What Is a Mycotoxin Test? | The Metabolic Institute (2024)

Have you been suffering from new allergies, headaches, or other health problems? If so, you may have been exposed to mold. Fortunately, there’s an easy, safe way to determine whether you’re suffering from the harmful effects of toxic mold. At The Metabolic Institute in Spokane, WA, we offer a specialized mycotoxin test that may determine whether you have mold toxicity in your body. Read on to learn more about how this powerful testing method can help you address the damaging effects of toxic mold exposure.

The Need for Mycotoxin Testing

What Are Mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals that are found in mold. Molds, or fungi, naturally produce these molecules. Although this process is natural, these chemicals can be very dangerous. People can suffer from difficult health issues after they come into contact with some of them.

Can Mold Harm My Health?

Most types of mold do not harm people. In fact, doctors use some varieties to improve health. For instance, penicillin is a useful mold that has saved many people’s lives. However, not all molds are beneficial. In fact, people often develop health issues when they come into contact with harmful species of molds.

If you are in an environment with a large mold presence, you may breathe in mold spores. The antigens in these spores can enter your body and cause a variety of harmful health conditions.

How Can I Find Out if Mold Is Harming My Health?

You don’t have to sit back and accept the harmful effects of mold exposure. Getting a mycotoxin test may help you determine whether you have mold toxicity in your body. This is a great way to test whether the harmful antigens in the mold are negatively impacting your health. This test may help you decide how to treat your mold exposure and allergies.

Treating these conditions may improve your symptoms and allow you to regain your health. These treatments may also prevent you from developing more serious mold-related health conditions.

What Is Mold Exactly?

Mold is a natural organism that is part of the fungi kingdom. Mold species can be white, orange, black, and other colors. Mold grows by producing small, light spores that move through the air.

Where Is Mold Found?

Mold is found all over the world. It can grow on and in buildings and also outdoors. Although mold can exist in a variety of places, it grows especially well in damp, moist environments. Your walls, furniture, floors, carpets, and other areas of your home can contain mold. Kitchens, bathrooms, and other damp places are especially likely to have mold. Mold is common everywhere, and people are exposed to it every day.

How Do These Chemicals Harm My Health?

Entering the Body

The harm begins when a person is exposed to an environment that contains a large amount of mold. During this time, damaging enzymes in the mold may enter a person’s lungs. After going into the lungs, the enzymes may bypass the person’s gut barrier and go into their bloodstream.

Harming the Neurons

Once they are in the bloodstream, these harmful mold antigens may change the person’s blood-brain barrier function. This alteration allows the antigens to go into the nervous system. From there, the antigens may harm the person’s neurons and interrupt their production of needed antibodies.

The Negative Effects

The disruption of the person’s immune system can cause a variety of negative health issues. People may suffer from immune suppression, eczema, allergies, and sinusitis. They may also experience headaches, hyperthyroidism, vomiting, and other negative effects. Mold exposure can also cause people to suffer from myalgic encephalitis, rheumatic disorders, and painful lymph nodes.

What Is a Mycotoxin Test?

The experts at The Metabolic Institute have experience helping people determine whether they may besuffering from the damaging effects of mold. In particular, a test may be an effective way to determine whether you have mold toxicity in your body.

Testing Methods

We use a variety of specialized methods to look for mold toxicity in your body. These methods may include bloodand urine tests. We may also perform sputum, sinus, or tissue analysis. These tests are easy and straightforward.

A Consultation

During your consultation, we will discuss your health concerns with you. We will also talk about whether mold exposure could be negatively impacting your health and wellbeing. We will use this information to determine what types of tests are best for you.

How Can I Treat My Mold-Related Health Issues?

Don’t worry if your test results show that you have mold toxicity. The professionals at The Metabolic Institute have extensive experience treating people who are dealing with the harmful consequences of mold exposure.

A Variety of Options

We will work with you to develop a custom treatment plan to address your mold-related health conditions. Although everyone’s treatment plan will be different, many people benefit from receiving binding agents and anti-fungal medications. We may also treat your conditions by asking you to take nutrients that will help you detoxify and heal.

Get Tested

You don’t have to accept the toxic effects of mold exposure. A test is a straightforward, efficient way to determine whether you may have been exposed to harmful mold. Contact us at The Metabolic Institute in Spokane, WA today to learn more about how this specialized test can help you avoid the damaging consequences of spending time in an environment that contains toxic mold.

What Is a Mycotoxin Test? | The Metabolic Institute (2024)

FAQs

What Is a Mycotoxin Test? | The Metabolic Institute? ›

Getting a mycotoxin test may help you determine whether you have mold toxicity in your body. This is a great way to test whether the harmful antigens in the mold are negatively impacting your health. This test may help you decide how to treat your mold exposure and allergies.

What is a mycotoxin test? ›

What is mycotoxin testing? Mycotoxin testing detects the presence of harmful mycotoxin metabolites caused by mold or fungi in the body or home with a Urine or Environmental test.

How much does a mycotoxin test cost? ›

4. What is the cost of the test? Our introductory cost is $380 for the panel of 28 test results: 14 different mycotoxins with IgG and IgE antibodies to each.

How do you know if you have mycotoxins in your body? ›

The most commonly reported symptom of exposure to mycotoxins is respiratory problems, such as wheezing and difficulty breathing. Other symptoms include skin irritation, headaches, fatigue, and nausea. If you think you may have been exposed to mycotoxins, it's important to see a doctor right away.

Can my doctor test me for mold exposure? ›

The doctor will take a health assessment and health history, and will order blood testing. Antibodies in the patient's body will be checked for a reaction to mold and to other allergens and poisons. The severity of the reaction will also be determined. A skin test will also be part of the doctor's examination.

What are the 10 warning signs of mold toxicity? ›

10 Warning Signs of Mold Toxicity
  • Cognitive Issues. Mold exposure can lead to cognitive issues such as brain fog, anxiety and poor memory. ...
  • Fatigue. ...
  • Headaches and Migraines. ...
  • Skin Issues. ...
  • Respiratory Issues. ...
  • Digestive Issues. ...
  • Joint Pain and Muscle Aches. ...
  • Mood Changes.
Jan 2, 2024

Is mycotoxin testing legitimate? ›

Some tests look at levels of mold exposure or the burden of mycotoxins on the body, while others analyze how the immune system is reacting to mold and mycotoxins. Research on all mold and mycotoxin testing is limited, and there is no perfect test [3]. There are currently no FDA-approved laboratory tests for mycotoxins.

How do I test myself for mycotoxins? ›

There are a variety of tests that help you identify your mycotoxin body burden. Blood Test via IgE / IgG: A modified RAST (radioallergosorbent) test is used to detect specific IgE antibodies (body-wide allergenic substances) versus a skin allergy or “Prick test”. You can read up on the Blood vs. Skin Test here.

Can I do a mycotoxin test at home? ›

Our DIY Mycotoxin Test will analyze the air quality in your environment for Mycotoxins. Simply swab your HVAC returns and registers throughout your home and send in the sample for analysis. Not sure if your environment is affecting your health? We have designed a free online health test to help you get some answers.

What are signs of mold exposure? ›

Although symptoms can vary, the most common symptoms seen in people exposed to mold indoors include:
  • Nasal and sinus congestion.
  • Eye irritation, such as itchy, red, watery eyes.
  • Wheezing and difficulty breathing.
  • Cough.
  • Throat irritation.
  • Skin irritation, such as a rash.
  • Headache.

What are the weird symptoms of mold toxicity? ›

What are the symptoms of mold toxicity?
  • Cognitive difficulties (brain fog, poor memory, anxiety)
  • Pain (especially abdominal pain, but can include muscle pain similar to fibromyalgia)
  • Unexplained weight gain or weight loss.
  • Numbness and tingling in extremities or other areas of the body.
  • Metallic taste in the mouth.
Apr 29, 2021

What sickness is caused by mold? ›

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

This rare condition occurs when exposure to airborne particles such as mold spores causes lung inflammation.

What organ is affected by mycotoxins? ›

The toxins can also be found in the milk of animals that are fed contaminated feed, in the form of aflatoxin M1. Large doses of aflatoxins can lead to acute poisoning (aflatoxicosis) and can be life threatening, usually through damage to the liver.

How do you prove mold is making you sick? ›

If your Total Body Burden is high, or you are genetically predisposed to recycling toxins, regular exposure to mold can cause allergy symptoms, such as: Wheezing/shortness of breath. Rash. Watery eyes.

What supplements are good for removing mold from the body? ›

Vitamin C:

This powerful antioxidant is great for your immune system and aids in detoxification. Vitamin C neutralizes mycotoxins and diminishes their adverse effects on your body. It is a fundamental nutrient that not only supports your recovery but also contributes to your overall health.

How do you prove mold illness? ›

A blood test, sometimes called the radioallergosorbent test, can measure your immune system's response to mold by measuring the amount of certain antibodies in your bloodstream known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies.

What is the procedure for mycotoxin testing? ›

The general procedure for testing consists of five main steps: sampling, grinding, extraction, purification and analysis (Figure 1). Sampling is the most critical step and needs to be accomplished according to specific guidelines due to the inhom*ogeneous distribution of mycotoxins in the lot.

What does a mycotoxin urine test show? ›

The MycoTOX profile is a urine-based assay that assesses levels of 21 different mycotoxins, including metabolites of the most toxigenic classes: Aflatoxins, Ochratoxins, Zearalenones, and Trichothecenes.

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