I recently did the Great Plains MycoTox test. Had done 2 Realtime Lab tests in the past.
My GP results were pretty bad. Positive for Gliotoxin from Aspergillus molds and Zearalenone from Fusarium molds. Almost positive for Ochratoxin A from Aspergillus/Penicillium molds.
Ochratoxin - 19.80 (range 4 - 20)
Gliotoxin - 3482.63 (range 200 - 2,000)
Zearalenone - 111.09 (range .5 - 10)
The Realtime Labs did not test zearalenone, and the ERMI test does not include Fusarium, the mold which produces zearalenone, so this was new to me.
I believe the Great Plains MycoTox test was $299, which isn’t too bad. If you haven’t checked into mold, I would recommend this test. The reason I went through with it now was because my CD57 plunged from 86 to 35 and I needed to know if increasing mold in the house from water incidences was why I was getting worse, or if my body was just getting worse.
I am posting the information GP includes on these mycotoxins, because they identify some key medical points that everyone should consider even if they don’t think they have mold.
From GP (with my emphasis in bold):
Ochratoxin: Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a
nephrotoxic, immunotoxic, and carcinogenic mycotoxin. This chemical is produced by molds in the Aspergillus and Penicillium families.
Exposure is done primarily through water damaged buildings. Minimal exposure can occur through contaminated foods such as cereals, grape juices, dairy, spices, wine, dried vine fruit, and coffee. Exposure to OTA can also come from inhalation exposure in water-damaged buildings.
OTA can lead to kidney disease and adverse neurological effects. Studies have shown that OTA can lead to significant oxidative damage to multiple brain regions and is highly nephrotoxic. Dopamine levels in the brain of mice have been shown to be decreased after exposure to OTA. Some studies have hypothesized that OTA may contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Treatment should be aimed at removing the source of exposure. Agents such as oral cholestyramine, charcoal, and phenylalanine can help prevent the absorption of these toxins from food. Antioxidants such as vitamins A, E, C, NAC, rosmarinic acid, and liposomal glutathione alone or in combination have been shown to mitigate the oxidative effects of the toxin. Bentonite or zeolite clay is reported to reduce the absorption of multiple mycotoxins found in food, including OTA. Studies have also shown that OTA is present in sweat, which supports the use of sauna as a treatment to increase the excretion of OTA. (PMID 17195275, 16621780, 16293235, 27521635, 22069626, 24792326, 22253638, 16140385, 2467220, 16844142, 19148691, 22069658, 16019795, 18286403, 15781206, 11439224, 17092826, 32710148)
Gliotoxin:Gliotoxin (GTX) is produced by the mold genus Aspergillus. Aspergillus spreads in the environment by releasing conidia which are capable of infiltrating the small alveolar airways of individuals.
In order to evade the body’s defenses Aspergillus releases Gliotoxin to inhibit the immune system. One of the targets of Gliotoxin is PtdIns (3,4,5) P3. This results in the downregulation of phagocytic immune defense, which can lead to the exacerbation of polymicrobial infections. Gliotoxin impairs the activation of T-cells and induces apoptosis in monocytes and in monocyte-derived dendritic cells. These impairments can lead to multiple neurological syndromes. (PMID: 16712786, 27048806, 21575912, 23278106)
Zearalenone:Zearalenone (ZEA) is mycotoxin that is produced by the mold species Fusarium, and has been shown to be
hepatotoxic, haematotoxic, immunotoxic, and genotoxic. ZEA exposure is mostly through water damaged buildings, although ZEA is commonly found on several foods in the US, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The foods known to be contaminated with ZEA include wheat, barley, rice, and maize.
ZEA has estrogenic activity and exposure to ZEA can lead to reproductive changes. ZEA estrogenic activity is higher than that of other non-steroidal isoflavones (compounds that have estrogen-like effects) such as soy and clover. ZEA exposure can result in thymus atrophy and alter spleen lymphocyte production, as well as impaired lymphocyte immune response, which leads to patients being susceptible to disease. ZEA is deactivated primarily through glucuronidation; individuals with impairments to this pathway will be much more susceptible to this compound even at very low levels. Treatment with the antioxidants lyc
opene and resveratrol has been beneficial in negating the harmful effects of ZEA in several studies. Bentonite or zeolite clay is reported to reduce the absorption of multiple mycotoxins, including ZEA. (PMID: 17045381, 19330061, 11384734, 1387742, 698923, 1599403, 2276698, 22645433, 24632555, 6239410, 6235161, 24503513, 25682699, 27489133, 15781206, 11439224, 17092826, 16095665, 16782537, 17561436, 11245394)
If you read through this and ponder on the information above, you can see why mold matters so much in regards to Lyme/coinfections and how they go hand in hand. Immune suppression, glutathione reduction, dopamine reduction, estrogenic imbalance, and more.
I’m no scientist, but if I am understanding this correctly, CD57 has to do with T cells and gliotoxin, in particular, impairs T cells. Maybe mycotoxins are the reason some folks’ CD57 doesn’t improve much. Maybe mycotoxins, as much or more than Lyme, reduce CD57 levels.
Post Edited (WalkingbyFaith) : 7/15/2019 7:55:09 AM (GMT-6)