Mycotoxins (toxins from mould) are some of the most prevalent toxins in the environment. Mycotoxins are metabolites produced by fungi like mould, which can infest buildings, vehicles, and foodstuffs. Most mycotoxin exposures are through airborne exposure eg. your external environment. Fungi can grow on almost any surface, especially if the environment is warm and wet. Inner wall materials of buildings, wallpaper, fibre glass insulation, ceiling tiles, and gypsum support are all good surfaces for fungi to colonise. These fungi then release mycotoxins into the environment causing symptoms of many different chronic diseases.
Food may be a source of mycotoxins, especially the grains such as rice, corn, wheat, rye, and barley. Many grains that are harvested have been found to be contaminated with mycotoxins but little of such harvests are discarded and are frequently sold for animal feeds such as dog food or feed for cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and horses. This can contaminate our meat and dairy products. Mycotoxins have also been found in coffee, cacao, nuts (including their butters), wine, beer, spices and dried fruits.
What Is Mould Illness?
We are constantly exposed to some degree of mould however long term exposure can have detrimental effects on your health. How sick you get can depend on the extent of the exposure and your state of health at the time. It widely known that exposure to mould infested buildings results in respiratory symptoms. However, we are seeing patients presenting with the dysregulation of multiple systems and therefore a wide range of symptoms.
Associated Symptoms
POTS symptoms
Emotional symptoms
Memory and cognitive issues
Sympathetic overdrive
Insomnia
Headache
Vagal dysfunction
Dizziness / unbalanced
GI symptoms
Weight gain
Anxiety
Depression
Insulin Resistance
How Does It Impact Our Health?
There are many mechanisms of action which are at play with mould illness. Different types of mycotoxins can impact various biological pathways. This results in a very complex condition with the presentation of a multitude of symptoms.
Health Conditions Where Mycotoxins Have Been Found
Neurological conditions such autism, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. Diseases and symptoms linked to mycotoxin exposure include fever, pneumonia-like symptoms, heart disease, rheumatic disease, asthma, sinusitis, nose bleeding, cancer, memory loss, vision loss, chronic fatigue, skin rashes, depression, ADHD, anxiety, and liver damage.
What Can We Do About It?
To address the condition we must take a robust, multifaceted approach.
Remove mould from your environment and diet.
Use supplemental binders to remove the mould from your gut.
Use sinus sprays to remove mould from the nasal passage.
Reboot all of the biological systems affected - nervous system, gut health, detoxification pathways, hormone health, emotional support, inflammation, mitochondrial function.
Work Together
Katherine has a breadth of experience working with clients suffering from mould illness. She takes a compassionate, meticulous and supportive approach to every case.
You can find our consultation fees here.
We also recommend booking a health assessment call with Katherine first to see if this is the right fit for you.
The Process
Testing For Mycotoxins
We use a lab in America called Mosaic Diagnostics to test for the presence of mould and mycotoxins in the urine. This test screens for eleven mycotoxins and forty species of mould from a single urine sample.
Methodology
Mycotoxins are measured using state-of-the-art liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technology. Using this technology, they have a very sensitive test, which is important because mycotoxins can cause serious health issues even in small quantities. For many of their compounds they can detect amounts in the parts per trillion (ppt) which is about 100-fold better than any other test currently available.
Analytes Measured
Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1)
Ochratoxin A (OTA)
Sterigmatocystin (STG)
Roridin E
Verrucarin A
Enniatin B1
Zearalenone (ZEA)
Gliotoxin (GTX)
Dihdrocitrinone Citrinin (DHC)
Chaetoglobosin A
You will need to work with a practitioner to order this test.
What Our Clients Are Saying
FAQs
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This depends on the extent of the exposure and the levels of mould present in your urine test. It will also depend on how quickly you can remove yourself from the mouldy environment and how well your detoxification pathways are working. Realistically give yourself 6-12 months, however it can take longer for more severe cases.
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This will depend on how many appointments are required. Every case is different. A starting point is £620. This would cover your testing, initial consultation and lab interpretation of results. After this point your mould protocol will have commenced and follow-up appointments (£70) will be suggested as required. A 3 month payment plan is available for the testing. Supplements recommended will be in addition.
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We see a lot of symptoms improve as soon as you remove yourself from the mouldy environment. Your detoxification pathways are then able to start clearing mould. We find that mould continues to live in the gut for many years as it is the perfect environment for it to survive. This typically doesn’t clear without additional support.
Contact us To Get Started
Case Studies
We are currently developing case study reports and will upload these when available.
