Mycotoxins are a serious threat to our healthy systems. They are microscopic fungal poisons that make their way through the respiratory and digestive systems. Calling mycotoxins “poison” is not a misnomer, and these poisons can make you very sick.
And, we are now finding that specific mycotoxins can negatively impact brain function by causing neurotoxicity.
The Journal of Molecular Science published a review in 2011 regarding certain mycotoxins and their impact on the brain. How can mycotoxins cause neurological damage, and can we prevent mycotoxins from entering our systems in the first place?
What are mycotoxins?
Microfungi create mycotoxins, which are the secondary metabolites that can cause serious illness. Some are mild such as athlete’s foot. Others can cause life-threatening illness.
When this happens, you are literally being poisoned, and the condition is called mycotoxicosis. The symptoms may vary depending on the type of mycotoxin, the length and amount of exposure, and your age, gender, and overall health.
There are hundreds of factors that can impact how a mycotoxin exposure presents in your body, including:
- Vitamin deficiency
- Microbial disease
- Malnutrition
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Low-caloric intake
- Genetics
- Other diseases or conditions
How do mycotoxins affect the brain?
Neurotoxicity can cause brain or peripheral nervous system damage. It can be very dangerous and deadly in some cases. Neurotoxins can actually alter your brain activity by disrupting or killing neurons.
The review noted above examined four mycotoxins known to induce neurotoxicity in rodent models, including:
- T-2 toxin – Known for inducing neuronal cell death in both fetal and adult brains.
- Macrocyclic trichothecenes – Causes neuronal cell death and inflammation in the olfactory system.
- Fumonisin B1 (FB1) – Causes neuronal degeneration in the cerebral cortex and disrupts ceramide synthesis (and important lipid in the brain).
- Ochratoxin A (OTA) – Induces acute depletion of striatal dopamine, which has shown to cause cell death in the hippocampus, substantia nigra, and striatum (different parts of the brain).
These specific mycotoxins cause neurotoxicity along oxidative stress-associated pathways, which are vulnerable to the imbalance between neutralizing antioxidants and free radicals. Because these substances are particularly dangerous to your brain, let’s look at each one, how to avoid them, and what they can do to your body.
T-2 toxin
T-2 Toxin is mostly found in wheat, corn, barley, and rice. It can infect these food items as crops in the field and in storage. The only way to avoid exposure to T-2 toxin is to limit your intake of these crops. T-2 Toxin has been linked to diseases such as red mold disease and alimentary toxic aleukia.
Symptoms of T-2 Toxin mycotoxicosis typically begin within minutes to up to two hours after exposure, and how they present varies depending on the route of exposure. Symptoms of T-2 toxin mycotoxicosis include:
- Weakness
- Prostration (extreme weakness resulting in near or complete collapse)
- Dizziness
- Ataxia (loss of control over bodily movements)
- Loss of coordination
Symptoms by route of exposure:
- Gastrointestinal exposure: Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhea
- Inhalation: Itching, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, blood tinged saliva
- Ocular: Blurred vision, eye pain, tearing, and redness
- Transdermal exposure: Burning sensation, blistering, skin necrosis
Ingesting T-2 toxin can cause alimentary toxic aleukia, which is a clinical syndrome. Symptoms of alimentary toxic aleukia include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Skin irritation, rash or itching
- Bleeding and hemorrhaging
- Dyspnea (labored breathing)
- Death
T-2 Toxin prevents protein synthesis by binding to peptidyl transferase. Too much binding can result in a ribotoxic stress response. T-2 Toxin also interferes with membrane phospholipid metabolism, and can increase liver lipid peroxides or oxidative degradation of lipids, which is linked to many serious conditions.
It may suppress glutathione S-transferases, which is necessary to metabolize drugs. And, it can disrupt your mitochondria causing dysfunction. Healthy mitochondria are absolutely critical to healthy cells. If your mitochondria are starved, you could die within seconds. That’s the danger of T-2 Toxin.
Macrocyclic trichothecenes
The fungus, Stachybotrys chartarum, emits macrocyclic trichothecenes. This fungus grows on water damaged building materials like wallboard, ceiling tiles, and other building materials that all contain cellulose.
Lengthy exposure to macrocyclic trichothecene has been linked to debilitating respiratory conditions, immune system dysfunction, neurological impairment, and damp building-related illnesses. It works by inhibiting protein synthesis and binding to certain macromolecules like proteins. Exposure to these mycotoxins can lead to chronic inflammation and cell death, which damages pulmonary and neurological cells and tissues.
Symptoms of macrocyclic trichothecene exposure include:
- Weakness
- Ataxia (loss of control over bodily movements)
- Low blood pressure
- Bleeding disorders
- Death
Fumonisin B1 (FB1)
Fumonisin B1 is one of the most abundant and toxic mycotoxins. It occurs primarily in corn and various cereals. Avoid this toxin by significantly reducing your intake of corn and cereal products. Fumonisin B1 disrupts sphingolipid synthesis, which are the fatty acids found in the cell membranes of nervous and brain tissues. Fumonisin B1 also inhibits protein synthesis, increases lipid oxidation, causes DNA fragmentation,, and causes cell death.
The symptoms of Fumonisin B1 exposure include:
- Lethargy
- Lack of appetite
- Pressure in the head
- Convulsions
- Liver damage
- Eventually, exposure to fumonisin B1 can cause death.
Ochratoxin A (OTA)
Ochratoxin A is found primarily in cereals and has a very long half-life, which means it remains in your body for a long time and accumulates throughout the food chain. Avoid OTA by limiting your cereal and grain consumption. OTA is also found in wine, beer, coffee, grapes, pork, poultry, dairy, spices, and chocolate.
Ochratoxin A has been linked to enzymuria and kidney diseases. It has been identified as immunotoxic, neurotoxic, teratogenic, and genotoxic. OTA works by causing oxidative stress in the body, thus inhibiting protein synthesis and impairing the mitochondria.
Symptoms of ochratoxin A exposure include:
- Respiratory symptoms such as asthma
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Renal disease
- Night sweats
- Fungal skin rash
- Dizziness
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Hair loss
Ochratoxin A has been linked to oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids in the today. Researchers believe that exposure may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Mycotoxins are quite common
Mycotoxins remain relatively unknown, yet they are quite common and can negatively impact our health. Illness caused by mycotoxins may present with a variety of symptoms, some mild and some very dangerous. Avoiding grains and water damaged buildings is key to minimizing the risk of exposure. Awareness of the issue is growing. If you or a loved one have mysterious chronic symptoms like those listed above, consider the possibility of mold exposure and take the appropriate preventative measures.