Mold Toxicity / CIRS

Mold Toxicity, often presenting as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), occurs when susceptible individuals are exposed to biotoxins from water-damaged buildings. Their immune systems fail to clear these mycotoxins, leading to a state of chronic, systemic inflammation.

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Common Symptoms

Profound fatigue and weakness

Brain fog, memory issues, and difficulty finding words

Ice-pick pains, muscle aches, and joint pain

Static shocks, numbness, and tingling

Light sensitivity and blurred vision

Causes & Triggers

Exposure to water-damaged buildings (WDB)
Inhalation of mycotoxins, actinomycetes, and endotoxins
Genetic susceptibility (specific HLA-DR haplotypes)
Tick-borne infections (can trigger similar CIRS pathways)

Diagnosis

Diagnosis often involves a combination of clinical symptom clusters, Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) testing, genetic testing (HLA-DR), and specific lab markers for inflammation (e.g., TGF-beta 1, C4a, MMP-9, MSH, VIP). Urine mycotoxin testing is also frequently used by functional practitioners.

Treatment Approaches

Removal from the toxic environment (remediation or moving)

Binders to remove toxins from the GI tract (e.g., Cholestyramine, Welchol, bentonite clay, charcoal)

Treating colonizing fungal or bacterial infections (MARCoNS)

Reducing inflammation and supporting detox pathways (glutathione)

Limbic system retraining

Not Sure Where to Start?

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