11 Signs of Trichothecene Exposure – Black Mold Illness
Less than five years ago, I knew nothing about black mold illness. Because of it, I suffered and thought that everything else was causing my symptoms. Luckily, I came across information that opened my eyes to the relevance of mycotoxins. Eventually, I learned that mycotoxins like trichothecenes should NOT be taken lightly. In fact, they are the primary cause of many chronic illnesses. This invisible menace lies beneath the surface, aggravating the mast cells while you chase your tail, looking elsewhere!
In this article, I will present 11 signs of trichothecene exposure, as well as some other problems it can cause. Afterward, I will discuss my experiences and some important questions about the effects of trichothecenes on human health. Take a look below to get started.
11 Signs of Trichothecene Exposure
Neurological Impairment
Trichothecenes can cause memory issues, cognitive malfunction, hyperactivity, seizures, depression, anxiety, and PLENTY more. This is because this mycotoxin class causes significant neurological inflammation. In people with pre-existing conditions, this can be devastating. It can eventually lead to a mental health condition, autism, behavioral issues, MCAS, CFS, or nearly anything else.
Problems Digesting Proteins
Trichothecenes impair protein digestion by inhibiting protein synthesis. They also impair the ribosomal cycle, which is essential for protein production. As if that weren’t enough, they disrupt the production of enzymes necessary to break down proteins. In addition, they disrupt the gut microbiome and increase intestinal permeability, which reduces the capability to break down proteins.
Hard for Mind to Slow Down
When people are exposed to trichothecenes, their immune systems either become overactive or suppressed. In most cases, the mast cells become overactive at first, which causes the rate of thoughts to increase. This is because the black mold toxins trigger neurological inflammation. When this occurs, it leads to higher histamine, which causes racing thoughts, anxiety, and hyperactivity.
Frequent Sinus Abnormalities
If exposed to mold, you often show symptoms in your sinuses or lungs. In terms of the sinuses, you can wake up congested, or you can even have a runny nose. Regardless, if your sinuses are NOT super clear, there could be a problem in your home. In most mold cases, the sinus symptoms are worse in the morning. As the day goes on, they start to reduce in intensity. When we lived in a mold house, my daughter woke up with stuffiness for months.
Breathing Capacity Reduced
When someone is exposed to mycotoxins over an extended period, they develop inflammation in the lungs. This causes reduced breathing capacity, coughing fits, wheezing, shortness of breath after exercise, and other symptoms. Also, when exposed to mold toxins, you are at a much higher risk for respiratory infections. If you are getting respiratory infections multiple times per year, it’s time to look at indoor air quality as the potential cause.
Facial Flushing After Eating
If you notice that your face is flushing after consuming certain foods, this is often an indicator of black mold exposure. The stronger the flush, the more mold is likely to be in your home. I have experienced this myself and seen the same thing happen with my daughter/clients. The flushing stops once the person is removed from the environment and the dietary irritants are eliminated.
Strange Reactions to Supplements
If you don’t notice you are reacting strangely to various supplements, this could be a sign of trichothecene exposure. For example, if you notice itchiness on the skin, rapid heart rate, shift in mood, dryness under the eyes, burning of the ears, brain fog, or other symptoms, this is a sign of a bigger problem. Usually, when the body reacts to supplements like this, the immune system is highly overwhelmed with mycotoxins. For example, when my daughter was in black mold, she would have asthma attacks, and her left–eye would cross in from nearly ANY supplement. Once we escaped the mold, she could now tolerate these supplements with no issues.
Fragrances Smell Much Stronger
Trichothecene exposure can prevent the body from detoxifying chemicals, leading to a toxic buildup and severe sensitivity reactions. I went through this myself, and so did my daughter. When I first got sick and was exposed to fragrances, I would get skin aches, muscle aches, and mood shifts. My daughter had various reactions, everything from seizures to asthma attacks. Once we found a safe environment, used mycotoxin binders, and spent a lot of time outdoors, this fragrance sensitivity disappeared within months.
Skin Rashes/Eczema/Hives
When exposed to mycotoxins, your inflammatory pathways light up like a Christmas tree. If you have a history of skin issues, this can cause rashes, eczema, hives, and more. This is what happened to my daughter when we were living in a house with black mold. Her skin became so irritated that she would itch until she bled. Within four months of leaving the moldy place, her skin was fully recovered. Look at the picture below to see how bad her skin was because of the mold.
Bowel Movements Abnormal
When you are exposed to black mold, typically, you become constipated. The reason is trichothecenes can severely impact the gut microbiome and enzyme-producing systems. Also, black mold toxins are known to increase cortisol, which slows down digestion and elimination even more. I experienced this when I couldn’t go to the bathroom for two years without an enema. In addition, I have seen this in my daughter and plenty of clients. To escape constipation, you must eliminate the foods you are not digesting properly, restore gut bacteria, remove the mycotoxins, and, most importantly, eliminate exposure.
Food Sensitivities Increasing
If you have food sensitivities, you must examine how long it takes to experience the first symptom. The time it takes for the reaction to occur will tell you a lot. If food sensitivities occur within minutes after consumption, it is likely an indicator of severe mycotoxin exposure. If they happen a couple of hours later, then you have less reason for concern. Nonetheless, food sensitivities are often a sign of an underlying environmental issue. If you have them, you MUST investigate the environmental angle further!
Other Problems from Black Mold Illness
Low Secretory IGA Levels
Chronic exposure to mycotoxins can lead to an over-activation or depletion of immune resources. Eventually, this leads to low levels of secretory IGA. When you have low levels of IGA, you typically have a weakened immune response. This increases your chances of infections in your gut and respiratory system.
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Mycotoxin exposure can cause leaky gut in several ways. First, mycotoxins cause inflammation and oxidative stress, weakening the tight junctions along the gut barrier. This allows food and toxins to leak into the blood. Also, trichothecenes can cause the immune system to become overactive or suppressed. Either way, this leads to pathogenic growth and an imbalance of gut bacteria, perpetuating the leaky gut cycle.
Impaired Detoxification
Trichothecenes are potent inhibitors of protein synthesis. This causes severe stress on the liver, which reduces its ability to produce detoxification enzymes. These precious enzymes are needed to excrete toxins. By impairing both phase 1 and 2 detoxification, trichothecenes indirectly cause toxins to accumulate, leading to liver/kidney overload, oxidative stress, and immune dysfunction.
Blood Pooling
Trichothecenes are known to cause chronic vascular inflammation and thicken blood, both of which can lead to blood pooling. They have also been shown to cause autonomic dysfunction, which is responsible for involuntary functions like blood circulation. In addition, they BLOCK the detoxification system by impairing both phase 1/2 detox processes, causing the blood to thicken even further.
My Experiences with Black Mold
My Battle with Black Mold
After years of chronic lung/sinus issues, I became extremely sick when I was 20 years old. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but looking back on it now, there was clearly mold toxicity. Though there were plenty of issues in my gut, my symptoms resembled those of many mold illness clients I work with now. I eventually became relatively healthy again by consuming colostrum, changing my diet, and switching environments. This continued until I moved into a home with trichothecenes/black mold again.
When I moved into this house that I later found had black mold, I started to develop bloating, fatigue, strange reactions to foods, issues breaking down proteins, and more. After six months, I started to have severe pain on my right side that persisted. I had no idea what was happening until I connected the dots a few years later.
Eventually, after learning about mold due to my daughter’s symptoms, I made changes in our environment/lifestyle. Within months, my remaining symptoms disappeared. I realized at the moment how significant the mold was in my illness. Until then, I had always discounted it because I couldn’t see mold anywhere.
My Daughter’s Story with Black Mold
From the moment I got custody of her, she had breathing issues, rashes, gut problems, and plenty more. Though she clearly had problems, I didn’t know what to do. Every time I tried to give her a supplement or something to help her, she had a strange reaction like an asthma attack, her eyes crossed, etc. All I could do was pay attention to what was making her worse and make changes. This would at least prevent her from getting much worse, I thought.
When she was about five, we moved into a house that I later discovered had black mold. Within a matter of six months, her eczema became so bad she was itching until she bled. On top of that, her eyes were crossing, she was unable to remember things, having strange food allergies, behavioral issues, convulsing in her sleep, seizures, and more. I had no idea what to do until God looked out for me.
Finally, I noticed that she was looking worse after returning from school. This made it clear to me that maybe there was something in the air that could be affecting her. Since she had such strong reactions to chemicals and fragrances, I thought those were the issues. I tried to avoid exposing her to these things, but she still had problems. Now, I was homeschooling her, and though she was doing better from not being at the moldy school, she definitely wasn’t symptom-free.
After hearing about mold for years, I eventually ran a mold test in the place we were living. This was a pivotal moment, where I discovered that we were living in black mold. In addition, the worst room was her bedroom. From there, I pretty much lost my mind. I realized that I couldn’t sign a lease anywhere because I didn’t want to get trapped in a place where she was getting sick again. I had now done this three consecutive times. For that reason, we stayed in hotels for several months to ensure we would be safe and not financially at risk. If there were an issue with the room, we would just get transferred to another one.
Eventually, we ran into a physician who sounded 100% confident that her issues were caused by mold exposure. We then ran a test, and it came back positive for trichothecenes. With this information, I created a mold illness recovery protocol. We then focused on improving air quality dramatically by adding two box fans in our hotel room, 4 air cleaners, and spending most of our time outdoors. I had over 8000 square foot filtering capacity with these 4 air purifiers in a 500 sq. foot room, and had significant cross ventilation from the 2 box fans. Within six months, she was symptom-free for the first time in her life. It was a complete miracle!
FAQ – Trichothecene Exposure and Black Mold Illness
How do I test for trichothecenes in my home?
The EMMA mold test is the best way to test for trichothecenes in your home. It tests for mycotoxins, not just mold spores. You can also test for mycotoxins in your urine to see if your body has been saturated. If you want to learn more about the EMMA mold test, visit the link provided. It covers the EMMA, ERMI, and other mold tests as well.
Are trichothecenes commonly found in buildings?
Studies have shown that nearly 50% of the buildings in the United States have unhealthy mold levels. This means that nearly any place can be a potential risk if you are sensitive to these mycotoxins. For example, it took me over seven places to find one that was perfectly safe for my daughter. If you are concerned about black mold, simply test your place using an ERMI/EMMA. This will help you determine if you have mold growing and/or high levels of mycotoxins.
Can trichothecenes be causing autism symptoms?
Yes, trichothecenes can play a part in your child’s autism symptoms. Typically, autism is caused by a gut microbiome imbalance, ongoing neurological inflammation, and a compromised detoxification system. Trichothecenes can cause all of the problems. If you focus on what irritates them in their diet and environment, you can modify your approach and improve their symptoms.
How do black mold toxins impact the immune system?
Black mold toxins can either suppress the immune system or make it extremely overactive. Either way, this causes the body to become inflamed and reactive to foods, stress, and things in the air. Eventually, this causes the body to start attacking its own tissues, which is how autoimmune disease develops. If anyone knows, it’s me. I went through it, and with God’s help, I made it to the other side.
Can trichothecenes negatively impact your gut health?
Yes, they can impair the breakdown of proteins and fats, which can cause digestive issues over time. In addition, trichothecenes can suppress the growth of beneficial bacteria and trigger leaky gut. All of these things can cause significant issues in your gut or immune system you are already compromised. To learn more about how mycotoxins affect the gut, read this study linked.
Does black mold illness cause multiple chemical sensitivity?
Yes! I personally went through this myself, saw my daughter go through it, and many of my clients. Typically, when someone has a strong sensitivity to fragrances, they are being currently exposed to mold. For example, when I was living in a house with black mold, most scents were offensive. When I finally found a safe place to live, and detoxed my body, this was no longer the case.
Conclusion- Trichothecenes Cause Black Mold Illness
If you found this article, I assume you have considered the possibility that mold could be contributing to your health issues. All I can say is that you’re slipping up if you ignore mold as a potential cause. These mycotoxins are almost everywhere, and once you develop a sensitivity to them, the domino effect starts. From there, it becomes difficult to control the outcome unless you focus on eliminating all triggers in your diet, environment, and lifestyle.
I have not only seen this in my daughter and clients, but I have also experienced it myself. Trichothecenes can cause lasting damage, which requires you to change your lifestyle post-exposure. Though many people can recover fully, others may need to make changes to remain healthy. It all depends on the level of exposure, how long it was going on, and the amount of damage that was done.
If you have any questions about overcoming black mold illness, get in touch. I’m willing to help and blessed to have the opportunity!
Happy healing everyone!
Matt Nedin
Certified Holistic Nutritionist
EndSickness, Founder
Phone: (734) 846-8619
Email: endsickness@gmail.com
WhatsApp/Telegram: +17348468619
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