus is defined as any member of the fungi kingdom, including yeasts, molds and mushrooms. If you’ve ever eaten bread, cheese or soy sauce, drank wine or beer, taken penicillin, used flavorings in cooking, feasted on mushrooms, had ringworm or athlete’s foot, you have, perhaps unknowingly, sampled, relied on or been affected by fungi.

Fungi are extremely important in human medicine. According to Fungal Biology, “They are used in more than 10 of the 20 most profitable products in human medicine.” These include two of our anti-cholesterol statins and the antibiotic penicillin.

Fungi are not animals or plants. Instead, they are so unique that biologists have put them in their own category–the Fungi, a group that contains more than 6 million different kinds (compared to less than half a million plant species)!

Types of Fungi

Yeast

Yeast are a type of fungus that are microscopic in size, usually oval in shape and contain only a single cell.  It may be pale yellow, cream, white or colorless.  An example is Candida albicans, which is considered a normal part of the human flora (e.g., skin, gastrointestinal tract).  Candida is found harmlessly in at least 80% of the human population.

Mold

Mold is a type of fungus that contains multiple, identical single cell organisms.  It grows in the form of hyphae or filaments.  Examples are Aspergillus and Penicillium.  Mold is typically found if damp, dark or steam-filled environments.  It is fuzzy and much more colorful than yeast. It may be purple, orange, brown, green, pink or black, and can also vary greatly in shape. 

Mildew is often referred to as a kind of mold (or mold in its early stages), and is classified as powdery and downy.   Typically, mold is colorful and mildew is gray or white. Mold tends to grows on food and areas with water damage, whereas mildew is typically an issue on damp surfaces, like bathroom walls, basement walls or fabrics. Mold grows in the form of multicellular filaments or hyphae, while mildew has flat growth.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are just the fruiting bodies–the spore-producing parts– of a fungus, sort of like the apples from a tree. They come in many, many shapes, colors and sizes.

 

How does mold cause health problems?

Many molds create toxic chemicals called mycotoxins.  These noxious and potent chemicals are used to protect the mold from harm and by doing so that can damage many systems in humans.  Not all molds create toxins and those that do, don’t create mycotoxins all the time because it’s very metabolically taxing for them to do so.  They produce mycotoxins when they are threatened. Mycotoxins are not the mold organisms themselves, but rather they are made by mold.

Mycotoxicosis (a disease caused by mycotoxins) affects everything in susceptible individuals, particularly the immune system, endocrine (hormonal) system and the renal system (kidneys).

Aside from the mycotoxins, the mold may cause allergy symptoms and inflammation in people who are infected/colonized.

 

Where is mold found?

Water Damaged Buildings (WDB)

The most common source of mold exposure in the US is due to water-damaged buildings (WDB).  The reasons for this vary:  a damp basement/crawl space that periodically floods. Or there was a leaking roof, windows or failing siding. How about a flooded crawlspace that didn’t make it into the home? These are some of the more obvious WDB environments. The resulting damp-musty aroma is often a tell-tale sign of biodeterioration (breakdown of materials by microbial action).  But it’s not just about a musty aroma or wet basement. Many times, there is no aroma or visible sign of water damage where it’s a series of seemingly insignificant intermittent moisture issues that are degrading.  Don’t let the lack of visible mold (or a damp aroma) fool you.

In addition, certain occupations have been identified to increase risk for mold exposure: construction industry (e.g., builders, plumbers, HVAC technicians), farmers, food industry workers, janitors/cleaners, and health care workers.

Food

Mold is very commonly found in many types of food.  Some foods have molded because of age or because they weren’t stored correctly e.g., bread, fruit, jarred sauces

Some food is knowingly made with mold e.g., blue cheese.  Some foods attract mold during production e.g., country-cured ham.  Many foods develop mold during storage before stores even get them e.g., grains, pistachios, peanuts, coffee beans.

Airborne

Molds produce spores which can be transported by air, water or insects. When airborne, the spores spread the mold from place to place like dandelion seeds blowing across a meadow. Molds form spores which, when dry, float through the air and find suitable conditions where they can start the growth cycle again.  These spores might end up in your lungs or on your food.  They can end up in an area in your house that has had recent water damage.

 

How do I test to see if I have mold?

Environmental testing

You can contract a company that will test the amount of mold in your home compared to outside the home.  If there is visible mold, they can test to identify the type of mold it is.  However, the presence of mold in your home does not equate to mold or mycotoxins in your body.  You would need to check this directly.

Urine Mycotoxin Testing

Mycotoxins, produced by certain mold species, are some of the most prevalent toxins and can come from many sources, including buildings, vehicles, and food. These compounds have been recognized as a growing global health concern due to their acute and chronic adverse health impacts. Mycotoxin exposure can be challenging to diagnose without proper testing due to vague and often varied symptoms.  Specialty labs can directly check for multiple types of mycotoxins in a urine sample.

Organic Acid Testing (OAT)

Organic acids are products of the body’s metabolic pathways. Evaluation of these downstream metabolites from various metabolic pathways provides insight into important areas related to gut health, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter status, indicators of detoxification and macronutrient breakdown and nutritional status. This makes organic acid testing a valuable tool to assess the functional need for essential nutrients, diet modification, antioxidant protection, detoxification, and other therapies.  Specifically, there are various organic acids that are elevated in response to a mold infection/colonization, especially with Aspergillus.

Why do both OAT and mycotoxin testing?

Mold produced mycotoxins but may be gone.  OAT and mycotoxins complement each other. Absence of mold does not mean no mycotoxins.

Mold Allergy Testing

Mold allergy is a type of allergic reaction that occurs when an individual’s immune system is exposed to mold spores or mold cell components – typically via inhalation, ingestion, and/or contact with the skin. Mold allergy testing measures IgE (a type of immunoglobulin) levels to specific common mold allergens.  This panel provides valuable insight into potential triggers for mold allergy symptoms in sensitive individuals.  This test is useful in patients that are experiencing allergy symptoms due to a suspected or confirmed mold exposure.

Other Testing

In addition to the mold tests, a physical examination, a medical history of symptoms, and an environmental history would be helpful in determining the cause for the health issues.

 

What are the steps for treating mold?

Evaluation of home, work, and care environments are often included in treatment plans to identify source(s) of molds for elimination.

Treatment plans for mold must be individualized, but can include the following:

  • Removing the source of mold 
  • Improving diet to lower inflammation 
  • For allergies or respiratory problems, taking allergy medication to manage symptoms or including immunotherapy to reduce allergic reactions
  • Taking supplements that help eliminate mycotoxins such as antioxidants, charcoal, glutathione, NAC, garlic, and green tea.
  • Taking prescription antifungal medication if it’s determined that there is a mold infection/colonization.

 

Do you suspect you might have symptoms of mold toxicity or sensitivity? Click here to book your appointment now or call (818) 551-0464!

Location

Glendale Whole Health
230 N Maryland Avenue, Suite 110
Glendale, CA 91206
Phone: 323-483-6074
Fax: 818-551-0462

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