The Missing Environmental Link to Chronic Illness: Mold and Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by mold and can pose serious health risks, especially in indoor environments. These toxins are a major contributor to chronic Building Related Illness (BRI) because they’re often overlooked during typical mold remediation and environmental testing.

Understanding what mycotoxins are, how they spread, and the most effective ways to remove them is essential for anyone recovering from chronic BRI. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about mycotoxins—the health issues they can cause, how to detect them, and steps you can take to remove them from your home.

What Are Mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are a metabolite produced by various mold species. As explained in the Superstratum White Paper, these toxins act as a defense mechanism, helping mold colonies fend off bacteria. Some mycotoxins, like penicillin, even have medicinal uses, helping fight bacteria or suppress the immune system. Unlike mold spores, which are a living part of the mold, mycotoxins are chemical substances that spread on surfaces and can travel through the air by hitching a ride on spores and dust particles. These resilient compounds are especially challenging to remove because they aren't alive, meaning they can't simply be "killed" like mold itself.

Characteristics of Mycotoxins:

• Non-living: Mycotoxins are not alive which means that EPA registered disinfectants that kill mold and bacteria do not destroy mycotoxins.
• Resilience: Mycotoxins are highly resistant to environmental degradation and can persist in homes for years after mold is gone.
• Adhesive Nature: Mycotoxins are sticky and can cling to surfaces, furniture, and even clothing, contributing to their spread.
• Airborne Transmission: HVAC systems can aerosolize mycotoxins, facilitating their circulation throughout a building.

Different Types of Mycotoxins

Scientists have discovered over 500 types of mycotoxins, each with unique factors influencing when and how they're produced. The biggest factor? The type of mold growing. But it’s fascinating to note that even within the same mold species, different mycotoxins can emerge based on the environment factors. Key conditions like temperature, surface moisture, humidity, and available nutrients all play a role in mycotoxin production. If there are no other microbial competitors in the mold colony’s environment, the mold may not feel threatened and may not produce mycotoxins.

How Mycotoxins Contaminate a Home

Moisture is the main trigger for mold growth, which then leads to the production of mycotoxins. Modern, airtight homes provide the perfect conditions for mold to thrive, allowing mycotoxins to spread throughout the home in several key ways:

1. Crawlspaces and Basements: Mold often grows in crawlspaces, releasing mycotoxins that can travel upwards through the “stack effect,” pushing contaminated air into living areas. Since mycotoxins are odorless and invisible, this issue can go undetected for years, with many homeowners unaware of the health risks that a musty crawlspace can present.
2. HVAC Systems: Mold can also develop in HVAC systems due to issues like improper sizing, condensation line leaks, or temperature-induced condensation. This is especially concerning since the HVAC system circulates air—and any mold spores or mycotoxins in it—throughout the entire home, leading to consistent exposure for occupants.

Hidden Leaks: Mold can thrive in unseen areas, such as behind walls, in ceilings, or under floors. Although these hidden areas don’t get as much airflow as crawlspaces or HVAC systems, mycotoxins from concealed mold can still gradually seep into the air, creating chronic exposure over time.

The Health Impacts of Mycotoxins

Exposure to mycotoxins can lead to a wide range of health problems, from mild issues to severe, life-threatening conditions. The type of mycotoxins, level and duration of exposure, and individual genetic factors all play a role in how these toxins impact health. This complexity makes it difficult to recognize Building-Related Illness (BRI) from mycotoxins, as people in the same environment may experience very different symptoms. Here’s a breakdown of common health issues linked to mycotoxins. If you or others in your household are dealing with any of these issues, mycotoxins could be a hidden factor.

• Neurological Problems: Mycotoxins can harm the nervous system, leading to symptoms like brain fog, migraines, dizziness, and tremors, along with more severe effects such as seizures and ataxia (lack of muscle coordination). People may also experience light sensitivity, vertigo, tinnitus, and worsened symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Long-term exposure can have a serious impact on cognitive and physical functioning.
• Autoimmune Issues: Mycotoxins can trigger or worsen autoimmune diseases by disrupting immune function and increasing chronic inflammation. Conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders), rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and celiac disease have all been linked to mycotoxins. Additionally, inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) can worsen with exposure.
• Hormonal Imbalances: Mycotoxins can interfere with the endocrine system, leading to hormonal issues. They can mimic or block natural hormones, impacting thyroid function, stress response, and reproductive health. Mycotoxins may raise cortisol levels (the stress hormone), which can lead to adrenal fatigue, and suppress thyroid hormones, causing fatigue and weight gain. They can also affect estrogen and testosterone levels, potentially influencing mood, energy, and even fertility.
• Increased Cancer Risk: Some mycotoxins, like aflatoxins from Aspergillus molds, are strongly linked to liver cancer, while ochratoxins, found in Aspergillus and Penicillium species, are associated with kidney cancer. Fusarium toxins, such as fumonisins, are connected to esophageal cancer. Long-term exposure to various mycotoxins, including ochratoxins, is linked to stomach cancer, and emerging evidence suggests increased risks for colorectal and lung cancers, especially through respiratory and digestive exposure.
• Allergic Reactions: Mycotoxins can also trigger allergy-like symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, skin rashes, and hives. Mycotoxins can also trigger or worsen food allergies by increasing gut inflammation and permeability.

Understanding the full range of health effects from mycotoxin exposure is key to recognizing Building-Related Illness and taking steps to protect yourself and your family.

The #1 Building Related Illness Clue
The simplest way to determine if you may have Building Related Illness from mycotoxins is to consider how you feel when you leave your home. If your symptoms or low energy improve while you're away for a few days (such as on vacation) but return once you are back home, it is likely that your environment is contributing to your illness.

What To Do If You Suspect Mycotoxins Are In Your Home

Learning about the dangers of mycotoxins can be daunting, but there’s no need to worry! With the right knowledge and tools, you can turn this into the beginning of a healing journey for you and your family. Here are four key steps to help restore your home to a safe and healthy space:

Identify Moisture Sources
Mycotoxins are in a home because mold is present—and mold grows because there’s moisture. High humidity, hidden leaks, past flooding, a musty crawlspace, or a leaky roof can all create the right conditions. Start by finding the moisture source, fixing the issue, and ensuring it won’t return.

Detect Mold and Mycotoxins
The next step is to identify what kinds of mold and mycotoxins are in your home. Working with a skilled environmentalist who can test for both mold and the specific mycotoxins it produces is ideal, but it can be costly. That’s why we created the Superstratum Mold & Mycotoxin Detection Kit—an affordable option to help you identify potential issues so you can take the right steps.

Remove Mold
Once you know where the mold is, it’s time to remove it. Sometimes, even a small amount of mold can produce a lot of mycotoxins, which you may be able to clean up yourself using EPA-registered disinfectants and mold cleaners. For more severe cases, hiring a licensed mold remediator is recommended. Remember, though: dead mold can still cause issues, so avoid “fogging” treatments that only kill the mold without removing it. In some cases, fogging might even increase mycotoxin levels.

The mold remediation industry often focuses solely on removing mold, overlooking the harmful mycotoxins left behind. Most remediation chemicals target the mold itself, not the toxins it produces. In today’s airtight homes, mold and mycotoxins can circulate through trapped air, affecting the entire house. Many remediation companies miss this, and sometimes, their work can even worsen mycotoxin levels. Disturbing mold or using certain chemicals may cause it to release extra mycotoxins as a defense. As a result, a post-remediation test might show no mold, yet the space can still be highly toxic, with symptoms reappearing once occupants move back in.

Clean Remaining Mycotoxins
After you’ve completed these steps now you’re ready to address the mycotoxins in your home. This is the final step to restoring your home to a safe and healthy environment for you and your family.