Mycotoxins are toxic compounds that are naturally found in specific types of fungi, like mold. Mold can grow in a variety of environments under warm, wet conditions. This includes wallpaper, ceiling tiles, various areas of the bathroom, HVAC system, and elsewhere in your home. Thus, mycotoxins can be found in all of these places released from the mold. For example, if there is a water intrusion in your home, even from a minor leak, within 24-48 hours, mold spores will start to feed on the wet materials in your home. The mold spores produce mold toxins called mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins are thought to be a defense mechanism for the mold, allowing it to more easily infect a host – including humans! Mycotoxins can harm any organism that competes with the mold for space or nutrition. It is thought that mycotoxin production increases when you have various molds competing for an environment, including inside your body.
There are hundreds of thousands of unique mycotoxins! According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are several mycotoxins of serious concern due to their severe effects on human health, including aflatoxins, fusariums, trichothecenes, ochratoxin A, citrinin, and patulin. These and many more are tested via urine mycotoxin testing.
If mycotoxins may be negatively affecting your health, it’s time to fight back!
Comments