MOLD: THE HIDDEN KILLER IN OUR HOMES AND FOOD

MOLD: THE HIDDEN KILLER IN OUR HOMES AND FOOD

It is important for everyone to understand the dangers of mold, yeast, and fungi that we are exposed to every day. We are exposed to mold far more than we think. These organisms are hidden in our homes, food, environment, and even our own bodies. Even The Bible makes mention of mold and how to “clear it”, and it associates molds with plague, pestilence, and even leprosy. King Tut’s tomb may have been infested with an ancient mold and ultimately may have been responsible for the deaths of 20 people, for which the legendary “Curse of the Mummy” has been attributed. Mold-related illness is real, and it is time for us to start paying more attention to this strange but dangerous phenomenon.

Here are some of the molds that you need to be concerned about in your own home, food, and community:

Aspergillus Niger is a “black mold” and it is found in almost every house in America. Exposure to it is mainly through water-damaged buildings and dwellings, and it produces toxins that have been linked to cancer, and an infection of it may even be cancer itself: “Pulmonary aspergillosis can present as an infectious pseudotumour with clinical and imaging characteristics mimicking lung cancer. Even in the presence of cerebral lesions, radiological appearance of abscesses can look like brain metastasis1.
This is a pretty startling revelation for me, because in 2010 my father died from what was called “complications from colon cancer” that had returned and “spread” to his liver and brain. Lesions were found in his brain and radiation was performed, which ultimately killed him. I always suspected his real issue was fungal, and it wasn’t until years later after he passed that I found a path to prove this and correct it. Ochratoxin produced by this mold can cause kidney disease and has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It also raises brain levels of Dopamine, which could be very damaging to brain tissue. It is highly toxic to kidneys and can induce significant oxidative damage to the brain and central nervous system. Ochratoxin is notoriously difficult to detoxify from, and it is also found in many mold derived foods such as cheeses, teas, and other fermented foods. Gliotoxin is an exceptionally hazardous toxin produced by the Aspergillus genus of mold. The organism releases Gliotoxin as a means of inhibiting the victim organism’s defenses. Gliotoxin down-regulates the phagocytic defenses, which can lead to other infections from other organisms, such as bacterial species like Clostridia Difficile and other fungi such as Candida Albicans. Think of Gliotoxin as a sort of biological “EMP”, as it can lead to the self-destruction of immune and neurological cells. Gliotoxin can damage the nervous system while creating symptoms of mental illness, including suicidal ideation.

Aflatoxins are also produced by Aspergillus, and they are very serious, dangerous toxins. They are some of the most carcinogenic toxins in the environment (further supporting the postulate that mold plays a very important role in cancer development) and can cause liver damage, mental impairment, abdominal pain, hemorrhaging, coma, cancer, and deathA. Alflatoxins are extremely immunosuppressant and can make the host susceptible to other co-infections. These toxins can increase the presence of other mold species toxins, such as Ochratoxins and Fusarium toxins. Alflattoxin B1 inhibits the breakdown of glucose in the blood, causing high blood sugar and symptoms of diabetes2. This allows for glucose to be a readily available food supply for not just Aspergillus mold but also opportunistic yeasts like Candida, providing further evidence of the interactive relationship between Candida and molds like Aspergillus.

Alflatoxin is so toxic that only two chemicals are more deadly: Cyanide and Botulinum (the chemical that causes botulism). According to the LD50 chart (see below), which is how much of a substance it takes to kill 50% of the animals exposed to it, only 5mg/kg of body weight will kill 50% of experimental animals. This makes Alflatoxin one of the most important mold toxins to watch out for.

Aspergillus species also have the ability to convert progesterone into a hormone called DOC. DOC is a precursor to aldosterone, one of the hormones that regulate blood pressure. Increased levels of aldosterone can lead to high blood pressure by signaling the kidneys to release too much sodium in the blood while forcing the excretion of potassium through urine. This shows how mold species can have a dramatic effect on blood pressure and could be a viable cause of hypertension in many people. Testing for mold toxins if one has a diagnosis for HBP can be extremely helpful.

Penicillium is a nasty blue-green or gray-ish mold that grows almost anywhere, including fruits, food products, around the home, and even on the pages of old books. It produces an immuno suppressant toxin called Mycophenolic Acid and is associated with miscarriages and congenital defects. Exposure to this mycotoxin increases susceptibility to opportunistic infectious agents such as Candida and Clostridia, and perhaps even other pathogenic organisms. Mycophenolic acid is a powerful and potent antimicrobial, so much so that it is made into the antibiotic Cellcept, which is used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients. When mycophenolic acid enters an ecosystem it kills everything in sight, allowing for other molds and fungi to colonize without any competition. Penicillium also produces Sterigmatocystin, a toxin that has been linked to brain tumors in rats and increases in oxidative stress. It depletes Glutathione and can cause excessive oxidative stress to the liver. Sterigmatocystin is a known carcinogen to the gastrointestinal tract and liver, and it is toxic to kidneys, as many mcyotoxins are. It is a common contaminant of many commonly eaten foods, such as soybeans, corn, breads, cheese, spices, and pistachio nuts. It is possible that people who test high for this toxin are likely consuming it in their food or are getting exposed to it from damp, dusty, old carpets. Penicillium also produces Ochratoxin, as does Aspergillus. Penicillium and Aspergillus species are commonly found cohabitating with each other, and often it is very difficult to determine which of the two is the dominant species in an infestation.

Penicillium is the organism that is used to make the antibiotic penicillin, which many people are allergic to. This allergy is likely due to the nature of the mold toxins themselves and how they can produce allergy-like symptoms. I remember a famous fictional movie from the 80’s about a “Black Widow” who poisoned her husband by putting penicillin in his toothpaste. He had an allergy to penicillin and died of what was called a “heart attack” but was really just a reaction to the mold toxin.

Fusarium mold produces a toxin called Zearalenone. Exposure to this toxin is found mostly in water-damaged buildings and is toxic to the blood, liver, immune system, and it can also damage DNA. It is also a known “xeno-estrogen”, which is a form of estrogen that is alien to the human body, and can be linked to estrogen-dominance like symptoms and possibly breast cancer. Zearalenone is known to bind to estrogen receptors and cause damage to the reproductive systems in animals3.

Zearalenone can also be found in certain grains and foods such as wheat, rice, and corn as well as rotted fruits. It is especially sinister because it can grow in much more temperate climates and in lower temperatures than other molds such as Aspergillus. A patient of mine had high levels of the toxin Zearalanone and we saw the estrogenic effects of the mold, but we couldn’t get any additional test data from salivary hormone reports. So, she was experiencing estrogen-dominance-like effects but we couldn’t find any evidence that it was coming from endogenous estrogen. We increased transdermal progesterone, removed possible sources of the toxin (such as bales of hay around the patients home), and went ahead with the mold toxin detoxification, and in a few months the Zearalenone was completely gone. It is entirely possible that the transdermal (Bio-identical) use of progesterone was the key factor in detoxifying from this mycotoxin and/or reducing its xeno-estrogen effects. The presence of other mold toxins, such as Alflatoxin or Ochratoxin can increase the presence of ZearalenoneA.

Citrinin is a general mold toxin that is produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium, as well as Monascas mold. The most common means of exposure are inhalation, ingestion, or through direct contact with the skin. Citrinin can cause kidney disease, and it causes kidney cells and mitochondria to be more permeable thus making them susceptible to greater oxidation and other infectious agents. This toxin can also weaken host immunity and suppress immune response, further increasing the chances of opportunistic pathogens like Candida and Clostridia gaining an advantage and becoming invasive.

Stachybotrys is a green-black mold that is found contaminating ceiling tiles, walls behind wall paper, and fiberboard. It s common in water-damaged buildings, and produces some of the most sinister and stubborn toxins of all molds, including multiple immuno-suppressors. Two toxins that this mold produces, roridin E and verrucarin, are so toxic that they have been used as chemical weapons in wars and armed conflicts. Even low levels of exposure to these dangerous toxins can cause severe neurological damage, immunosuppression, endocrine disruption, cardiovascular problems, and gastrointestinal distressA. Stachybotrys toxins can also be found contaminating grains.

It is important to consider getting tested for exposure to these and other molds, as this could be the missing link in finding solutions for your health concerns. Mosaic Labs in Lenaxa, KS has a MycoTox urine test that is an extraordinarily useful tool in detecting not only exposure to these and other molds, but also in assessing possible mycotoxin toxicity in tissue.

Is it Mold or is it COVID?

It is important to note that hospitals and assisted living facilities have been dealing with mold issues for decades, and recently before the “COVID19 Pandemic” lawsuits were levied against many of these facilities. For instance, in late 2019, a hospital in Seattle had a lawsuit4, 5 against it because children were dying from Aspergillosis6, an invasive form of mold that manifests often as lung infections, pneumonia, and respiratory diseases that look and present as a SARS-type of disease A. Over a period of time, 6 children died and at least 15 others were serious injured because the hospital covered-up and lied about their mold problem. This hospital allegedly knew about mold issues in its air handling system for twenty years but lied about the risk to patients. Many nursing homes and group assisted living facilities were experiencing similar issues right before the pandemic was called. Aspergillosis is now the leading cause of death due to invasive fungal infections in the United States. However, it goes largely unreported in the news media and virtually ignored by medical doctors when diagnosing respiratory infections, especially now in the post-COVID era. One should consider the prevalence of mold and fungal-related respiratory illnesses before getting vaccinated for COVID or the flu. It should also be noted that many vaccines contain yeast and yeast-derivatives, and a simple internet search will reveal what vaccines contain yeast. It is still not known how the yeast expients found in vaccines affect the body’s relationship to mold antigens, but certainly more research into this phenomenon needs to be done.

Weed and Mold Illness

Marijuana, AKA weed, ganja, “Mary Jane”, is the most widely used recreational drug next to alcohol, and it is legal in many US states for recreational or medical use. However, the proponents of the drug may not have been forthcoming regarding the possible, or perhaps probable, link between smoking marijuana and the incidence of mold-related lung diseases.

According to an article published in 2016 on the site www.aspergillus.org.uk , there have been reported cases of invasive Aspergillosis in marijuana users going back to the 1970s. This article states that: there have been a small but significant number of case reports describing a link between marijuana use and invasive Aspergillosis. This is thought to be due to the direct inhalation of fungal spores that are present on the surface of the plant. The heating of cannabis buds may not be sufficient for sterilization and so users (particularly those with compromised immune systems) are potentially exposed to life threatening pulmonary infection. Conditions of storage during shipment or aging processes may also contribute to the presence of mould in marijuana.”

The article continues: “In a 1981 study, 11 out of 12 marijuana samples tested contained Aspergillus organisms and found that the spores could easily be inhaled through contaminated cigarettes (AKA “joints”). In a more recent study, both marijuana and cigarettes were found to be heavily contaminated by fungal spores.” A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that 13 of 28 weed smokers had significantly higher Aspergillus antigens than the non-smoking control group. While there is no mention of other distribution methods, such as water bongs or pipes, the article did state how “vaping” THC could lead to “E-cigarette or Vaping Associated Lung Injury” or EVALI, due to the liquids being contaminated with fungal or mold spores or toxins.

Marijuana has also been implicated in other fungal-related diseases, such as bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) and chronic pulmonary Aspergillosis (CPA). Weed has been found to be contaminated with A. fumigatus, A. niger and A. flavus, three forms of invasive Aspergillus. The findings show that “only the most immune-compromised patients” are at risk for mold or fungal related diseases from marijuana use. However, medical weed is commonly used for the most immune-compromised patients such as cancer and AIDS patients. Further, the article goes on to state that given the amount of users, the risk of mold-related lung illnesses from marijuana use is “small”. This may be a misnomer, because there haven’t been enough studies done on this subject to show just how prevalent such illnesses could be the result of weed use, medical professionals are not looking for mold-related illnesses as a result of weed use, and perhaps any idea that weed could cause any disease at all could be suppressed by proponents of the drug.

Incidentally, this information was not mentioned once in the recent 2024 ballot amendments in states like FloridaB that were pushing for the legalization of recreational use. In fact, there hasn’t been any mention of the link between marijuana use and mold-related lung diseases in any of the pro-weed propaganda supporting legalization. This information should have been disclosed as it absolutely could have affected how citizens would have voted on this important topic. It seems obvious that this information was left out with the intention of misleading voters into believing that weed is 100% safe with no side effects. Clearly, based on the information provided in the above mentioned article that has over 20 sources, marijuana does pose a significant mold-illness risk.

The Mold Good Guys

Aspergillus Oryzae

Aspergillus Oryzae is a form of Aspergillus Flavus that was domesticated in Japan generations ago, as legend has it. It has mutated not to produce Alflatoxin or any other mold toxin. It has been used for miso and rice fermentation, or Koji. Koji molds are used to create various different fermented foods in South East Asian and Japanese culture, such as rice-based Koji vinegars, barley misos, soy sauce, and many other oriental delicacies. A Oryzae is known for its health promoting properties, and may infer resistance or “immunity” to other forms of Aspergillus, since A Oryzae is very similar to toxin-producing Aspergillus species. It can be considered a probiotic, and it provides support for colonizing bacteria in the human gut, including the large intestine. Enzymes produced by A Oryzae include amylases to break down carbohydrates, proteases to break down proteins, and pectinases that help to breakdown tough fibers found in some plant foods, allowing for easier digestion. The best dietary source of A Oryzae is a special miso made directly from rice koji culture, making it free from soybean and suitable for those with soy allergy. South River MisoC located in Massachusetts USA makes a variety of Koji-based misos, including soy-free varieties such as Chick Pea and Adzuki Bean. Add this miso to any mold-preventative or treatment protocol for improved results or for a healthier digestive system.

Saccharomyces Boulardii

Saccharomyces Boulardii, or“Sac-B” as it is affectionately called, is a non-pathogenic, non-invasive yeast that is used as a powerful and helpful probiotic. It has been found to be protective and a treatment of cholera, C. Difficile induced diarrhea, antibiotic induced diarrhea, and many other conditions. Sac-B doesn’t seem to have any cross reactivity to mold or fungal allergies, including brewer’s yeast, a close relative of Sac-B. It is frequently used to assist with “traveler’s diarrhea” and is frequently included in probiotic formulas for traveling. S. Boulardii was discovered in 1923 by Henri Boulard, after whom the organism was named, when he observed people in Southeast Asia use certain fruits to control the symptoms of choleraE. Sac-B doesn’t migrate to other parts of the body and stays in the GI tract, making it suitable for digestive applications and for improving diversity in the gut. It also seems to “compete” with other yeasts and fungi, as well as invasive and opportunistic bacteria such as the clostridium. Sac-B is effective at mitigating the side effects of antibiotics, and can be taken during a series due to being “immune” to antibiotics. It is often taken for 21 consecutive days following an antibiotic series, but can be taken for much longer depending on the needs of the patient. Saccharomyces Boulardii, is a safe and highly effective addition to any probiotic or anti-mold protocol.

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5996088/
2 Doug Kaufman Infectious Diabetes
3 Zearalenone Induces Apoptosis in Porcine Endometrial Stromal Cells… Jie Zha, et al
4 https://www.courthousenews.com/suit-claims-seattle-childrens-hospital-hid-mold-contamination-that-led-to-deaths/
5 https://www.kuow.org/stories/lawsuit-against-seattle-children-s-grows
6 Hospital Warns of Aspergillosis in Homes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwsAhzL1Bq0

A: Additional sources:
Mycotoxins: The Hidden Threat of Mold to Our Bodies and Brains By Matthew Pratt-Hyatt, Ph.D.; Great Plains Lab, Lenaxa, KS
Kurt Woeller, DO, Integrative Medicine Academy Toxicity Mastery course
Michael Joseph, DFM PhD Clinical Observations & Research

B: Florida Ballot Amendment 3 failed to pass in the 2024 election cycle. The pamphlet that was given to voters that explained the amendment made no mention at all of any possible health risk of smoking marijuana, and it completely ignored the relationship between mold-related lung illnesses and marijuana use. According to Governor Ron DeSantis, the Amendment was written and endorsed by a marijuana company and the Amendment would have given exclusivity to that company in the state of Florida.

C: https://www.southrivermiso.com/

E: https://ecosh.com/saccharomyces-boulardii-medicinal-uses-and-health-benefits-of-boulardii/