Mold Illness & Functional Medicine

If you’ve been struggling with fatigue, brain fog, sinus issues, or unexplained symptoms that come and go—or flare up when you're in certain environments—mold may be the hidden trigger.

Mold exposure is more common than most people realize, especially in water-damaged buildings, homes, or workplaces. In functional medicine, we understand how mold toxins (mycotoxins) can silently disrupt your immune system, hormones, nervous system, and gut. That’s why we take a whole-body approach to mold detox and recovery.

What Is Mold Illness?

Mold illness (sometimes referred to as CIRS, or Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) occurs when the body can't properly eliminate mycotoxins—harmful compounds released by certain mold species. These toxins build up over time and can trigger widespread inflammation, immune dysregulation, and nervous system stress.

Mold-related illness can mimic dozens of other conditions and is often missed or dismissed in conventional care.

Common Mold-Related Symptoms

Mold exposure doesn’t always cause obvious respiratory symptoms. It often presents as chronic, mysterious, and multi-systemic issues such as:

  • Persistent fatigue or energy crashes

  • Brain fog or memory problems

  • Chronic sinus congestion or pressure

  • Shortness of breath or coughing

  • Headaches or light sensitivity

  • Anxiety, depression, or mood swings

  • Sleep disturbances or unrefreshing sleep

  • Joint or muscle pain

  • Skin rashes, itching, or tingling

  • Sensitivity to chemicals, light, or noise

  • Hormone imbalances (low cortisol, low testosterone, irregular cycles)

  • Frequent urination, thirst, or temperature dysregulation

  • Reactivity to new places, smells, or foods

Mold Illness in Women

Women often experience mold toxicity with:

  • Heightened sensitivity to smells, chemicals, or foods

  • Worsened PMS, cycle irregularity, or infertility

  • Increased autoimmune flares (e.g., Hashimoto’s)

  • Weight gain, especially around the middle

  • Anxiety or irritability that feels hormonal—but isn’t

Mold Illness in Men

Men exposed to mold may experience:

  • Low testosterone and libido

  • Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest

  • Exercise intolerance or reduced stamina

  • Brain fog affecting performance or memory

  • Apathy or depressive symptoms

How Mold Exposure Happens

You don’t have to see mold to be affected by it. Mold illness can be caused by:

  • Living in or working in a water-damaged building

  • HVAC systems or basements with past leaks or flooding

  • Moldy apartments, schools, or office buildings

  • Past exposure that “primed” your immune system

  • Inherited detox pathway weaknesses (e.g., MTHFR, GST gene variants)

Mycotoxins are tiny, fat-soluble, and can stay in your body long after you’ve left the exposure.

Testing for Mold and Mycotoxins

Functional medicine testing goes beyond standard allergy or IgE mold panels. We may use:

  • Mycotoxin urine testing (e.g., from RealTime Labs or Great Plains/OAT)

  • Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) testing to assess neuroinflammation

  • Inflammatory markers: TGF-β1, MMP-9, C4a, VEGF (via bloodwork)

  • Functional liver and detox markers via Organic Acids Testing (OAT)

  • Home mold testing recommendations (ERMI, HERTSMI-2, air samples)

How Functional Medicine Supports Mold Detox & Recovery

Healing from mold requires a strategic, multi-phase approach that includes both internal detox and environmental cleanup. Your personalized care plan may involve:

  • Identifying and removing the source of exposure

  • Binding protocols using substances like charcoal, bentonite clay, cholestyramine, or zeolite

  • Liver and lymphatic support (glutathione, milk thistle, NAC, sauna, dry brushing)

  • Mitochondrial and cellular repair with CoQ10, B vitamins, phosphatidylcholine

  • Anti-inflammatory nutrition (low mold, low histamine, anti-candida as needed)

  • Nervous system regulation to calm hypersensitivities and vagal dysfunction

  • Immune modulation for autoimmunity or histamine reactivity

  • Collaboration on home remediation resources or mold-safe environments

Note: Mold illness often affects people who are told "it's all in your head"—when in reality, their body is overwhelmed by toxins. Functional medicine provides a clear, step-by-step path to uncover hidden mold triggers and support true recovery.