Review of Mold Toxin Binders

This article will briefly review various types of available binders for mold toxins including pharmaceuticals and supplements.

Be informed these binders work to bind mold toxins in bile acid in effort to eliminate them through the digestive tract. They are part of the clean up process that must happen with mold toxicity before targeting mold with anti-fungals.

With any treatment that involves binding mold toxins the elimination and detoxification pathways should be assessed and properly supported. Mold toxins can become trapped and reabsorbed by the body if these are not functioning properly.

Elimination pathways including the skin, kidney and digestive tract.

“If you’re not fully evacuating your bowels, regardless of mold, you’re not fully detoxifying your body”

Detoxification pathways include the liver (Phase 1 and phase 2 detox) and gallbladder, etc. One of the most important detoxification agents is glutathione.

PRESCRIPTION BINDERS:

Cholestyramine (CSM) and colesevelam are prescription medications and are the most effective binders for mold toxins. These medications bind to bile in your digestive tract. Bile can carry mycotoxins such as like ochratoxin A (OTA), a toxin made by Aspergillus and Penicillium molds commonly found in water-damaged buildings. When bile is bound and removed through stool, the body pulls more cholesterol and toxins (like OTA) out of storage to make new bile. This helps remove toxins out of your body. Cholestyramine binds almost all mold toxins effectively. It also binds nutrients so it should be taken away from meals, supplements, medications.

NON-PRESCRIPTION BINDERS:

Activated charcoal is an effective binder and works similarly to cholesytramine via binding mold toxins in bile acids. Although, charcoal’s ability to bind mold toxins is less than cholestyramine it can be useful. Research has shown that charcoal products is beneficial in binding various types of mold toxins including OTA and Trichothecenes. Like cholestyramine it can bind nutrients and should be taken away from meals, supplements, medications.

Bentonite clay and zeolite clay are also effective binders. They work similarly to the binders listed above by binding mold toxins in bile acid. Though these have less research showing their binding ability, they have binding activity to OTA, Zearalenone and gliotoxin.

Chlorella is a plant based binding agent that can bind mold toxins. It is a general binder and can specifically bind Aflatoxin B1. Due to its safety profile and low binding ability of nutrients it is a great option for all populations.

Probiotics such as L. pentosus, L. brevis, L.plantarum and others also bind mold toxins. L. Plantarum C88 binds sterigmatocystin and aflatoxins, especially B1.

Strains of saccharomyces also work well to bind mold toxins. S. cerevisiae has been shown to bind aflatoxins, OTA and zearalenone. S. boulardii can be used to bind gliotoxin and has also been shown to bind Aspergillus and Fusarium molds in the GI tract.