Toxic mold (or toxic mould) refers to certain types of mold that release toxic substances into the air, causing health problems.
Not all types of mold fall into this category. In fact, there are many types of beneficial mold. We would not have cheese for example, without the beneficial action of mold on milk ingredients for example.
In most cases, toxic mold refers to certain species of mold that release mycotoxins – liquid or gaseous compounds that are harmful to human health.
So it is not the molds themselves, but the toxins they release that cause all the trouble.
Toxic Mold and Illness
Harmful molds can cause illness in a number of ways:
- Toxic effects
- allergic reactions
- Immunotoxic effects
- Infections
Mold allergy problems are covered elsewhere on this site. These are not toxic effects, but allergic reactions to mold spores or other mold by-products.
A mold infection is also not a toxic effect, but a situation where mold growth is able to take hold in the body. This is often due to a problem with the effected individual’s immune system.
Toxic mold refers either to the toxic or immunotoxic effects of mold.
Toxic Effect of Toxic Mold
Some mycotoxins have a directly poisonous effect on the body. Examples include aflatoxin and ochratoxin.
They cause a variety of damage types to the internal organs and nervous system.
Toxic Mold and Carcinogenic Effect
Many mycotoxins are carcinogenic, and some are very carcinogenic.
Too much exposure to the effects of these toxic molds can be cancer-causing.
Toxic Mold and Immunotoxic Effect
Mycotoxins can greatly reduce the effectiveness of your immune system. This may explain why so many mycotoxins are carcinogenic, and why mold allergy are so common.