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Full Recovery of 27 Severe Mycotoxicosis Patients (O2 / FIR / Sups / Antifungal / AIET) + POLL

Have you benefited from a comprehensive mycotoxin protocol? (FIR sauna / O2 or HBOT / Binders)

  • I have tested positive for mycotoxins and have benefitted from a mycotoxin protocol

    Votes: 2 11.8%
  • I have tested positive for mycotoxins and did not benefit from a mycotoxin protocol

    Votes: 3 17.6%
  • I have not tested for mycotoxins but did benefit from a mycotoxin protocol

    Votes: 2 11.8%
  • I have not tested for mycotoxins and did not benefit from a mycotoxin protocol

    Votes: 2 11.8%
  • I have not tried a mycotoxin protocol

    Votes: 8 47.1%

  • Total voters
    17

Jesse2233

Senior Member
Messages
1,942
Location
Southern California
Interesting study in "Toxicology and Industrial Health" from 2009. The study is unique in that a comprehensive protocol was used instead of just one intervention. This of course makes it hard to tease out key variables, but does show the potential benefit of a comprehensive approach.

The patients were defined as having mycotoxicosis but many ME / CFS / CIRS / Lyme / POTS patients have an underlying mycotoxin exposure as a driving cause of their symptoms. The patients in this study were greatly incapacitated and would likely qualify for a CFS diagnosis. 27 out of 28 were able to return to work after receiving treatment.

Protocol:
  • 2 hrs daily supplemental oxygen
  • 30 minute sauna, gentle exercise, deep massage
  • Anti-fungals (Diflucan / Nystatin)
  • Various vitamin / mineral supplementation
  • Organic rotational diet / pure water
  • Immunotherapy resembling AIET
Mycotoxins found in the patients included: Tricothecene, Ochratoxin, and Aflatoxin.

These are now commercially testable via Great Plains MycoTox panel. I myself tested positive for Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxin M1

Note: I've included a poll below to see if anyone here has experienced benefit from a similar protocol. I don't expect many to have tried AIET but there are likely many people who have used some combination of the other treatments. If you respond to the poll, please list your specific protocol and results in a reply.

I've excluded the Shoemaker protocol from this poll as to not add any more confounding variables, but if you've had success with it please comment as well.

Study abstract and link:

Abstract Twenty-eight incapacitated individuals (average 43 years old, 7 males, 21 females, range 12-70) exposed to molds and mycotoxins were studied and treated with a protocol of cleaning up or changing their environment to be mold free. Injections of the optimum dose of antigens were given as part of the treatment protocol as was oral and intravenous (i.v.) antioxidants; heat depuration (sauna); physical therapy with massage and exercise under environmentally controlled conditions; oxygen therapy at 4-8 L/min for 2 hours with a special woodgrade cellophane reservoir and a glass oxygen container. Many patients were sensitive to plastics; therefore, exposures to these were kept to a minimum. Autogenous lymphocytic factor was given as an immune modulator. Of 28 patients, 27 did well and returned to work. One patient improved but did not return to work during the period of study

http://cyber.sci-hub.hk/MTAuMTE3Ny8wNzQ4MjMzNzA5MzQ4Mjgx/rea2009.pdf

More details on the protocol:

Total body load (Rea, 1997a,b,c) was reduced by having the patients drink less polluted glass bottled spring water and eat organic food with a rotary diet so that the patient would not eat the same food more than once in 4 days. The patients would avoid any food to which they were sensitive.

The patients had to move out of the contaminated building where they lived or worked until it was deemed acceptable to them. The intradermal provocation-neutralization technique (Lee et al., 1969; Rinkel, 1949) was used to test and treat the offending molds and mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxins, and tricothecenes).

After an appropriate starting dose was found, treatment injections were given subcutaneously every 4 days. Nutritional supplementation (Rea, 1997a,b,c) was given orally consisting of vitamin C, 6000 mgm daily; B1,2,3,5,6 100 mgm daily; B12 1000 mcg two times per week, and folic acid 1 mgm two times per week. Vitamin D3 400-1200 units per day, natural vitamin E 400- 1200 IU daily and vitamin A 5000 units daily.

Minerals were given daily, including calcium citrate 1000 mgm; magnesium citrate and aspartrate 500 mgm; zinc picolinate or orotate 300 mgm; potassium citrate and aspartate 99 mgm; magnesium gluconate 10 mgm; copper gluconate 2 mgm; selenium methionine 200 mg; chromium 200 mgm; and molybdenum 200 mgm. Essential and semi-essential amino acids (600- 2000 mgm) were given daily including L-tryptophan, lysine, leucine, isoleucine, cysteine, valine, threonine, methionine, arginine, and glutathione. Lipids as a source of omega 3 and 6 EPA plus DHA were also given daily. Either three capsules or three teaspoonfuls were used. Salmon oil, cod oil, flax oil, primrose, borages, or black current oil was administered.

Heat depuration was preferred in environmentally controlled saunas either conventional or infrared, whichever the patient could tolerate. Sweating of 20-30 min was allowed; and 20-30 min on an exercycle was followed by 20 min of deep massage – all performed under environmentally controlled conditions (Rea, 1997a,b,c).

All patients had an immune modulator (0.10 of the 1/ 10 dilution of concentrate) made of 30 culture generations of T-lymphocytes and processed according to the method of Griffiths. Each patient had this autogenous lymphocytic factor given every 4 days.

All patients received one course of an anti-fungal drug of either Diflucan 1 tablet (100 mg.) per day for 2 weeks or Nystatin 250,000 units every day for 1 month.

All patients had oxygen therapy using a glass water reservoir, milk-grade tygon tubing, and a woodderived cellophane reservoir 2 hours per day at 6-8 L (von Ardenne, 1990). For 18 days Wood-derived cellophane was used because patients could not tolerate synthetic petrochemicals in other plastics.

And information on their recovery:

All 28 patients (7 males, 21 females, ages 12-70 years, average age 43 years) completed the study. Ninetyfive percent of the patients improved with treatment being able to return to normal function. In all, 24% patients had elevated tricothecene mycotoxins; 80% returned to non-detectable at the end of the study; 6 had elevated aflatoxin and 100% became nondetectable; and 2 had increased ochratoxins and both returned to normal
 
Last edited:

Jesse2233

Senior Member
Messages
1,942
Location
Southern California
Dr William J. Rea, M.D at the Dallas Environmental Health Center lead the study.

Some background on him:
William J. Rea, M.D., is a thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon with a strong passion for the environmental aspects of health and disease. Founder of the Environmental Health Center (EHC-D), Dr. Rea is currently director of this highly specialized Dallas based medical facility.

In 1988, Dr. Rea was named to the world’s first professorial chair of environmental medicine at the Robens Institute of Toxicology at the University of Surrey in Guildford, England. He was also awarded the Jonathan Forman Gold Medal Award in 1987 and the Herbert J. Rinkel Award in 1993, both by the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, as well as named Outstanding Alumnus by Otterbein College in 1991. He was also named to the Mountain Valley Water Hall of Fame for work in the field of study of clean water and, in 1995, he received the F.A.M.E. Award for pioneering work in environmental and preventive medicine. In 1997 he was named International Man of the Year and in 2002 Dr. Rea received the O. Surgeon English Humanitarian Award from Temple University.

https://www.ehcd.com/about-our-professionals/
 

Jesse2233

Senior Member
Messages
1,942
Location
Southern California
Some interesting patient testimonials on Yelp from the Dallas Environmental Health Center who likely used a protocol approximating the one in this study:

I am a physician and I came 1000 miles to be under the care of Dr. Rea. There are patients, including several physicians, here from all over the country and even from several other countries, because Dr. Rea is the authority on environmental illness. I have enormous respect for him and appreciate his treatment very much.

His clinic is staffed with many excellent people in various capacities. Except on rare occasions when another physician is covering on a weekend or holiday, Dr. Rea sees every patient himself.

....

10 Stars+ This Center deals with the toughest cases & Dr. Rea is an incredible, gifted Healer!! :) He brought me back to life after a bad reaction to a toxic office renovation. Now I have been in fine health ever since he treated me for several months (2010-2011). I cannot say enough good things about his skill, intelligence, bedside manner, & decades of vast experience- which shows!! That said, patients must follow his advice with a great degree of discipline. And it is good to consult with his nutritionist at the Center. You cannot cut corners.
Good luck!!- :)

.....

I have been a patient at the EHC for over 3 years and have gone from being completely unable to function normally because of allergies, environmental & chemical sensitivities, hormonal imbalances, and neurological toxicity to being 100% 'normal' and extremely fit and healthy. I cannot express how grateful I am that this healing place exists - they do not treat symptoms like the traditional medical world, but instead they find the root cause of your symptoms and heal you from the root cause. The knowledge and holistic view of the body and its environment that Dr. Rea and his staff have is unmatched in the world. That is why you will see people from every continent at the clinic. It is without a doubt the best place to heal anywhere.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/environmental-health-center-dallas-dallas
 

perrier

Senior Member
Messages
1,254
Some interesting patient testimonials on Yelp from the Dallas Environmental Health Center who likely used a protocol approximating the one in this study:
Jesse,
I looked at their programme, and it looks very interesting, and I would think it could benefit someone who is still mobile, and can look after himself. But for someone who is bed bound, I find the programme very demanding. But I don't know if it can address the real cause of this illness, this living death as I am not going to be calling it.
 

Jesse2233

Senior Member
Messages
1,942
Location
Southern California
Jesse,
I looked at their programme, and it looks very interesting, and I would think it could benefit someone who is still mobile, and can look after himself. But for someone who is bed bound, I find the programme very demanding. But I don't know if it can address the real cause of this illness, this living death as I am not going to be calling it.

Yes I imagine results are quite variable based on patient profile and severity.

Nonetheless even a bedbound patient might try the non-mobile elements (eg AIET, antifungals, O2)
 

dreampop

Senior Member
Messages
296
The study looks pretty bad, in fact in looks awful. Uneliable patient recruitment (enviornmental health center), dubious diagnostics, random assortment of treatments (40% changed houses I guess). No controls. 100% response rate. Bad Journal. Poorly cited, almost entirely self cited tbh.

The mold/mycotoxin area is especially grey, and in grey areas a lot of dubious medicine thrives.
 

Jesse2233

Senior Member
Messages
1,942
Location
Southern California
Fair points @dreampop

Even if the study is flawed it’s still suggestive of potential benefit. And there are studies showing benefit of the individual treatments used (eg FIR, HBOT, binders, AEIT) as well as clinical experience and anecdotal patient reports
 
Messages
90
I am on a CIRS protocol (based on Shoemaker).

Cholestyramine is the only Western medicine I tolerate in protocol. The benefits include now passing VCS (Visual contrast test) and strangely loss of tummy bloat. Perhaps CSM was binding endotoxins other than mold or I had intestinal mold. I am reducing my dose now and see what happens. (Note that I had done a year gut protocol specifically for the gut that had done nothing for the gut bloat).

Also my serum iron is improving from 50 to 82 (when I was well it was 105). And TSH (which has been slightly suppressed since I first started testing at 40) seems to be working again - I had a TSH of 2.2 when slightly underdosed on thyroid medication.

Aside from this protocol, I do believe the FIR sauna and liposomal glutathione helps remove mold via urine. I tried this pre protocol. But as HLA 4-3-53 I knew I would need help with biotoxin excretion, and thus the CIRS protocol.
 

ScottTriGuy

Stop the harm. Start the research and treatment.
Messages
1,402
Location
Toronto, Canada
Mycotoxins found in the patients included: Tricothecene, Ochratoxin, and Aflatoxin.

These are now commercially testable via Great Plains MycoTox panel. I myself tested positive for Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxin M1

I received my Great Plains Laboratory results of their mycotox testing.

Positive for:

Ochratoxin A (2.01) (range: 1.2 - 5)
Sterigmatocystin (.339) (range: .1 - 2.25)
Zearalenone (1.71) (range: .5 - 2)

Not sure how to proceed. Last fall I moved out of my house for 10 weeks and took chlorophyll and activated charcoal and noticed no effect on my health. My wallet took a hit subletting a condo.

If the mold in my house is causing my ME, then would I have had 2 complete recoveries? (By complete I mean full on triathlon training and racing with zero symptoms.)

I've lived here for 20 years, my first bout of (mild) ME in 2012. But now I've been sick since since Dec 2014 with more and worse symptoms.
 

Learner1

Senior Member
Messages
6,305
Location
Pacific Northwest
A couple of weeks ago, I heard a lecture on mycotoxins from a scientist at Great Plains Labs. Copying from my notes here:

Mycotoxins - autoimmune, low white counts, brain dysfunction, CFS, fibromyalgia, chronic sinusitis

Tartaric acid from mycotoxins creates mitochondrial stress

Get methylation working, get gall bladder working with bitters, then gradually build up binders. Treatments include:

Vitamin C
Sauna
Glutathione
Cholestyramine - 4g 2x daily with food for ochratoxin, zearlenone
Carrots, parsnips, celery, parsley - chloraphylline- reduce liver DNA adducts
Activated charcoal
Bentonite clays (make sure they're w/o metals!)
Novasil clay

Treat if you know what it is. It's a long term project

Download Neil Nathan's excellent ebook on mycotoxins - best way to know which binder works for which mycotoxin


Bitters 9 by Christopher Shade
Spray bitters, then take binder 30 min later
Antifungal in neti pot 100mg atroconazole broken in half plus baraca salt, plus locsaspers, more cost effective

Cholestyramine - makes gut problems worse

Ultra Binder - Quicksilver - binds everything
 

bjl218

Senior Member
Messages
145
Location
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
I am on a CIRS protocol (based on Shoemaker).

Cholestyramine is the only Western medicine I tolerate in protocol. The benefits include now passing VCS (Visual contrast test) and strangely loss of tummy bloat. Perhaps CSM was binding endotoxins other than mold or I had intestinal mold. I am reducing my dose now and see what happens. (Note that I had done a year gut protocol specifically for the gut that had done nothing for the gut bloat).

Also my serum iron is improving from 50 to 82 (when I was well it was 105). And TSH (which has been slightly suppressed since I first started testing at 40) seems to be working again - I had a TSH of 2.2 when slightly underdosed on thyroid medication.

Aside from this protocol, I do believe the FIR sauna and liposomal glutathione helps remove mold via urine. I tried this pre protocol. But as HLA 4-3-53 I knew I would need help with biotoxin excretion, and thus the CIRS protocol.

@Nine lives, did you also remove yourself from a known moldy environment?
 

bjl218

Senior Member
Messages
145
Location
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
A couple of weeks ago, I heard a lecture on mycotoxins from a scientist at Great Plains Labs. Copying from my notes here:
Be careful with the cholestyramine (CSM). I've been on CSM for a while without much improvement. This may be because I'm still being exposed to mold. (I've moved out of my home for 2 months to see what happens, but there could always be other sources of mold in my life.) I'm seeing a Shoemaker practitioner for this. She's not a functional doc or naturopath so didn't check other things like heavy metals and nutritional status.

I've since learned that I'm very low in just about every B vitamin (NutrEval). There are many possible reasons for this of course, but I wonder if one of them is that the CSM was binding to various nutrients. I'm now seeing a functional medicine doc (who discovered this) and I've reduced the CSM to 2x/day and I'm supplementing B vitamins and other nutrients.
 
Messages
90
@Nine lives, did you also remove yourself from a known moldy environment?


Yes- I did ERMI for my new house and levels came back in lowest 25%ile of homes. I had to show this to my mold doctor before he would prescribe the cholestyramine.

I am pretty sure my mold hit came from a temporary apartment that I lived in for only 3 months.
 
Messages
90
Be careful with the cholestyramine (CSM). I've been on CSM for a while without much improvement. This may be because I'm still being exposed to mold. (I've moved out of my home for 2 months to see what happens, but there could always be other sources of mold in my life.) I'm seeing a Shoemaker practitioner for this. She's not a functional doc or naturopath so didn't check other things like heavy metals and nutritional status.

I've since learned that I'm very low in just about every B vitamin (NutrEval). There are many possible reasons for this of course, but I wonder if one of them is that the CSM was binding to various nutrients. I'm now seeing a functional medicine doc (who discovered this) and I've reduced the CSM to 2x/day and I'm supplementing B vitamins and other nutrients.


I did 3 months at 3x a day and have dropped down to 1 or 2x a day. I wonder also whether dropping cholesterol too low is a good thing. Thanks for the heads up on the B vitamins. Was that all Bs or any in particular?
 

bjl218

Senior Member
Messages
145
Location
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
In my case, it was all B vitamins. But to be clear, I can't prove that it was the CSM that caused this. I hadn't been eating very well for a while so that is certainly a contributor. On the other hand, my NutrEval test specifically mentions CSM as being a cause of low folic acid (B9) and B12. These two and B2 are my most deficient according to the NutrEval. I did nothing to supplement those vitamins while on CSM. I'm trying to correct that now.

I did 3 months at 3x a day and have dropped down to 1 or 2x a day. I wonder also whether dropping cholesterol too low is a good thing. Thanks for the heads up on the B vitamins. Was that all Bs or any in particular?
 

bjl218

Senior Member
Messages
145
Location
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Are those actually positive values? Probably everyone will have some amount of mold toxins. There's mold everywhere in our environment. The values you reported look like they're in the "normal" range according to this lab. I would think that if your numbers were outside this range, it would then be considered "positive." In fact, all of those numbers (except for Zearalenone) are towards the lower end of the range.

I received my Great Plains Laboratory results of their mycotox testing.

Positive for:

Ochratoxin A (2.01) (range: 1.2 - 5)
Sterigmatocystin (.339) (range: .1 - 2.25)
Zearalenone (1.71) (range: .5 - 2)

Not sure how to proceed. Last fall I moved out of my house for 10 weeks and took chlorophyll and activated charcoal and noticed no effect on my health. My wallet took a hit subletting a condo.

If the mold in my house is causing my ME, then would I have had 2 complete recoveries? (By complete I mean full on triathlon training and racing with zero symptoms.)

I've lived here for 20 years, my first bout of (mild) ME in 2012. But now I've been sick since since Dec 2014 with more and worse symptoms.
 

ScottTriGuy

Stop the harm. Start the research and treatment.
Messages
1,402
Location
Toronto, Canada
The report titles those ranges: "Common range of positive results" (vs 'common range of normal results')

So I interpret that to mean that for those 3 I am 'positive'.

I scored "0" on the other tests, so they were not even detectable.

Does that make sense?