Mycotoxins: Everyday Hidden Poisoning by Natural Means

HEALTH TIPS AND NATURAL TREATMENT OPTIONS

WHAT ARE MYCOTOXINS?

Mycotoxins are metabolites (products of metabolism) naturally produced by certain kinds of moulds (fungi). Moulds that generate mycotoxins appear and grow on several foodstuffs like dried fruits, cereals, spices and nuts. And while you can see moulds on food with the naked eye, you can’t see mycotoxins.

There are a variety of mycotoxins, but only a few are noteworthy in causing disease in humans and animals, namely: zearalenone, trichothecenes, patulin, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, ergot alkaloids, citrinin, and aflatoxins. The adverse effects of these mycotoxins in people can range from an allergic response, to the suppression of the immune system and even cancer.

In this article, we’ll briefly discuss sources of mycotoxin exposure and the natural treatment options for chronic, low-dose, unnoticed, everyday exposure to mycotoxins, instead of well-defined medical treatment for acute and chronic signs and symptoms of mycotoxin toxicity or diseases due to mycotoxin exposure (called mycotoxicoses).

WHERE ARE MYCOTOXINS FOUND, AND HOW CAN WE BE EXPOSED?

Exposure to mycotoxins can happen through the following:

1. The most commonly contaminated food and drinks include peanuts, dried fruits, wine and beer, grains, milk and meat from grain-fed animals plus conventional coffee (try organic instead). Some moulds and their mycotoxins also damage agricultural food crops before and after harvest.


2. Direct skin contact with mould infested surfaces and locations. Indoor and outdoor spaces with humid conditions provide the best places for mould to grow and produce mycotoxins. The requirement for humidity varies among different groups of moulds.
3. Inhalation of mycotoxins (spore-borne toxins). Some people are exposed to mycotoxins by inhaling mould spores. A number of the moulds that produce mycotoxins are found in moisture-damaged old buildings and houses.

How do they affect our health?

The long-term cumulative effect of mycotoxin exposure can lead to liver cancer, suppressed immune system, respiratory problems, fits, and changes in protein metabolism. These results are well-documented, however there is ongoing research to further our understanding and discover new variants. On a microscopic level, exposure to mycotoxins increases inflammation and oxidative stress in tissues and organs, while also affecting detoxification pathways and leading to gut dysbiosis.

How sick you get from being exposed to a mycotoxin depends on the following factors:

1. Type of mycotoxin
2. Duration and amount of exposure
3. Health status, age, and sex. Are you malnourished, immunocompromised, or suffering from a chronic disease?
4. Genetics
5. Vitamin deficiency
6. Alcohol abuse
7. Presence of other toxins in your body
8. Presence of other infections in your body

HEALTH TIPS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS AGAINST MYCOTOXINS

The mainstay of medical treatment for acute exposure to toxic levels of mycotoxin is supportive therapy that consists of proper diet and hydration. Drink lots of water to help eliminate and flush out the mycotoxins from your body. And, of course, see your primary healthcare provider first.

An article that appeared in the Journal of Food Protection described some evidence supporting the ability of a few Lactobacillus strains to efficiently bind mycotoxins (aflatoxin) from food in an experimental setting.

A brief report published in the Clinical Therapeutics Journal in 2018 stated that a mixture of mycotoxin avoidance, desensitisation, sauna, oxygen therapy, and nutrient therapy successfully treated symptoms related to mould mycotoxin exposure.

A few natural treatment options are also available against chronic exposure to mycotoxins on an everyday basis.

1. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet. Some experts in the field may call it a low mould diet, mould illness diet, or even a mould detox diet. A 2015 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences revealed that a diet high in processed foods worsens the inflammatory effects of mycotoxin exposure.

At the top of the list is to remove the following pro-inflammatory foods from yourcurrent diet:



1. Red meat (steaks, burgers) and processed meat (sausages, hot dogs)
2. All fried foods, especially french fries
3. Softdrinks and other fructose-filled beverages
4. Margarine, lard, and shortening
5. Refined Carbohydrates like waffles, pastries, bagels, breakfast cereals, white rice, and bread containing white flour



Also, keep yourself healthy with these nutrient-dense anti-inflammatory foods:



1. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, collard greens, arugula and broccoli increase anti-inflammatory processes in your body through the production of glutathione.
2. Bitter vegetables such as watercress, endive, and dandelion leaves intensify bile flow in your liver and bile duct to help eliminate mycotoxins bound to bile acids. All of them have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well.
3. Wild-caught (organic, grass-fed) animals and animal products. Cows that graze on pasture have lower mycotoxin levels in their milk and meat than cows predominantly fed with processed feeds.
4. Bone broths. This highly nutritious food is made by simmering bones in vinegar and water. Additional ingredients are mixed in to create more flavour and provide extra nutrients.


2. Glutathione. As described in an article published in the Journal of Toxins, mycotoxin-related illnesses decrease glutathione production in your body. Glutathione is essential in fighting oxidative stress. Too much oxidative stress leads to widespread tissue damage and systemic illness. Supplementing with glutathione may help reduce this burden while your body recuperates.
3. Vitamin D. Mycotoxins are well-recognised to bind to vitamin D in your body and lead to vitamin D deficiency. Don’t forget to load up on this crucial vitamin.
4. Don’t forget probiotics. Supplement with a probiotic that contains a mixture of the following strains:Propionibacterium freudenreichii,Lactobacillus casei,Lactobacillus plantarum,Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Saccharomyces boulardii. The more, the merrier.



These probiotic strains are known for their ability to bind mycotoxins and help with the detoxification process.




If you don’t like taking supplements, you can try eating fermented foods like kimchi, raw sauerkraut, and coconut milk. They have beneficial microorganisms that boost your gut health. So what almost always goes with probiotics? Prebiotics! Help your beneficial bacteria by giving them the nutrients and substrates they need. Prebiotic foods include onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, apples and green bananas (all organic if possible).



5. Polyphenols are chemicals found in plant foods that provide prebiotic and antioxidant properties. Some of them, like resveratrol and quercetin, have been discovered to guard against cellular damage due to mycotoxins. They’re found in abundance in the following foods:
   
   1. Purple sweet potato
   2. Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries
   3. Extra virgin olive oil
   4. Cocoa & dark chocolate
   5. Black Beans & White Beans


6. Antifungal foods aid in restoring the balance of beneficial microorganisms in your body. They avoid the growth of opportunistic fungi that happen when you’re exposed to mould. Below are some examples:
   
   1. Coconut oil
   2. Coconut oil
   3. Pau d’ arco
   4. Grapefruit seed extract
   5. Garlic & onion
   6. Cinnamon
   7. Raw honey like Manuka honey
   8. Turmeric


7. Mycotoxin binders are compounds that bind to mycotoxins in your digestive tract to prevent them from entering your systemic circulation. Below are examples of well-known mycotoxin binders:
   
   1. Activated charcoal is perhaps the most famous among all types of binders. Its broad-spectrum binding capabilities make it suitable for acute poisoning as opposed to long-term situations.
   2. Zeolite and bentonite clays are more suitable for long-term use and are more selective in binding compared to activated charcoal.
   3. Microchitosan is a compound derived from the shell of crustaceans (lobsters and crabs).
   4. Humic and fulvic acids are best used in combination with the other mycotoxin binders.

All these mycotoxin binders (also called sequestering agents) decrease toxicity by reducing the activity of bound mycotoxins and prohibiting intestinal absorption. These mycotoxin binders are available in supplement form and often in combination. Drink plenty of water to avoid constipation which is a known side effect of mycotoxin binders.




Just a reminder. Supplements marketed as treatment options for mycotoxins haven’t been thoroughly evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are released into the market as supplements and not as medicines. They’re not meant to treat, diagnose, or prevent any mycotoxicoses.



8. Chlorella is a well-known algae with a strong affinity for pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals and mycotoxins. It’s another mycotoxin binder that does so much more than just bind. It’s widely available in supplement form.
9. Store your food correctly and inspect its appearance regularly. Don’t try to smell them because you may inhale the spores.
10. Do you live in a house of molds? Click here to know more about moulds in your home and what you can do about them. Consider the use of an air purifier to remove spores in your house or workplace.
11. Keeping a healthy gut microbiota is a tremendous defensive strategy against moulds and mycotoxins. A 2018 review of findings published in the Cellular and Infection Microbiology Specialty Journal, revealed that a balanced gut microbiota together with a robust immune system is more than capable of removing mycotoxins from your body naturally.

Everyday low-dose chronic exposure to mycotoxins is gradual poisoning by natural means. Ironically though, and in a good way, practical preventive and treatment options are readily available, dubbednatural antidotes (natural treatment options listed above). So, poisoning by natural means versus natural antidotes, let the battle begin.