Symptoms Of Prolonged Mold Exposure
Health Check Certified By: Dr. Gerald Morris
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Mold is literally everywhere in our homes, outside, and even in our food. However, while it sometimes goes unnoticed to many, some Americans might be exposed to higher amounts of mold or have a sensitivity to it.
Your home is a prime place for mold to grow, especially if you have a damp basement. You should also try avoiding certain foods, if its determined you have mold sensitivity. Here are 13 health effects that prolonged mold exposure can have on you
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With the prevalence of mold in our homes, workplaces, and outdoors, itâs fortunate that most types of molds are relatively harmless to humans. Chronic, long-term exposure to otherwise benign types of molds is, however, associated with various health issues.
For example, a common and widespread mold, Aspergillus, is not typically harmful to most people. However, in some people, exposure to Aspergillus can trigger a variety of symptoms, including watery, itchy eyes, headaches, migraines, sinus conditions, fatigue, a chronic cough, breathing problems, skin rashes, a stuffy nose, and sneezing.
There are several types of molds that are referred to as âToxic Mold.â This means that the mold is capable of producing toxic pathogens called mycotoxins, which can create a variety of health problems. Studies have shown that exposure to mold mycotoxins can cause a variety of significant changes to the immune system and organs, including lung problems, breathing issues, development of autoantibodies that are precursors to various autoimmune diseases, and central nervous system irregularities, among others.
Mold And Your Thyroid
When it comes to your thyroid, thereâs increasing evidence of a direct link between mold exposure and thyroid health.
For example, chronic exposure to Aspergillus mold in people with a susceptibility to autoimmune disease and/or a compromised immune system increases the risk of developing a condition known as Aspergillus thyroiditis, a fungal infection caused by aspergillus that targets the thyroid gland.
Research published in 2017 reported that long-term exposure to mold could be a significant factor in developing another thyroid condition known as Non-Thyroidal Illness Syndrome, or NTIS. In NTIS, T4 and T3 levels are low, Reverse T3 levels are high, and the thyroid stimulating hormone level tends to remain in the reference range. In the study of thyroid patients with NTIS, removal of exposure to the mold â along with thyroid treatment â helped resolve several symptoms. However, symptoms reappeared quickly when the patients were re-exposed to the mold.
Mold is also considered an endocrine disruptor, and the thyroid gland is very susceptible to the chemicals and other endocrine-disrupting substances that are toxic to the endocrine system. Common chemicals like pesticides, bisphenol-A , phthalates, flame retardants, non-stick coatings — and mycotoxins from mold — are all considered endocrine disruptors. Long-term and higher exposure to these toxins can increase the risk of thyroid conditions and other endocrine diseases.
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Mold And Its Effect On Thyroid Health
Mold — a type of fungus — is everywhere! You may be battling mold in your garden, a moldy, damp basement, or find mold growing on your walls after water damage. Even the cheese in your refrigerator isnât immune to mold!! We simply can’t avoid being exposed to some mold in our daily life, both indoors and outdoors.
Mold thrives with moisture and humidity. Outdoors, mold uses water and decaying plant materials to fuel its reproduction, releasing tiny spores that float to other damp locations. There, the spores take hold and form new mold colonies. Indoors, mold growth depends on water and building materials to spread. This is how a small spot of mildew on the bathroom tiles can spread quickly across an entire wall of shower tiles!
While most people can be exposed to normal daily levels of mold without any health effects, itâs important to note that there are four situations when mold can pose a health hazard:
When the mold exposure is long-term and chronic When the levels of mold are very high When the type of mold is the less common âToxic Mold,â and When the person being exposed has a propensity to autoimmune disease, a greater-than-average sensitivity to toxins, or has a compromised immune system.
We also now know thereâs also a direct link between mold exposure and thyroid disease, specifically, hypothyroidism. Ahead, a look at the important link between mold exposure and an underactive thyroid condition.
What To Look For On Blood Work If You Suspect Mold Illness
If you have thyroid disease and you suspect mold illness, there are a few things to look at on your bloodwork. Like I said there are THREE non-typical thyroid disease problems I want you to be aware of when it comes to understanding the thyroid-mold connection.
Now..
If you are not familiar with the terms Subclinical hypothyroidism, Autoimmune Thyroid disease, Euthyroid, Non Thyroid Illness, dont worry.. I will explain exactly what they are and most importantly what you need to look for on your thyroid blood tests.if you are someone who has mold illness, or suspects mold toxins. I cant stress the importance of getting your thyroid proper tested! Heres why
Many patients contact my clinic already struggling with mold and mycotoxin illnesses like CIRS, they have spent tens of thousands of dollars on treatment and despite treatment they still dont feel well. WHY??? their doctors only screened them for thyroid disease but they never really tested them.
When I say screened, I mean the doctor only tested their TSH levels and because their TSH was normal, they were told they dont have a thyroid problem and so they struggled for the last 10 years without proper thyroid management. Heres what to look at in your bloodwork.
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How To Protect Yourself And Your Home Against Mold
One of the best ways to protect yourself and your house against mold and all of the worrying signs and symptoms that come with it is quite simple. All that you have to do is regularly check for molds, especially in your basement and bathroom. Do take good care of your surroundings and make sure that you clean everything nice and good at least once a week.
Invest in a quality air-purifier, especially one that has a high-efficiency particulate air filters. Do not ignore any pipe leaks and get them fixes as soon as possible. Make sure that you leave the doors and windows open while you take a long bath or shower to prevent moisture gather-up. And if you do find mold, make sure that you properly remove it. If you are unsure how to do that, contact a professional that can efficiently remove any mold from your house.
How Is Mold Poisoning Treated
The symptoms of mold poisoning will go away as soon as you get rid of any mold from your surroundings. While you do that, there are options that can be explored to help you reduce any present symptoms. It is very important to start treatment early in order to prevent this from progressing into a more serious health issue such as Hashimotos thyroiditis and Graves disease.
You can try using nasal sprays to lower the present airway inflammation. There are over-the-counter nasal sprays that can be used, while also a simple solution out of warm, distilled water can be used as well. Antihistamines are often used in addition to using decongestants to calm any inflammation and swelling down. Allergy shots are sometimes also used.
If you notice any of the common symptoms of Hashimotos thyroiditis or Graves disease, such as constipation, drowsiness, weight gain, fatigue, dry skin, and muscle soreness, contact your doctor immediately. Make sure that you receive proper treatment for your symptoms and protect yourself and your home against mold.
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Mold & Thyroid Health
Thyroid function is intricately tied to gut health, liver function, and mitochondrial health. Its no wonder that people suffering from mycotoxin exposure often end up with thyroid dysfunction.
Poor gut health has been connected to an increased risk of Hashimotos thyroiditis. Hashimotos is an autoimmune thyroid condition. If youre not familiar or would like to read more, check out thisblog. Youll also see a little bit of information about how to get a healthy gut.
The liver is responsible for activating approximately 80% of our thyroid hormones. If youre not familiar with your livers role in thyroid health you can read morehere. To give a quick summary though, when your thyroid produces hormones, it pumps out hormones called T4 and T3. T4 is inactive and must be converted by individual cells before it can have an effect. T3 is the active thyroid hormone, but very little is directly produced by your thyroid.
If your liver becomes impaired, your thyroid hormone activity can be dramatically impacted.
Lastly, your mitochondria are directly influenced by thyroid hormones. It turns out our mitochondria have specific receptors for thyroid hormones. This recent discovery may change the way we look at not just thyroid disease, but diseases in general.
If mycotoxins can alter our gut function, destroy microbial balance, alter GI structures, impair liver activity, and impair mitochondrial receptors then thyroid function can be negatively affected.
Mold And Markers Of Inflammation
There are those that argue that mold can cause a lot of generalized markers of inflammation, which includes:
- Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
- Altered ACTH/cortisol
- Vascular endothelial growth factor
My answer to this is yes, to a mold infection in an immunocompromised host could cause changes in markers like the ones listed above. That does not mean that these markers are sensitive tools to monitor day-to-day mold exposure in other people.
In fact, so many things can affect those markers that they are not specific or diagnostic.
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Mold Mold Exposure And Autoimmunity
Is there a link between mold, autoimmunity, and your thyroid? The expert consensus is that there is, quite simply, no tie at all1.
Thankfully, mold does not cause autoimmunity and does not relate to that at all. The same is true for thyroid disease , where there is no direct connection between its exposure and thyroid disease .
In the early 90s, there were some ideas about what we called sick building syndrome or toxic mold, and this concept ended up being refuted by later analysis.
While it was a legitimate thought during the research phase, it was one that did not persist over time and was eventually dismissed.
Bottom Line: There are still some very strong proponents of these ideas, but for the most part it is an idea that has been dismissed by the research.
Leaky Gut The Beginning Of The End
Mold exposure can lead to a widening of the right junctions or gaps in the intestines, which increases INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY, also known as LEAKY GUT.
Imagine the cells of the gut lining like a brick wall, with each individual brick very close to each other forming a right seal.
Inflammation causes these tight junctions to become larger, which allows undigested proteins that should OT be in the bloodstream to leak into your circulation system.
This, of course, leads to the immune system going crazy and identifying many things in its path as foreign invaders.
Leaky gut can lead to autoimmune conditions, such as Hashimotos or Graves disease.
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Dave Asprey Shares His Hashimotos Success Story
You may have heard of Dave Asprey, biohacker extraordinaire, the creator of Bulletproof, and the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Bulletproof Diet, but you may not know that Dave was once diagnosed with Hashimotos and was able to put it into remission.
I have to tell you that I was a little star-struck when I met Dave Asprey back in 2013. I sat next to Dave at a dinner following a health conference, shortly after releasing Hashimotos: The Root Cause. As I began to introduce myself, Dave cut me off: Yes, youre Dr. Izabella Wentz, the Hashimotos Hacker. Im familiar with your work. I recommend your book to all of my clients with Hashimotos.
I nearly fell out of my chair. I excused myself to call my husband, who, like me, was a huge fan of Daves popular podcast. Of course, my husband said, Why are you talking to me? Go back and talk to him!. Thank goodness for a voice of reason and assigned seating.
I got a chance to spend the evening chatting with Dave and his wife Dr. Lana Asprey, a fertility specialist, over a delicious Paleo dinner, and we became fast friends. It was amazing to see that Dave was just as brilliant and witty in person as he is on his podcast, but also, that he and his wife were kind, passionate and dedicated to helping people.
I also learned two things that fans of his coffee may not know about Dave
- Dave USED to have Hashimotos and was able to put it into remission.
- One of Daves root causes was toxic mold.
Symptoms Of Hormone Imbalance
The term ‘hormone imbalance‘ is vague and can mean many things. But, when we hear of hormone imbalance, we often think of common symptoms like hair loss, unexplained skin rashes, and weight control issues. While these symptoms can be related to several hormone changes, they can also accompany mold toxicity. For this reason, it pays to look inward at your hormones and outward to your environment for answers to your symptoms.
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How To Get Rid Of Mold In Your Home
Although there is no consensus on how much mold is harmful to your health, I advise my patients to act as soon as they spot any fungal growth in their homes. If beyond your ability to clean it is best to hire professionals.. You can find mold remediation contractors on these websites:
You can also take some steps to prevent mold from growing in your home. Inspect all areas around windows, doors, and plumbing. Get a dehumidifier and keep your air moisture levels below 50%. Ventilate your rooms properly and make sure to turn on the bathroom fan when youre taking a shower.
NEVER USE BLEACH TO CLEAN MOLD!
If a small area of your home is infested, you can attempt to clean it, but dont use bleach. It was labeled ineffective by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and it can even increase toxicity of mycotoxins, worsening your mold exposure symptoms. Instead, you can use natural products like tea tree oil, which proved to be a potent antifungal agent.
If you suspect that you might be suffering from mold toxicity as you are experiencing unexplained symptoms like fatigue, weakness, headaches, and brain fog, book an appointment with me today so that we can find out the root of your health problems! Once we determine if mold is to blame, we can organize mold eradication plan and start the treatment.
How Does Mold Affect Your Thyroid
MOLD is a strong, but often overlooked, STRESS on the body and can suppress the immune system. When the immune system and gastrointestinal system are stressed from outside invaders , this can lead to autoimmune conditions, including autoimmune thyroid disease, also known as HASHIMOTOS and GRAVES.
What exactly is the connection between mold and your thyroid?
In previous articles, we have talked about how mold can make you sick.
In a 2015 survey of over 2,000 people who had Hashimotos, 20% reported that their health declined after a move, possible evidence of exposure to a new mold or other environmental toxin.
ASPIRGILLUS, a mold commonly found in food, is a threat to thyroid health, especially of those who are immunosuppressed. About 1 out of every 5 people with aspergillosis, where this mold infects the body, has Aspergillus DEEP INSIDE their thyroid.
Clinically, the patients we see who have tested positive for mold exposure almost always have thyroid conditions.
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What Is Mold And Where Can You Find It
Mold is a type of fungus and it can found essentially everywhere, with no consensus on the exact number of species, but estimates range from tens to hundreds of thousands, according to CDC. Mold species reproduce with spores, which, when inhaled, can trigger allergic reactions. Certain mold species also produce mycotoxins that trigger a series of adverse downstream side effects in humans.
Mold prefer warm damp areas, which is why they are commonly found indoors, in rooms with high humidity like bathrooms, basements, and kitchens. But. dont think other areas are immune, as mold can appear at any damp place, including carpets, drywall, under wallpaper, in furniture stuffing, inside leaky pipes, flooded areas, and more. It can be especially dangerous if a mold-harboring area is in your bedroom since its where you spend hours upon hours deeply breathing, or closet since all of your clothes will be exposed as a result.
Although your home is the first place you should inspect, other sites like your work can be causing the problem as well. Mold can grow inside air vents, and then it can spread around the office quickly, affecting the health of all employees. Or maybe you joined a new gym, with a less than clean locker room or sauna where its humid the perfect environment for mold growth.
Assessing The Impact Of Environmental Agents On The Thyroid
Environmental agents interfere with thyroid function at multiple sites, including thyroid hormone synthesis, thyroid hormone metabolism and excretion, and thyroid hormone action . Most of these agents reduce circulating thyroid hormone levels or impair thyroid hormone action, although some may influence the pituitary and thyrotropin secretion, or even be partial thyroid hormone receptor agonists. A number of environmental agents interfere with iodine uptake. For these agents, low iodine intake increases susceptibility and adequate iodine intake is recommended to reduce their effect .
A less often recognized impact of environmental agents that influence the thyroid is triggering autoimmune thyroid disease. The etiology of most functional disorders of the thyroid is autoimmunity. Abnormal thyroid function detected in association with an environmental exposure is usually thought to be a direct effect of the agent. The dysfunction, however, could be due to the agent triggering autoimmune thyroid disease.
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