Mold and Mycotoxins: Current Evaluation and Treatment 2022

By Neil Nathan and Joseph Brewer

It is estimated by some experts that mold toxicity is currently affecting, some extent, up to 10 million Americans. Most of those individuals are unaware of the existence of this condition and, unfortunately, most medical practitioners are not aware of it either. This had led to the unfortunate situation in which patients with mold toxicity (who often present with a wide array of symptoms including fatigue, cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression, shortness of breath, chronic sinus symptoms, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, cramping, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and paresthesias, amongst others) are dismissed by their physicians and families as psychogenic. This leads to incorrect diagnoses and treatments and social isolation, which becomes tragic since this condition can be treated when properly diagnosed. This new book is an update of my original e-book, published in 2016, which began the process of bringing these issues to light. With six more years of research and clinical experience, I am updating what we know about all aspects of mold toxicity to make this subject as accessible and current as possible. Since many of my patients have some degree of cognitive impairment as a part of their illness, I have attempted to make this as concise and readable as possible, so that they, and their families can get a quick overview of the subject of mold toxicity to begin to understand this illness and move forward with healing. For those who wish to delve into more detail, I encourage them to read (also available in audio for those for whom reading has become difficult) my book
"Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Chronic Environmental Illness".
In this e-book we will discuss a little of how we began to understand mold toxicity as a common medical condition, and then go into detail about the symptoms with which it presents, how to diagnose it, and how to approach treatment. Since mold toxicity commonly triggers several other medical conditions, such as limbic dysfunction, vagal nerve dysfunction, and mast cell activation, all of which contribute to creating a patient who is exceptionally sensitive and reactive to foods, medications and chemicals, these conditions will also be discussed. It is hoped that readers will come to realize that their symptoms are very real, and that medical treatment can help to restore complete health once the diagnosis has been made.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jan 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667821719

Book preview

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© 2021 Neil Nathan

ISBN: 978-1-66-782171-9

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Table of Contents

Foreword to First Edition

Preface to the 2nd edition & Disclaimer

Dedication

Introduction

Symptoms

The Biotoxin Pathway

Diagnosis of Mold Toxicity

Treatment of Mold Toxicity

Evaluating Buildings for Mold and Water Damage

Genetic Susceptibility to Mold

HLA-DR Testing

My Current Treatment Protocol

Finding & Using the Best Binders

Treatment Program Using the Brewer Protocol

Detoxification Strategies

DETOXIFICATION OF MYCOTOXINS

Working With Patients Who Are Unusually Sensitive or Reactive

Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Methylation Dysfunction

Additional Treatment Options & Future Directions

Parting Comments

Selected Additional Reading

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Foreword to First Edition

Over the past few years, medical research has demonstrated the numerous health consequences resulting from exposure to molds and in particular toxic mold. Mold exposure has been shown to be associated with fungal sinusitis, abnormalities in T and B cells, central and peripheral neuropathy, asthma, sarcoidosis, respiratory infections and chronic fatigue syndrome. We have found a particularly strong association between chronic illness (prototype being chronic fatigue syndrome) and mycotoxins (Brewer, J, et al, Toxins, 2013).

Dr. Neil Nathan and I have known each other for a number of years and we have both shared a common interest in patients with chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and Lyme disease among others. We have both realized that many of these patients have mycotoxin-related clinical syndromes that may represent a key aspect in the pathogenesis of their illnesses. In some cases mold may be the major player in the illness, whereas, in others the mold may be a partial contributor in a more complex setting. Certainly, many of these patients are very complex and require an integrated approach to the illness, frequently requiring that the practitioner address mold and mycotoxins.

In this book, Dr. Nathan presents a practical, hands-on approach based on the medical literature, the experience of other practitioners that have dealt with mold related illnesses, as well as his own vast experience with these types of patients. He provides a plethora of pearls and excellent clinical advice in addressing this relatively new but increasingly important aspect of these complex patients. I applaud his efforts to help other practitioners recognize the importance of mold/mycotoxins and integrate effective treatment protocols for these patients into their practices. Our thanks to Dr. Nathan and his efforts to search for better health for all our patients.

Joseph Brewer, MD

Plaza Infectious Disease and St. Luke’s Hospital

Kansas City, Missouri,

July, 2016

Preface to the 2nd edition & Disclaimer

I have written this book in response to an outpouring of requests from both health care providers and patients–-for a clear, updated discussion about what is currently known about the diagnosis and treatment of mold toxicity.

This is a rapidly emerging field of medicine, filled with controversy (as are most emerging fields). Much of the controversy revolves around what is not yet known with scientific certainty about this information. From my perspective, while it is a bit presumptuous for me to take on this task, it is necessary that we begin with what we think we currently know and proceed from there.

As with all newly realized bodies of information, there are those who bemoan the dearth of scientific proof or evidence and are understandably reluctant to act without it. And, there are those, like myself and many others, on the front lines, who have recognized the epidemic of mold toxicity and biotoxicity for what it is and are trying to help our patients using what information we do have as a basis for diagnosis and treatment.

The resolution of these controversies will resolve with the passage of time and the accumulation of a lot more research. For now, I can only present the best information I have gleaned, studied, and synthesized from my work with thousands of patients who have improved their health using this approach. The best evidence I can present to you is that most of my mold toxic patients have greatly improved their health; the majority have been cured. It is therefore my hope that this information will be valuable right now to those who are suffering and for those health care providers who are courageous enough to treat them.

Knowing how quickly this information is growing and changing, it is my intention to update this material on a regular basis to keep it as current as possible. I cannot emphasize enough that this book is a work in progress and is not be construed as a diagnostic or treatment manual. It does not provide medical advice: that can only come from your treating physician. It simply reflects our most current thoughts, ideas and experience. I also want to note that I have no financial ties to any laboratory, pharmacy, or supplement product that will be discussed.

I would like to emphasize, from the beginning, that the patients I now treat are much more toxic and sensitive than many of the patients that will present to most health care practitioners. As my practice has evolved, my patients are generally referred to me by other health care practitioners who are having difficulties making progress with these sensitive individuals, so my current patient population does not necessarily reflect the typical mold toxic patient. With this in mind, I have intentionally written this book with a focus on the most sensitive and toxic patients for two reasons.

First, if you can understand how to treat the most compromised of patients, treating your typical mold patient, (if there is one), is much more straightforward and their clinical course will be shorter and more dramatic. Second, if you

Reviews for Mold and Mycotoxins

[tracey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book in helping anyone with mould toxicity and a protocol that works.