The battle against Chronic Inflammatory response Syndrome induced by mold toxins longs for a silver bullet. Both functional MD’s like myself and their mold toxic patients long for an easier and quicker path to recovery for those who have suffered for years. We are waiting for research to uncover a means of either removing mold more quickly from the body or from the environment. For those susceptible to mold’s harmful effects, their genetic inability to identify and dispose of the toxins internally leaves them at risk of ongoing harm.
If we could just find a process or chemical that would permanently remove mold or its toxins, we could offer quicker and more long-lasting relief. We have some remediation options to kill mold in our environment which are quite good. There are down-sides however. Some are toxic and must be used with great care. None can truly guarantee that mold will never return. All must be used correctly like any other tool or else they do not work completely.
Our options to pull toxins out of patient’s bodies also provide limited success and require time. Different binders are known to bind different mycotoxins to varying degrees. With a plethora of mold toxins in a multitude of shapes and sizes, this comes as no surprise. While each binder binds different groups of mycotoxins, we do not have a single binder that takes care of everything. Beyond that, each different binder comes with different side effects. As always, any given person might be allergic to a specific binder. More generally, some disrupt other body functions to greater degrees. For some, fat soluble vitamin absorption is hindered. For others, hormone levels can be lowered leading to symptoms. Still others can cause either constipation or diarrhea. Most will have some detox reactions when first taken as the body begins to dump its stores of hidden toxins.
This article offers a small ray of hope with a big dose of reality. The authors review some potential enzymatic methods of detoxification. With enzymes, there exists the potential for a large quantity of toxin to be broken down by a small amount of the enzyme. Binders require a large quantity like a paper towel picking up a countertop spill. The problem arises in that while a paper towel or binder can dry up a variety of liquids or toxins respectively, an enzyme is targeted. The reality lies in that we will probably not find one enzyme which breaks down all possible mold toxins affecting humans.
Even with that dose of reality, we would like benefit if a number of enzymes were found which could be mixed together and applied either externally or internally. As a functional MD, I would bet on this future therapy landing in the former “external” category. Regardless, we can hope and pray that the agricultural research efforts against mycotoxins may one day offer quicker and more permanent relief for those with mold toxicity.
Original Article:
Lyagin, Ilya, and Elena Efremenko. “Enzymes for Detoxification of Various Mycotoxins: Origins and Mechanisms of Catalytic Action.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 24,13 2362. 26 Jun. 2019, doi:10.3390/molecules24132362
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
