Mycotoxins- a P.A.K. Approach

Michael Lebowitz DC

Jeff Robinson DC

Abstract: Mycotoxins are another piece of the puzzle in the chronically ill patient. A new simple AK screening procedure is now available to help discern if these are an issue with your patients. Environmental remediation as well as ingestion of certain nutritional substances to facilitate excretion can help bring health restoration to chronically ill patients

WHAT ARE MYCOTOXINS?

Mycotoxins are toxins produced by molds or fungi that can appear in the food chain or from buildings that have water damage that is not immediately corrected. Molds such as Stachybotrys (Black Mold), Aspergillus, Acremonium, Actiniomycetes, Penicillium and Chaetomium, etc.can start colonies, which then send out spores producing mycotoxins as a survival mechanism.

Mycotoxins are well known in agriculture for contaminating crops and making livestock sick. Cooking and freezing do not destroy them and they resist decomposition or being broken down in digestion. The toxins themselves are lipophilic and are easily absorbed in the digestive tract, inhaled through the nose and can be absorbed through the skin.

Mycotoxins have been used as biological weapons. Evidence suggested that Russia had attacked Southeast Asia with “Trichothecene” mycotoxins (“yellow rain”), resulting in the deaths of thousands. Mycotoxins have higher toxicity than nerve gas. The people contaminated also had vomiting, dizziness, seizures, coughing blood, respiratory distress, low blood pressure, and blisters. Survivors were chronically ill for a long time with rashes, joint pain, fatigue, and memory problems.

Mycotoxins are found in a large percentage of cancers and affect nearly every system in the body. They can:

1. Inhibit protein, DNA, mitochondrial protein synthesis, and impair ribosome function.

2. Erode the myelin sheath causing neurological symptoms, seizures, headaches, muscle weakness, twitches, etc.

3. Cause immuno-suppression by allowing opportunistic bacterial and viral infections to occur.

4. Chronic exposure can lower white blood cell counts (toxic aleukia). Effects accumulate with repeated exposures.

Some of the more important/commons ones are:

Trichothecenes: Are produced by Stachybotrys and Fusarium, and they inhibit protein synthesis, kill cells and are extremely dangerous. Symptoms can include vomiting, pain, weakness, dizziness, ataxia, anorexia, diarrhea, bleeding, as well as depression of circulating white blood cells. Other symptoms include dry eyes, drowsiness, skin rashes, blood-red eyes, coughing/vomiting/urinating of blood, nosebleeds, and skin can begin to bleed without reason. Brain function is impaired, from slurred speech to various psychological conditions from Multiple Personality Disorder to Paranoia.

Zearalenone: Is an estrogen mimic, most commonly causing vulvovaginitis in gilts (young female pigs) .This condition sometimes leads to vaginal or rectal prolapse which commonly results in reduced litter size, loss of pregnancy, and poor milk production in affected swine. Males may be feminized to some extent. Similar syndromes occur in cattle and sheep fed zearalenone-contaminated feed.

Fumonosins: Are implicated in causing a disease of horses in which brain tissue is damaged and horses showed ataxia, facial and other paralysis, seizures, partial blindness, lethargy or excitement. Hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity are also seen. Fumonisins are also among the chief suspects for the agent(s) of elevated levels of esophageal cancer in humans in certain parts of the world.

Aflatoxins: Are produced by many species of Aspergillus, they are toxic and can be cancer producing especially when metabolized by the liver to a reactive intermediate, aflatoxin M1. High-level exposure produces an acute damage and cirrhosis of the liver as well as cancer of the liver. Children are particularly affected by aflatoxin exposure which leads to stunted growth and delayed development.

Ochratoxin A: A mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum and is one of the most abundant food-contaminating mycotoxins in the world. Human exposure occurs mainly through consumption of improperly stored food products, particularly contaminated grain and pork products, as well as coffee, wine grapes, and dried grapes. The toxin has been found in the tissues and organs of animals, including human blood and breast milk. Ochratoxin A is potentially carcinogenic to humans.

Mycotoxins have been found in a large percentage of cancers ranging from astrocytomas, mesothelioma, lung adenocarcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and uterine cancers.

As many as 1,000 compounds, are classifiable as mycotoxins. The pharmacology industry studied them as potential antibiotics in the 1930s and 1940s only to be discarded as being too toxic for higher life forms. You can now understand the mechanism of Penicillin and how it being a mycotoxin would kill undesirable bacteria, unfortunately also in the process killing beneficial bacteria.

Common Symptoms of Mycotoxins;

1. Rosacea or flushed face, rashes, facial hyperpigmentation, allergic shiners

2. Nasal turbinate inflammation, sinus infections

3. Hypothyroid symptoms , dry hair, loss of lateral third of eyebrow, cold hands/feet, heat intolerance, hair loss

4. Asthma, shortness of breath, cough, bronchitis, pulmonary aspergillosis

5. Fungal infections of skin, nails, vagina, groin and dandruff

6. Cognitive Dysfunction , short term memory loss ,problems with color discrimination, ADHD, distractible, cannot read, cannot write, confusion, blurred vision, headaches, vertigo, deafness, dizziness, tremors, seizures

7. Pituitary damage, Multiple Hormone Deficiencies (Thyroid, Cortisol, Growth Hormone, Estrogen, Testosterone etc), Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

8. Chemical sensitivities, sound and light sensitivity

9. Alcohol intolerance, hangovers, alcoholism

10. Cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, seizures, stabbing sensations

11. Irritable bowel, gastro esophageal reflux issues, diarrhea, bloating, gas, leaky gut, food sensitivities

12. Immune Suppression, Fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain/morning stiffness, arthritis, muscle weakness, abdominal pain, systemic inflammation

13. Weakness, numbness/tingling, skin sensitivity, static shocks, bladder paralysis, muscle paralysis

AK application

1. See if the mixed mycotoxin vial (AK Test Kits 1-970-201-7406) causes either a “strong muscle” to “weaken” or become “hypertonic”. Hypertonicity is more common. If it does, it is a positive test. If negative and you suspect mycotoxins, test all the individual mycotoxins the same way.

2. See if the positive vials are negated by any of the following and supplement as indicated

a) Smilax Supreme- 1 cap 3x/day

b) Takesumi Supreme- 1 scoop twice daily

c) Schisandra Supreme- 1 cap 3x/day

d) Body Guard Supreme- 1 cap 3x/day

e) Vital Guard Supreme- 3 caps 3x/day

f) Glutathione- 1 cap 2x/day

All supreme products by supreme nutrition 1-800-922-1744 and are listed in order of frequency that they test in this condition

Prevention/ Lifestyle and Treatment Considerations

1. Remove toxins from environment. Correct water leaks, moldy basements, air conditioner condensation, refrigerator catch basin, etc.

2. Consider air filtration (a combo of carbon and HEPA filtration)

3. Food sensitivity avoidance due to leaky gut caused by mycotoxins

4. Sauna, lymphatic massage. Be careful with sauna as patients may ‘CRASH’ when you release all the stored toxins from your fat. 20 min of sweating /day.

5. Epsom Salt baths

6. Neurotransmitter support until toxins cleared from brain (Ashwaganda, L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, Gaba etc)

7. Don’t neglect to clear dysbiosis, toxin metals and food toxins to bring the most satisfactory results.

CONCLUSION

It is the authors opinions that screening for mycotoxins should routinely be done on chronic patients as well as screening for dysbiosis, food reactions, toxic metals and chemicals, nutrient deficiencies etc. The few minutes of time it takes is well worth the information you will elicit and will positively influence the clinical outcome

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