Mold Toxicity Symptoms | Treatment for Hidradenitis Suppuritiva
Mold Toxicity Symptoms
Mold toxicity symptoms often get overlooked by healthcare professionals, because they overlap with other types of conditions that are commonly treated separately without looking at the root cause.
In this article, we’ll discuss mold toxicity symptoms, and how they are commonly associated with autoimmune diseases like Hashimotos thyroiditis, hidradenitis suppuritiva, multiple sclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Hi friends. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and holistic nutrition expert. Clients come to see me with signs of adrenal stress and inflammatory conditions, and my job is to find the root causes so we can address their symptoms more effectively, and fill in the gaps between what their doctor is saying, and what their body is saying.
Mold toxicity is a common root cause of many inflammatory conditions.
In this article, you’ll learn:
what mold toxicity symptoms look like
what conditions are commonly associated with mold toxicity
the difference between mold and mold toxins
sources of mold and mold toxin exposure
my three-pronged approach to treating mold toxicity symptoms
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How do Mold Toxicity Symptoms show up?
Mold toxicity symptoms will manifest different in everyone, and it’s possible there are multiple causes for these symptoms.
Our healthcare system is missing the mark when someone presents with many of these symptoms, and potential root causes are never tested for. Traditional healthcare providers are trained to suppress symptoms, but in and of itself, symptom suppression blatantly ignores the root cause, which ultimately makes the symptoms worse over time.
If you regularly experience any of these symptoms, mold toxicity is worth considering as a root cause.
COMMON MOLD TOXICITY SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:
dizziness
low blood pressure
electric shock sensations, tremors, or vibrations
tinnitus (ringing in ears)
GI (gastrointestinal) or digestive issues
sensitivity to chemicals, perfumes or smells
night sweats and body temperature dysregulation
chronic fatigue
depression and/or anxiety
hormone imbalances (blood sugar issues, irregular periods, PMS symptoms, etc.)
body pain, chronic pain
nosebleeds
frequent urination or excess thirst
memory loss or brain fog
Conditions Associated with Mold Toxicity
When the body is exposed to mold toxins, whether from environmental sources, food sources, or produced by mold in the body, and if the condition is not addressed in a timely manner, this leads to an inflammatory response called the Cell Danger Response.
If the mold toxicity (the root cause) remains unaddressed, this develops into a chronic condition known as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, or CIRS.
Cell Danger Response and CIRS can both develop as a result of any pathogen that goes undiagnosed or unaddressed, not just mold toxicity. Other pathogens that commonly fall into this category (and are not commonly tested for by your traditional Western Medicine practitioner) are candida albicans, H. pylori, parasites, and bacterial overgrowth.
WHAT HAPPENS IN CELL DANGER RESPONSE?
Pulling directly from a recent article I wrote about conditions related to Candida, here is what happens during a Cell Danger Response (2):
Mitochondria (the powerhouse of cells) begin by producing more fuel and releasing metabolic intermediates, like oxygen and reactive oxygen species.
When this does not resolve the threat, energy production begins to shut down in order to preserve energy. Digestion is also disturbed as it is non-essential to dealing with the pathogen, and your fatigue increases.
Cell membranes (also known as cell walls) stiffen, preventing nutrients from transferring in and out of cells for energy production.
Mitochondria release antiviral and antimicrobial chemicals into the fluid surrounding the cells.
Sends chemical signals to warn neighboring cells, and signal for help from immune cells such as eicosanoids and cytokines.
The Sympathetic Nervous System (“fight or flight” response) is kicked on until the threat is resolved. If candida goes unnoticed or undiagnosed, your “fight or flight” response will be in ON-mode indefinitely.
When the stressor is left unaddressed, this cascade of inflammatory response can lead to chronic illness, chronic pain, and autoimmune disease.
CONDITIONS THAT MAY BE LINKED WITH MOLD TOXICITY
Asthma (1)
Autoimmune diseases, such as Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS), Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Hidredenitis Suppuritiva, Rheumatoid Arthritis, or Multiple Sclerosis
Leaky Gut Syndrome
PCOS (PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome)
Interstitial Cystitis
Depression
Anxiety
Balance issues
Dementia
The Difference Between Mold and Mold Toxins
Molds are a type of fungi made up of multi-cellular filaments called hyphae (1). It is commonly heard that black mold is the only type of toxic mold, but there is simply not enough evidence to support this claim. Mold can be found in air, soil, plants, animals, and humans, and grows in places with lots of moisture.
We’ll talk more about common sources of mold exposure further down in the post.
Mold is a living organism, and when it is threatened, it produces mold toxins as a defense mechanism. These toxins, known as mycotoxins, are known to disrupt the mucosal barrier of lungs, intestines, and other epithelial tissues throughout the body, in order to make the space more suitable for mold to grow and thrive.
This disruption of epithelial tissue causes an inappropriate inflammatory response.
Sources of Mold and Mold Toxins
PACKAGED OR FRESH FOODS - This goes for any food, although there are also foods that are naturally high in yeast and mold (below). Regardless of whether your food is past its expiration date, it’s possible mold is growing on it. Always look before you sniff.
DUST
INSIDE WALLS OR WINDOWS OF YOUR HOME
BUILDINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN WATER DAMAGE
WINDOWS OR VENTS OF YOUR CAR
ANY SPACE THAT IS GENERALLY MOIST
FOODS THAT NATURALLY CONTAIN HIGH AMOUNTS OF MOLD OR YEAST:
grains
cheese
mushrooms
fermented foods (yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, natto, kefir, aged cheese, etc.)
dried fruit
chocolate
coffee beans
wine and beer
processed meat
nuts
milk
Treatment for Mold Toxicity Symptoms
Pathogens like mold, mold toxins, candida, bacteria overgrowth, and parasites, are all potential root causes for autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions like IBS and leaky gut syndrome.
Treatment for any pathogen requires an individualized approach and specialized testing to know exactly which pathogens are causing the problem. But at the heart of it, treatment for mold toxicity symptoms boils down to three foundational steps:
Remove the Mold Source - Eradicating a pathogen is useless without also removing the contributing source(s). It would be like starting a diet without evaluating your digestive health, or considering your health history. Removing sources of mold from your home, your car, the foods you eat, and any other spaces you spend significant amounts of time in, is the very first step to a successful elimination of mold toxins.
Support Detox and Drainage - Your liver plays a big role in the elimination of pathogens like mold toxins. Ensuring your liver is not congested and can effectively deactivate toxins, and that your drainage pathways are clear (bowel movements, sweat, urine, and lungs), is the second step to a successful mold detox.
Eradicate the Pathogens - Once the first two steps have been evaluated and supported, using high-potency botanical or pharmaceutical intervention to kill off the pathogens is the next step to getting rid of your mold toxicity symptoms and finding relief for your autoimmune symptoms.
Important additional factors to consider when treating mold toxicity symptoms include:
accurate testing - Working with a practitioner who is familiar with specialized testing that will help you understand what it is you’re fighting against, will make your treatment more successful. Secondarily, pathogens have ways of hiding, so working with a practitioner who understands how to draw pathogens out of hiding prior to testing, will get you a more accurate test result.
binders - When actively killing off pathogens, binders are essential to removing debris and toxins from the body. There are many types of binders, and each is specific to certain types of pathogens. Working with a practitioner who understands which types of binders are best for the specific pathogens you are dealing with, is essential to a successful treatment.
microbiome rebuild - Kill-off agents, whether pharmaceutical or botanical, kill off EVERYTHING - good and bad. It is especially important to repopulate the “good” bacteria and support healthy microbiome after, and sometimes during, the kill-off process, to ensure a more powerful immune support for future pathogenic infections. Without this step, you may be more susceptible to future infections, and an immune system that struggles to keep up.
Did You Learn Something New?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
DO YOU HAVE MOLD TOXICITY SYMPTOMS?
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BLOG REFERENCES
Kraft, S., Buchenauer, L., & Polte, T. (2021). Mold, Mycotoxins and a Dysregulated Immune System: A Combination of Concern?. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(22), 12269. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222212269
Naviaux, R. K. (2013, August 24). Metabolic features of the Cell Danger Response. Mitochondrion. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567724913002390
