Mold Information

The Effects of Mycotoxins

Joslyn113126 views
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What are Mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are produced on the surface of mold spores. Uniquely, they remain toxic even after the spore itself is dead. Mycotoxins are what cause the sicknesses in people and animals. The good news is that not all molds produce mycotoxins.

Molds are split into two genres. Toxigenic and Non-toxigenic. Molds that produce mycotoxins are considered to be toxigenic. Those that don’t are non-toxigenic.

What Types of Mycotoxins Are There?

There are 5 main strands of mycotoxins: Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A, Fumonisins, certain Trichothecenes and Zearalenone.

What do Mycotoxins Do?

Mycotoxins can cause the more serious issues that occur i.e. breathing problems, lung inflammation, fever, burning sensations etc. They can also be responsible for acute and chronic sicknesses as serious as cancer, fibromyalgia, heart problems, lupus, and even mental deficiencies.

Two of the most common mold types that produce these mycotoxins are stachybotrys chartarum or chaetomium. Most symptoms can be treated with medication and diet though there has been no head way towards the more serious consequences like brain damage and loss of eye sight.

Further Recommended Reading :

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

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11 comments

2 New Uses for Mold - The Mold Blog November 4, 2007 - 7:35 am
[...] The Effects of Mycotoxins [...]
Toxic Mold Lawsuits - The Mold Blog November 4, 2007 - 10:12 am
[...] The Effects of Mycotoxins [...]
Mycotoxins & The Effects of Black Mold - The Mold Blog November 6, 2007 - 6:52 am
[...] The Effects of Mycotoxins [...]
Is Black Mold Dangerous? - The Mold Blog November 6, 2007 - 7:22 am
[...] The Effects of Mycotoxins [...]
Mold Destroys Home Values - The Mold Blog November 26, 2007 - 5:35 pm
[...] aware of is called Stachybotrys, or “black mold.” Black mold, also called toxic mold, produces mycotoxins. These hazardous byproducts are responsible for most of the negative mold reactions in [...]
Symptoms of Mold Exposure & Who is Most At Risk - The Mold Blog December 7, 2007 - 6:44 am
[...] In most cases, its not that mold isn’t affecting that individual, its that the mold the individual is taking in, does not carry mycotoxins. [...]
Erin September 24, 2012 - 3:43 pm
I am a Lupus patient on weekly chemotherapy injections who recently (late last night recently) found that the awful smell I thought was just the sweating I constantly did being a chemo patient was unfortunately not so simple & I need some help ASAP... it was my MATTRESS. Yes, seriously... mold was INFESTESTED. My husband cut out a square before leaving it for the trash pick up that came this morning thankfully (at my request). I have been sick & getting sicker & sicker...
Tom August 13, 2015 - 11:03 am
Molds are bad they even can deplete vitamins and amino acids to the point body can not replete them through food and supplementation is needed. http://www.psoriasisdietplan.com/2014/10/mycotoxins-deplete-vitamins-and-amino-acids/
Ginny October 20, 2015 - 7:35 am
Hello - I rent a small house that has definite water drainage problems in the yard and under the house. The roof also has many patched leaky spots and needs to be replaced. Before I moved in, landlord told me there was mold in back bedrooms and had them painted with Kilz (?) and then paint. She assured me that was enough and all would be fine. 6 months in (or less), I noticed some black mold growing in the bottom corner of one of the back bedrooms. Floor is warped at back door in that room and it's moldy smelling there, and in a hall closet also. Yesterday I went in the room and noticed my suitcase which had been sitting on the floor, and I had just used at the end of August for vacation, had mold growing on the top of it, and when i turned it over, it had mold (whitish in color) growing on the back of it about mid way. Took pictures and walked over to landlord who is about 90 or around that. Showed them to her and her response is "oh I know, I have that problem here too - I don't know what I'm going to do!" and threw her hands up in the air. I don't know what I'm going to do either, tho I do know I'm not living in a moldy house where my property is being damaged. I am afraid to look at the matress and box springs that are in there, I'm sure they are ruined as well as my suitcase (can't clorox it because it's cloth). It's ruining my clothes. What do I do? What does she HAVE to do? That was days ago and I haven't heard a word from her. To me... this is urgent. Unacceptable. And looking back, I have had the absolute worst year healthwise of my life. I've missed more time from work for being sick then ever before and it's mainly stomach issues, some breathing but mainly a food poison like illness that recurs from time to time. What are your thoughts? Thank you!
tanya armstrong February 11, 2017 - 9:10 pm
Ginny, you gotta move out of that house. If you're tied to a lease, you only have to threaten the landlord to bring in the health dept to get out of it w/o financial penalty. This sounds too far gone and can't be fixed. This is a fact: remediation is VERY expensive and it DOESN'T WORK!!! The mold comes back in a couple of weeks. So if the landlady says she's going to pay to remediate, tell her you are risking your life or health for something that doesn't work. It's in the drywall by now, certainly in the carpeting and flooring. You may have to get a new car. You'll have to haul to the dump everything porous or organic, can't be sold to unsuspecting people in good conscience. This means upholstered and leather furniture, all books, paper and cardboard, house plants, throw rugs too big to throw in the washer. Get plastic bins to keep things in so they're not exposed to what's floating around in the air. You CAN use 2 cups clear (not lemon) heavy duty ammonia (Bi-Mart sells it cheap) NOT BLEACH, to wash your bedding and clothes once a week. Throw out leather belts and shoes. It's coming out of your pores, infecting everything you're in contact with. Be ultra-cautious not to import it into your new living space. You may have to throw away your most cherished artwork and photographs. Nothing is worth being sick for. Think about it. Check online blogs for how to get it out of your bodies, will take months or even years of diligence, but you'll do it if you want to live. The most important thing is diet. You can starve the suckers to death by not eating sugar (including soda or juice you didn't squeeze yourself) or flour in any form (honey, bread, pasta, pancakes). Stick to organic chicken and fish, low glycemic veggies, avocados, lemons & limes. No dairy, grains including rice & quinoa, potatoes, soy, legumes, corn, fruit or beans. All of these contain sugar or are converted quickly to sugar. You'll need to take a morning poison on an empty stomach and you'll need to switch every month to a different one to keep the little buggers guessing. They build up immunity. Examples of different ones to switch between are oil of oregano, Jatoba oil, grapefruit seed extract, colloidal silver, Cat's Claw, Pau d'Arco and usnea herb. You must then rebuild your gut flora (which are what create your immunity) at lunch and dinner by taking a probiotic w/each meal. You also need to take a binder such as CSM (cholestyramine or activated charcoal) and something to increase your immunity, such as Myco Formula Immune Defense. Try to find a holistic naturopathic doctor or nurse practitioner familiar w/treatment. You need lots of tests. The test for mycotoxins in your body is a urine test (NOT a blood test) done by RealTime Labs in Dallas, Texas. This is the beginning of a huge education for you. You can find it all online. Do not ignore it. Your home is killing you and your landlady. She's old and sounds like she doesn't care. That's her problem, not yours. Get out of there and don't carry it into your new home. You'll have to shampoo and bathe yourself every day and your belongings once a week. It will take work. Plastic and metal items can be cleaned w/ammonia, let dry and then wipe down w/paper towels you throw immediately into a plastic bag for disposal. Besides a new bed, you'll need to get an IQ-Air HealthPro Plus air purifier which cleans the room you're in. When you go to bed, you roll it into your bedroom for the night. It's the ONLY one made to capture mycotoxins from the air, down to .003 microns. A human hair is 3 microns. Keep it running 24/7, in whichever room you spend time. Turn it up to highest setting of 6 when you leave the house, down to 3 for white noise when you're sleeping. There's a nose spray called Xlear to minimize runny nose and sneezing. There's so much more to it, but that's for starters.
E September 14, 2020 - 6:34 am
Hi Tanya, I may be suffering from mold issues my self and I saw you gave sound recommendations on a comment to someone. I’d love to get some more ideas on what I can do to treat it and clean the environment around me.
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