It’s much more common — and serious — than you think.
The average person breathes 20,000 breaths daily and spends around 90 percent of their time inside. Yet our indoor environments are often the last place we consider (if at all) as a contributor to unhealthy living. But that needs to change, because we’ve got a worldwide mold problem.
If microbial growth develops indoors, mold toxicity can occur, spurring myriad health conditions. Yet, when was the last time you were warned about the dangers of indoor mold growth, if ever? And the overwhelming mold crisis in college dorms and its impact on future generations demonstrates this rising health epidemic.
What is mold toxicity?
Mold toxicity, often called mold illness, refers to the adverse health effects triggered by exposure to mold species and their byproducts. As mold grows, it releases spores, fragments, and potentially mycotoxins (more on those later) into the surrounding environment. While completely avoiding particles produced by mold is impossible, experiencing microbial growth indoors is not the same as typical outdoor exposure. With modern building practices pushing for net-zero energy efficiency, most particles that make their way indoors will remain there, until actively eliminated. If a source actively produces these particles, such as a mold colony, exposure is further increased because the volume of contaminations is greater. Think of it as a factory producing smoke inside a bubble: The longer the factory is running, the more smoke it will release, and the more there will be inside the bubble. The longer microbial growth exists, the more particles it will release, and the more there will be inside the home.
Standing inside a bubble packed with particles isn’t the same as normal low-level, everyday exposure. With mold existing all over the planet, spores and particles will be present outdoors as well as in our homes — that’s why cleaning to remove particles is so important for indoor air quality. Thankfully, our bodies contain natural defense mechanisms to purge these particles once they enter. However, this is much harder in a home with an active source of contamination-releasing particles.
Why does indoor mold growth occur?
Hardy in nature, many of the over 100,000 species of mold require two basic elements to grow: a food source and a moisture source. If you think of your home, organic matter is in abundance. Skin cells, drywall, soap scum, mineral buildup, clothing, etc., all act as edible options. That brings us to the next culprit, moisture. Leaks, overall high indoor humidity, flooding, moisture intrusion from improperly installed windows, wet laundry left in the washing machine: all of them can lead to microbial growth.
That’s why common areas for microbial growth are high-moisture areas like the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room or spaces of your home where you wouldn’t notice a leak, including the attic, basement, crawlspace, or behind a wall or appliance. Taken as a whole, microbial growth indoors can happen relatively easily and quickly. That’s why preventative maintenance is so important.
Why does mold trigger health reactions?
Mold can affect health largely because of its small size, measured in microns. These particles are small enough to be inhaled, absorbed, and ingested into the body and enter the bloodstream, prompting the immune system to tag them as foreign invaders and attempt to expel them. That sounds great in theory, but it’s not that simple.
This immune response leads to widespread inflammation and the potential for adverse health effects if that inflammation persists. For some individuals, the immune system may struggle to remove these bio-toxins, while for others, prolonged exposure can overwhelm the immune system, resulting in toxin buildup and chronic inflammation. Think of your body as a bucket, and the toxins coming into it as water. If the water continues to fill the bucket, it will eventually overflow. Similarly, if toxins continue to enter your body, eventually, your toxicity level will reach a “boiling point.”
Reactions to mold exposure vary significantly between individuals. One person’s immune system might work overtime, causing limited and manageable symptoms, while another’s might malfunction, leading to a wide range of issues with dozens of different symptoms. This is what makes initial diagnosis so difficult for medical professionals unfamiliar with mold toxicity. Various factors influence these adverse health reactions, including the species of mold, genetics, immune system status, presence of mycotoxins, length and volume of exposure, and the presence of bacteria.
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds naturally produced by some species of mold that are capable of causing a wide range of adverse health effects. Researchers have already identified over 300 mycotoxins and believe that many more have yet to be discovered. If they’re present in the home, they can lead to mycotoxicosis, poisoning, and diseases due to exposure. For example, aflatoxins are a type of mycotoxin and have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Interestingly, while mycotoxins are regulated in our food products, no laws exist for levels in the home.
Over 100,000 species of mold have been identified, with some being pathogenic and others naturally toxic. Genetics can predispose individuals to mold sensitivity, with studies linking the HLA-DR gene to heightened reactions. Those with compromised or developing immune systems often experience symptoms more quickly and severely.
Children, for example, often develop adverse reactions because their immune systems are still developing. At Change the Air Foundation, we’ve helped countless families whose lives were upturned because of the children in the home developing life-altering health reactions.
As a final piece to the puzzle, bacteria often coexist with mold, further complicating possible health impacts.
Symptoms of mold toxicity
Mold exposure triggers a multi-systemic response, meaning that inflammation can develop throughout the body. As such, symptoms are wide-ranging, but common ones include:
- Anxiety and depression
- Brain fog
- Chronic fatigue
- Hair loss
- Skin sensitivity and pain
- Joint and muscle pain
- Digestive issues
- Cold and flu-like symptoms
- Hormonal imbalances
- Fertility issues
- Headaches
- Light sensitivity
- Coughing
- Recurring sinus infections
- Food sensitivities
Further complications
Mold toxicity can also work in tandem with other conditions, further exacerbating their impact. Emerging research attempts to understand the relationship of environmental exposures like mold to a wide range of disorders.
Some of these include:
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
- Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
- Autism
- Alzheimer’s
- Hashimoto’s
- Multiple sclerosis
If any of these conditions develop or appear to get worse, environmental factors like mold exposure should be considered as a possible trigger.
How to test to see if you’re dealing with mold
Determining if mold toxicity is the culprit for chronic illness involves two parts: determining whether it’s in the body and where the exposure is coming from. They can be done interchangeably, depending on your unique situation.
Test your body
I’ve worked with thousands of clients over the years and spoken with hundreds of doctors. While medicine isn’t my area of expertise, there are a handful of general tests medical professionals can and should run to determine if mold toxicity is triggering the body to go on the offensive.
Unfortunately, no single test will positively or negatively identify mold. Instead, a conglomeration of tests will be used to determine specific exposure markers. These are a few tests that can help determine if mold is present in the body.
High levels of:
- C4a
- Transforming Growth Factor Beta1
- MMP-9
- ACTH/Cortisol
- SOCS3
Low levels of:
- MSH
- VIP
Additional testing:
- Mycotoxin labs: These labs look for mycotoxins in your urine and antibody production against mycotoxins.
- Genetic testing: Again, certain genetic variants within the HLA and MTHFR genes may increase the risk of developing symptoms due to mold toxicity
Test your environment
Initial testing to determine where the exposure is occurring should be done by testing the dust. When growth occurs indoors, the particles it releases will settle where our dust settles. Testing the dust will determine if there are abnormally high mold levels (indicating a current source), what mold species are present, and if other contaminants like mycotoxins and bacteria exist in the space.
The dust test results can be given to a qualified mold inspector, who will determine the source of the mold exposure: inside the house or somewhere else, such as your office or car. Once the exposure location is established, you can start resolving the issue.
A proper inspection should take a few hours at minimum and use various methodologies. The goal is to find every potential source of contamination so that exposure can be eliminated. A simple air test in the middle of the room does not qualify as a proper inspection.
How to get rid of mold and heal
All the data collected by the inspector will help create a comprehensive protocol for the remediation team to handle the situation appropriately and remove the contamination. Ending the exposure is key to healing from mold toxicity.
All remediation protocols should ensure that:
- The source that led to the issue is fixed
- Correct engineering, PPE, and remediation protocols are utilized to reduce exposure and the risk of cross-contamination in unaffected areas
- The microbial growth is removed, including roots, dead particles, fragments, etc.
- All contamination, including mycotoxins and bacteria, is eliminated
While the source of exposure is being dealt with, working with a medical professional to develop a detox protocol will help to remove the toxins from the body. Every situation is unique, so each protocol will look a little different. Some common steps include taking binders, transitioning to a low-inflammatory diet, sweating out the toxins, and adding specific supplements.
Finding relief
Not all chronic symptoms and conditions are attributed to mold exposure. However, I’ve witnessed far too many people suffer for years because environmental impacts were not considered during the diagnosis process. Testing for mold toxicity will at least rule it out as a culprit or illuminate a path forward to healing. At the end of the day, creating awareness regarding mold toxicity is important to help find answers quickly and help those suffering breathe easily once again.
Thankfully, we’re starting to see regulations that can help get the ball rolling toward change, such as the Illinois SB 1087. The Mold Remediation Registration Act requires the Department of Public Health to educate people about mold risks, report annually to lawmakers on health impacts, and establish certification and financial responsibility rules for mold removal services, removing exemptions for those licensed under the Structural Pest Control Act. This ensures better regulation and public awareness of mold-related issues.
The more bills like this one pass, the faster we’ll progress toward healthier air quality for all and fewer individuals suffering from mold toxicity.
Michael Rubino is a mold and air quality expert, environmental wellness advocate, and founder of HomeCleanse, a revolutionary company with the vision to end the worldwide health epidemic caused by poor air quality and toxic indoor environments. He is also president of Change the Air Foundation and Host of the Never Been Sicker podcast.
