Random Mold Info

When researched I usually keep a document so I can remember where I found information and be able to go back to it if necessary. Since it will just take too much time for my brain to put together a nice organized post, instead I am simply going to copy and paste exerts from that document to give a bit of an idea of what we're dealing with.  The list is just random information, placed in no specific order, about mold and it's effects on people.

Mold Spores

Mold Spore (spor) - tiny spores that are not visible to the naked eye produced by mold. Mold spores are very hardy and can survive under conditions in which mold cannot grow, such as in dry and harsh environments. These spores travel through outdoor and indoor air. When mold spores land on a surface where moisture is present, mold can start to grow.

Mycotoxins (mī′kōtok′sin) - toxic chemicals that are present on spores and small fragments of mold and fungus that are released into the air.

Mold spores are extremely tiny and float through the air. They can maintain their viability to reproduce in many environments until they land on a appropriate surface

Mold spores are much smaller than pollen grains, allowing many of them to bypass the normal filtering function of the nose effectively

Mycotoxins cause toxic symptoms which are much worse than the allergic symptoms caused by ordinary molds. Some of the symptoms caused by toxic molds include bleeding, damage to internal organs, mental impairment, cancer and even death in some cases.

In laymen's terms, molds produce mycotoxins.  These substances, although unseen by the naked eye, are ingested and then enter the body through the skin, mucous and airways.  Once ingested, mold has the requirements to colonize and spread.  In doing this, it can compromise the immune system and damage everyday processes of the body.  Mold and yeast are interchangeable only in their dimorphic state, which is often a big misconception, although both are fungi.

You might not realize it, but you're surrounded by spores, both indoors and outdoors. They range in size from three to 40 microns, less than half the width of a human hair, allowing them to float in the air sight unseen.

Mycotoxins are toxins produced by some species of mold (myco means fungal). These mycotoxins are some of the most toxic substances in existence.  When people are around toxic mold they are usually exposed to airborne mycotoxins by breathing them in.  Mycotoxins in the air can also enter through a person's eyes. Trichothecene mycotoxins can be absorbed through the skin as well

Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by both molds and yeasts as a way to stake out their territory and allow for their continued proliferation. 

Molds grow best in warm, damp, and humid conditions, and spread and reproduce by making spores. Mold spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such as dry conditions, that do not support normal mold growth.

If the air is sufficiently humid over a sustained period many molds can get their moisture requirements to grow from the air. This makes basements and attics especially susceptible.
Although molds cannot grow on inorganic substances such as metal or glass they can grow on built up dust and dirt that accumulates on these items provided sufficient moisture is present

With water, molds grow. Without water, molds die but the spores do not. If water returns, the spores regenerate growing colonies of mold. 

Eliminating spores altogether is impossible, so you need to control the conditions that create mold growth. The easiest and most effective method is to reduce the amount of moisture in your home or business.

At the core of why one person becomes ill from this exposure and another doesn’t is their gene susceptibility (or predisposition) – what is built into their DNA. 

Approximately 24 percent of the population is genetically vulnerable to mold toxicity; they have a certain immune response gene (HLA-DR). If you’re one of those people with mold susceptibility genes, you are far more likely to have an adverse reaction to mold when exposed to a sufficient quantity.

Nearly everyone will become ill when exposed to sufficient levels of biotoxins, but most people recover once they are removed from exposure. Their detoxification system is able to recognize the biotoxins in their bodies as toxins and eliminate them via the normal mechanisms.  However, a minority of people have HLA (human leukocyte antigen) genes that prevent their bodies from being able to recognize and thus eliminate biotoxins. The biotoxins will remain in the body and trigger a chronic, systemic inflammatory response. These are the people that develop CIRS.

CIRS is not an allergy; it’s a state of chronic inflammation caused by the immune system becoming out of whack. The CIRS doesn’t heal on its own, will not abate, and will continue to provoke illness unless it’s treated. Their illness is built into their DNA and once triggered, the inflammatory response and resulting symptoms can last for years.

The 25% + of people who carry the HLA-DRBQ gene related to mold toxicity, do not make the antibodies needed to deactivate and remove mold toxins.  Their bodies cannot recognize the mold toxins as ‘bad guys’ to be eliminated.  So the toxins get stored

Mold toxins are lipophilic, meaning their molecular structure consists of fatty acid molecules. For this reason, mold toxins migrate to and deposit in the brain because the brain is the ‘fattiest’ organ, consisting of 60% fat.

Once the immune system is compromised by mold fungus, additional damage by any number of toxins, bacteria or viruses can destroy our bodies, and affect even our brain.  Mold commonly enters the body through breathing in spores. However, it can also enter through the skin and even the eyes. Once inside, mold can reproduce itself often using our own bodies, organs, tissues, and even our blood, for food.