Mold’s Mycotoxin Series – Part 3: What If Your Fatigue Isn’t Burnout—But Mold?

Let's imagine you came to see me for a consultation.

At our first visit, you shared how you had worked with your previous PCP to tackle persistent fatigue, elevated inflammatory biomarkers, and stubborn fat loss, yet you saw little guidance or meaningful improvement. I taught you to master your 'kitchen' as a foundational step, and you dialed it in beautifully.

Now you're back for your 4-month follow-up. You've made solid progress with weight loss, but that relentless fatigue? Still hanging around. This is where we dig deeper—exploring unaddressed factors I call S.T.A.M.P. Triggers: Stressors, Toxins, Allergens, Microbes, and Poor Diet. (want more details? read or listen to my book)

In this series, we are focusing on a commonly missed Microbe trigger: Mold and, more specifically, its mycotoxins.

Here’s why mold deserves a closer look—and a few nuggets to drop at your next cocktail party when the conversation takes a weird turn toward indoor air quality:

A Palm-Sized Problem with a Massive Impact
Even a tiny, palm-sized water spill can become a mold breeding ground—spreading fast. Of the 1 million+ mold species known, only about a dozen affect human health. But those few can be profoundly disruptive, especially indoors.

Fun fact: When damp for just 24 hours, Cellulose-like Drywall transforms into an ideal mold playground.

Seeds vs. Spores: Nature's Unwanted Copycats
Think of plants—they grow, release seeds, and spread. Mold plays a similar game but with spores—microscopic particles just 2-4 microns wide. Spores are so tiny they can reach deep into your lungs and sinuses, right to the alveoli, where they transfer directly into your bloodstream.

Mycotoxins: The Stealthy Destroyers
Spores alone are problematic—but the real villains? Mycotoxins—toxic hitchhikers attached to those spores.

At a mere 0.1 microns (about the size of the COVID-19 virus), mycotoxins are like molecular snipers—sneaking into your system, disrupting cellular function, and firing up inflammatory pathways at a level comparable to toxins like glyphosate, mercury, and arsenic.

Once inside the bloodstream, mycotoxins often target the brain. They can disrupt microglia, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and neurons, Impair mitochondrial function (energy production), Trigger cell death, and contribute to demyelination (linked with severe neurological disorders).

It's now Mid-Terms: Time for a Quick Mold Review Quiz! (True or False)

1. The World Health Organization calls mold “The Great Masquerader” because it mimics many other disease presentations.

2. All mold species are harmful to human health.

3. Plants release seeds; mold releases spores. But it’s the mycotoxins attached to spores that trigger inflammation.

4. Mycotoxins are as small as the COVID-19 virus, allowing them to penetrate deep into the lungs and, therefore, into the bloodstream.

Answers:

1. ✅ True

2. ❌ False (Only about a dozen species impact human health)

3. ✅ True

4. ✅ True

Coming Up Next: The next newsletter will explore how mycotoxins trigger inflammation, the connection to chronic, unresolved health issues, and how to test accurately for it.

Grateful to be your physician guide.

Kevin Hoffarth, MD, IFMCP
BioFIT Medicine Owner
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