Mycotoxins (Mold) and Anxiety

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Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP

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Emerging evidence between depression, anxiety,  and exposure to mold has surfaced. It is thought to be associated with many complex health problems. Black mold species such as Aspergillus, Fusarium and Stachybotrys produce mycotoxins that are toxic to central parts of the body, including the brain.

 

Many mycotoxins are neurotoxins causing lesions in the brain in the grey matter and the white matter. This directly affects the frontal cortex, cause dopamine dysfunction which can create psychological disorders like anxiety or depression. These disorders occurs when the nerve cells in the brain that make dopamine are slowly destroyed. Without dopamine, the nerve cells in that part of the brain cannot properly send messages.

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Mold is a biotoxin, and it releases toxic gas and spores into the air. When the toxins enter your body, via skin or air, the toxic gases cause a disturbance in many organs, including your brain.

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Brown University conducted a series of cases linking mold, anxiety, and depression back in 2007. This was a large study, analyzing data from 5,882 adults in 2,982 households. Molds are toxins, and some research has indicated that these toxins can affect the nervous system or the immune system or impede the function of the frontal cortex.

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Mold spores act as irritants, which can trigger the body to mount an immune response. This can lead to inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation in the brain can impair cognitive function, and in the case of chronic inflammation, this can lead to long-lasting cognitive impairment.

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Mold is a sometimes silent and yet formidable trigger of symptoms. It is lurking in our homes, offices, cars, washing machines, and bathrooms without notice. It is quite literally a silent but deadly killer of our immune system and trigger of brain-related issues. If you have been exposed, you must detox mold from your body as soon as possible.

 

One of the best test to detect mycotoxins is from Great Plains Laboratory (https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/gpl-tox)

Here is a sample report from Great Plains Laboratory--https://www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com/MycotoxinReport-GPD.pdf

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If you find you have mold (mycotoxin) exposure it is recommended to consult with your physician for the best treatment.

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It is also imperative to do a deep dive into your home or work environment to identify where the mold is coming from. If mold is discovered the next step is to hire a professional company do a mold remediation.

 

References:

https://news.brown.edu/articles/2007/08/depression-and-household-mold

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3179161

https://www.clinicaltherapeutics.com/article/S0149-2918(18)30229-7/pdf (Copy and paste this link)

 

 

The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com for more information on our training in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University's Certification Program (CFMP) www.functionalmedicinedoctors.com. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required

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