Mould and mycotoxins as root cause of hashimoto... - Thyroid UK

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Mould and mycotoxins as root cause of hashimotos/ hypothyroidism!!!

LucyYoga profile image
19 Replies

Hello,

I have just joined this group and want to share my journey over this past year including my new revelation for those who might be interested or it could help.

I was diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism a year ago and offered levothyroxine by my GP due to my symptoms but that was and is not a route I wanted to go down. I wanted to find the root cause of what was driving the hasimotos/ hypothyroidism and not just symptom management.

This past year I've been working with a functionally trained forensic nutritionist and naturopath. Ive had multiple functional diagnostics done in US and Denmark including food intolerance tests across multiple arms of the immune system (adaptive and innate) looking at IgE, IgG and complement and IgG4 responses, all vitamin and mineral status checked, Advanced intestinal barrier tests looking at DAO, histamine, zonulin and lps (essentially looking to see how leaky my gut was). DNA tests to see potential genetic backdrops that may be contributing to the hypothyroidism. Plus stool samples to analyse my gut microbiome and look for pathogens, bacteria, parasites etc.

I follow a carnivore based diet that is AIP compliant. Essentially my diet consists of grass fed/finished organic meat, wild fish, healthy organic oils (tallow, coconut oil, olive oil),bone broths, grass fed liver, low lectin, low oxylate, low salicylate, non cruciferous organic vegetables, berries and a bit of raw honey. And lots of water. Obviously no caffeine, alcohol etc. Ive been eating like this for over a year.

I take rosita extra virgin cod liver oil, Vit D and K, liquid magnesium, oxygenated magnesium, liquid minerals (iodine, selenium, chromium, zinc etc), copper, wild grass fed beef organ supplements, methylated b complex, vitamin c, various probiotics, tyrosine - these supplements are personalised and based upon my indiviual needs so im not suggesting everyone take these.

The liquid minerals i mention above are ReMag and Remyte by Dr Carolyn Dean - ive found them really helpful. As they are liquid and have a unique picometer form they are MUCH more bioavailable than tablet forms.

A year later my vitamin and mineral status is now optimal and I have healed my leaky gut. !!

I felt much much better within weeks of starting my protocol in March. By the summer my thyroid labs were returning to normal ! My anti Tpo halved! All without any medication. Then i've suddenly gone massively downhill these past 2 months- bed bound and unable to even get up and down the stairs, and my labs have got much much worse. My TSH was 30 when I got it tested 2 weeks ago.

I've just had a mycotoxin panel back from the US showing that my body is riddled with mycotoxins (mould metabolites), particularly a strain I have in very high amounts that disables the immune system! It is these mycotoxins that I believe are essentially what are driving the autoimmunity and therefore hypothroidism.

Ive spent the last year researching and researching root causes of hypothroidism- physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Toxic mould seems to be an important physical root cause/driver for many people. Especially this time of year when the weather gets damper and mouldy. Pleople who get well over the summer then flare up when it gets to autumn take note. Its not just that we are getting less vitamin D from lack of sunlight.

I have never taken levothyroxine- personal decision not judgement on anyone else.

My decision not to take levothroxine from the beginning is based upon the fact that firstly I do not want to take a synthetic, pharmaceutical drug unless there is no other option and secondly as my liver has been and is stressed, T4 monotherapy will invariably be ineffective as my liver will not be able to effectively convert T4 to T3. This was always my gut feeling but now has been confirmed by the mycotoxin panel result- mycotoxins interfere with and suppress the enzymes responsible for T4-T3 conversion.

I told this to my private endo (apparently one of the 'best'!! in the counrty)and he had never heard of the connection between tould toxicity! He asked me to send HIM the research papers id found! Both he and my regular GP flat out refused to prescribe me NDT

I have just got a private prescription from a wonderful thyroid specialist who is recommended on one of your links. She has prescribed me NDT which both my GP and Private endocrinologist refused to administer despite not being able to cite me any references or research papers as to why it would in any way be effective.

I am about to start a mycotoxin detox protocol with my functional nutritionist and hope that when i clear the mould from my body i can put the hashimotos into remission and come off the NDT.

This is possible- i have spoken to people who have successfully done this.

Ive found both my GP and private endo to be pretty clueless around all of this and have had to do all the research myself.

So for all of you out there who have quit gluten, dairy, followed AIP, adressed nutrient/vitamin/mineral status, have learned to minimise and manage stress and who are STILL suffering...... take a look at Mycotoxins.

My test was arranged regenerus labs through my nutritionist, but you can order one yourself as it is a urine sample not blood test. I believe they are also available through great plains laboratory.

I appreciate that all the testing I have done has been very expensive and not within everyones budget, but i wanted to share what's worked for me so far as I contine my journey.

Wishing everyone well and sorry for poor grammar - brain fog is overwhelming

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LucyYoga
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19 Replies
Jazz80 profile image
Jazz80

Thank you for sharing this, I had not heard of mycotoxins, most helpful.

Can I ask what happened 2 months ago? What changed for the mould to suddenly become a problem?

From the way you've written it, it sounds like you were feeling well and then rapidly declined, seemingly out of nowhere.

LucyYoga profile image
LucyYoga in reply to

2 things- firstly I started doing trauma focussed psychotherapy 3 months ago that I believe triggered the decline- my symptoms started to rapidly return. Then the weather satrted to get colder/wetter/damper hence dormant mould issues flaring up. My functional dr said he's seen a massive decline in clients' health over past couple of months, clients' who otherwise were doing really well/in remission. In all cases its turned out to be due to mycotoxins

arTistapple profile image
arTistapple

I hope you will continue to update us.

Mividauk2 profile image
Mividauk2

I love this. I am looking to work with a functional medicine practitioner along with western medicine in my case. At least fir a while.

Mividauk2 profile image
Mividauk2

Where did you get your microbiome test? Can I send you a message?

LucyYoga profile image
LucyYoga in reply to Mividauk2

sure pm me - my functional nutritionist arranged all the microbiome tests

Noelnoel profile image
Noelnoel

Hi Lucy

What an interesting journey. Do you have time to share the mycotoxin detox you’ve embarked on and how it’s going?

LucyYoga profile image
LucyYoga in reply to Noelnoel

sure- private message me if you like

minus profile image
minus

How do you get rid of mycotoxins and what is your regime for eliminating them. I'm very interested.

LucyYoga profile image
LucyYoga

Hi I have a personalised protocol that consists of strain specific targeted binders and liver/ gallbladder support supplements. I’ve followed esssentially an AIP diet that has been modified to avoid personal food intolerances/ allergies for past year and half that is naturally low mould. Plus specific foods to aid detox.

Nebulised and IV glutathione, infrared sauna, hyperbaric chamber, coffee enemas, lymph support and lymphatic drainage.

Heaps of info available online re mycotoxin detox- Jill Crista book very good

LucyYoga profile image
LucyYoga

I am working with a functional dr/ nutritionist but there are also lots of toxic mould masterclasses available online. Check out peptide therapy too.. it appears like it’s set to be the future of medicine and can play a bit role in helping detox and autoimmunity

Mixteca profile image
Mixteca

I saw a functional medicine practitioner and she thought that mould could be the root of my own illness. I had no way of covering the costs for the relevant but expensive DNA and other tests. Here's some info for those who may be interested.

toxicmould.org/cirs-explained/

radd profile image
radd in reply to Mixteca

Mixteca,

DNA results are useful but not essential. What is important are the actual mycotoxin results. I used Great Plains Lab, under the care of a practitioner.

Mixteca profile image
Mixteca in reply to radd

I was thinking along those lines too but still expensive :-(

radd profile image
radd in reply to Mixteca

Mixteca,

Yes, and then the treatment and supplements are on top, so not a pathway to be taken lightly.

The best read investment I have made is Toxic, Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, and Chronic Environmental Illness by Neil Nathan. He combines methods from the well known practitioners and goes into great depth of treating not only mould but lyme and any form of CFS. Fascinating book and to an extent offers a lot of self-help information. The most basic info is to avoid coffee, wash all fruit and keep antioxidant levels high. I eat a high amount of nuts and seeds so have limited my intake and switched to organic rather than the cheapest source and totally stopped coffee.

Our bodies should naturally eliminate mould but with the common detox genetic impairments combined with Hashi it can encourage buildup. It can also trigger immune reactions which drive inflammation and with Hashi we already risk chronic levels. Mycotoxins further target the liver detoxification systems that hinder further detoxification. A vicious circle but one you can break if you educate your self.

amazon.co.uk/Toxic-Neil-Nat...

LucyYoga profile image
LucyYoga in reply to radd

Radd-

I’ve not read that book but been on very deep dive with all the mould stuff and doing some trainings with Dr Jill Crista.

I’ve learnt so much and realised so much of what my functional dr put on my mould protocol - and that I paid a lot of money for- is actually generic nonsense. And he claimed to be very mould literate!

Each different strain of mycotoxin favours different pathways, so for example Ochratoxin has a high binding affinity to albumin (hence why it’s often involved in POTS profile due to difficulty in transporting Ca and Mg+). Its preferred pathway is kidney - not liver or gut. When it gets to the kidney the kidney donates bioflavonoids to denature it then send it back Into circulation. So taking bioflavonoid complex is crucial when detoxing from OTA.

Just an example but all things my func practitioner missed…- along with doing glutathione in the correct order which he disnt tell me about! I think I recommended to you nebulised glutathione but if you have gliotoxin it must be done in certain sequence or it can cause the gliotoxin to proliferate.

I’m interested about the coffee thing though? Presumably because of the mycotoxin load? I have introduced coffee intentionally over past few months since starting mould protocol having not drunk it for years. I’ve been using good quality coffee ( lab tested for mycotoxins, metals etc ) specifically for its cholagogue/ cholereric properties, high polyphenol levels and hepatoprotective benefits.

Also why the cutting down on seeds? I’ve been increasing my consumption of flax, chia, sunflower and sesame as they help sequester bile. I’m finding food based insoluble fibre as binders to be really helpful. So I’m interested to know why you’ve reduced them during your mould detox.

Best wishes,

Lucy

radd profile image
radd in reply to LucyYoga

Hi Lucy,

How are you doing? Sorry for the the delay. We are trying to move house soon so busy, busy, busy, and I'm well into my mould detox program.

Yes, agree the encouraging of the correct detox pathways is completely essential. I’ve been put on Broccoraphanin to enhance liver phase 2 detox as many get phase 1 build up, take plentiful bioflavonoids anyway as have iron overload, and now a super strong glutiothione called Trifortify.

I think a large part of your post is now missing as you previously advised on a glutathione supplier to another member and then myself, and I bought some but then read about the cautions so haven’t started nebulising it. However, I am nebulising hypochlorous acid under direction of a function dentist, and supplementing AO Defense (more antioxidants) and RG3 nasal spray to calm allergic response.

The mould medication is another nasal spray called Amphoyericin B. It initially gave me a really snotty nose which apparently is usual and a good sign 🙄. Now things are better and I have to keep taking it for 2-3 months. Then after a further few months I have to take another mycotoxins test.

I’m carrying on with the GI Detox, and probiotics - Bio-Cultures L. Rhamnosus, Mega Sporebiotic and S. Boulardi taken in rotation. All are known to help with mould excretion and keep gut cells healthy. I'm also supposed to be having infrared saunas but can't find the time.

Hence I have surrendered my treatment to a practitioner as am way too busy to organise it all at the moment. And yes, you guessed right that coffee (and nuts/seeds) also have a high probability of containing mould as well as all the nourishing things you mention. Apart from these my diet has remained roughly the same except I now wash all fresh veg/fruit scrupulously and buy organic where I can for the time being.

Regarding detox pathways have you seen the article called The Biotoxin Pathway on the Surviving Mould website by Richie Shoemaker .. survivingmold.com/legal-res..., also a chart in the Toxic book I mentioned above listing what mould effects which pathways and which supplements are thought to help.

I hope your program is going well too.

.
LucyYoga profile image
LucyYoga in reply to radd

Hi Radd,

Glad your protocol is going well and good luck with house move!

Thanks for all that really helpful info.

I’m doing well.

Best wishes,

Lucy

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