How to Protect your Health from Mold and Mycotoxins Part IV: Athlete’s Edition
Top 18 Ways Mold Exposure Can Ruin Your Athletic Performance
Read time: 6-7 minutes
At a Glance:
● When it comes to external factors that negatively impact athletic performance, mold and mycotoxins are rarely thought of. Yet more and more athletes are learning about these hidden harms and trying to keep themselves safe
● Athletes can be exposed to mold in several unique ways compared to the general population
● Due to certain lifestyle and environmental factors, athletes may actually be more susceptible to the ravages of mold toxicity
● Check out all of the ways Dr. Steph recommends athletes keep themselves safe and at peak performance below
● Want to see all of Dr. Steph’s tips, tools, and recommendations for combatting mold and mycotoxins? Check our Part III.
● Are you an athlete with suspected mold exposure? Don’t let your performance suffer any longer. Contact Vagus Clinic here, call or text at (416) 649-6489, or click here to schedule your free 20-minute discovery call.
How do mold and mycotoxins affect athletic performance?
The effects of mold and mycotoxins are slowly being brought to light in the athletic community. Because these toxins have the capacity to negatively affect all organs, systems, and structures of the body, the impact on athletes is far-reaching:
1. Muscle aches and joint stiffness – due to mitochondrial damage, inhibited protein synthesis, poor lymphatic flow and blood circulation. Muscles feel “heavy”
2. Respiratory problems like asthma – due to mold’s inflammatory, allergenic effect on the airways
3. Shortness of breath – caused by damage of delicate structures in the lungs, impaired red blood cell function by some mycotoxins
4. Crushing fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest – due to mitochondrial damage, tissue hypoxia and toxicity, and sleep disturbances
5. Exercise intolerance – due likely to chronic inflammatory response, low tissue oxygen, and postural blood pressure variances due to autonomic nervous system damage
6. Unrelenting allergy symptoms – due to immune and inflammatory responses initiated by mold
7. Increased recovery time – poor circulation, lack of nutrients, and impaired protein synthesis slows muscle repair
8. Lowered cardiovascular output – damage to the heart and blood vessels by inflammatory mold and mycotoxins
9. Malabsorption of nutrients – due to negative effect on the microbiome, digestive organs, and gut lining causing. Inflammation from mold causes food intolerances, reduced absorption of nutrients, fatigue, impaired detoxification, and poor immunity
10. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance – due to negative effects on the kidneys and adrenals. Mold toxins can cause low blood pressure and dizziness
11. Stubborn weight gain – generally due to inflammation and cortisol levels
12. Impairment of the mitochondria (energy, immunity) – mold toxins disrupt mitochondrial membranes and thus energy production, decrease ATP production capacity, and depletes important antioxidants for mitochondrial function
13. Brain fog, lack of focus or motivation – due to mold’s neurotoxic, brain-inflaming effects
14. Depression, anxiety, hopelessness – due to mold’s neurotoxic, brain-inflaming effects
15. Neuropathy in the extremities – due to mold toxins and inflammation damaging the nerves
16. Progressively worsening vision – due to mold damaging the optic nerve
17. Sleep disturbances – due to HPA dysregulation and faulty cortisol/melatonin levels
18. Digestive problems like constipation or diarrhea – due to negative effect on the microbiome, digestive organs, and the gut lining–not what you need during a competition!
These issues make it difficult to function on a day-to-day basis. When you add in intense training and lack of nutrient intake to prevent depletion, it creates perfect conditions for mold and mycotoxins to cause symptoms in athletes.
Why might athletes be at higher risk for mold toxicity?
Certain factors may predispose athletes to a higher risk of experiencing symptoms from mold exposure:
● Lifestyle factors – play a major role in experiencing symptoms of mold toxicity. Many athletes have bad habits like staying up late being, eating poorly on the road, exposure to blue light at night during evening competitions or training (throws off cortisol/melatonin cycle), promiscuity, competition anxiety, etc. that add unneeded stress to the body.
● Stress from overtraining – can deplete essential nutrients needed for liver and kidney function, as well as detoxification. The oxidative stress caused by overtraining together with oxidative stress caused by mold and mycotoxins can tax the antioxidant system and lead to symptoms.
● Nutritional status – for many athletes is not adequate. Some pay attention to their diet and make sure to intake extra nutrients to offset depletion due to training. However, athletes in general do not have time to prioritize cooking healthy-balanced meals are often encouraged to carb load on processed mold-and-mycotoxin-laden foods or consume unhealthy snacks for “quick energy” at sporting events.
Environmental exposures of mold and mycotoxins are also common among both budding and professional athletes:
● Training facilities – common areas of mold growth include gyms, locker rooms, under foam mats, pools, hockey rinks, steam rooms, high school and college gymnasiums. Many of these areas have high humidity, moisture, temperatures, poor ventilation, and generally inadequate deep cleaning.
● Frequent travel – can cause significant stress to the body, sleep disruptions, and in many cases, mold exposure from poorly maintained hotels. This additional stress is not helpful for nutritional status, immune function, detox capacity, or athletic performance.
● Contaminated, improperly cleaned or maintained equipment/gear – is a very common source of mold exposure for athletes. Make sure to air out those sweaty pads–seriously. Other common types of gear and equipment that experience mold include baseball gloves, shin guards, uniforms, socks, football and hockey pads, swimsuits, skates, cleats, (boxing) gloves, helmets, yoga mats, sweaty towels, tennis balls, gym bags, wrestling gear, and artificial turf. Skin problems can occur as a result of wearing athletic gear that has contact with the skin for long periods of time, as mold and mycotoxins can cause irritation.
How to prevent mold and mycotoxins from hurting your athletic performance?
In addition to all of the suggestions for supplements, therapies, and tools in Part III of this series, there are certain things that athletes in specific can do to help combat mold toxicity and get back to peak performance.
Cryotherapy – uses brief exposure to cold temperatures in order to stimulate blood and lymphatic fluid circulation, and to bring much-needed nutrients and oxygen to tissues and muscles through increased post-therapy blood flow. Cold water immersion or professional cryotherapy booths are the most common options
Infrared sauna – penetrates deeply into the tissues using waves that generate heat and increase circulation. This helps increase flow of blood and lymph, brings nutrients to the site of repair, lowers inflammation, and helps remove toxins from the tissues. An added benefit is that toxins can be excreted directly through your sweat, taking some of the burden off your liver and kidneys. Remember your binders and electrolytes! We trust Therasage portable sauna. Find them here and use code VAGUSCLINIC for a discount.
Red light therapy – functions by increasing circulation, stimulating cellular regeneration, helping with soft tissue recovery, and decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress in muscles. RLT also increases muscle mass gained post-training–a win-win for hardworking athletes! The Flexbeam by ReCharge Health is a great product and it’s portable! Find them here (no code needed for a discount, just click the link)
Compression boots – increase blood circulation and lymphatic flow by manually compressing the tissues, this helps with tissue repair, oxygenation, bringing nutrients to the site of repair, reducing inflammation, and increasing detox capacity. Lymphatic and blood flow is weaker in the lower extremities, so this therapy can be very effective.
Sensory deprivation float tank – can be beneficial to the nervous system (and overstimulated adrenal glands), as 90% of the energy that is normally being used by the nervous system to guide our senses and maintain balance in gravity is freed up to repair the tissues and organs. Magnesium is used as the float solution, which has anti-inflammatory and calming effects. This is great for the body, but also for the mind to help reduce emotional symptoms of mold like anxiety and inner tension.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber (HBOT) – increases tissue oxygenation of oxygen “starved” tissues for repair, as well as white blood cell counts, and enhances immune response. HBOT accelerates the recovery of soft tissue by promoting fibroblast and collagen activity, as well as reducing local hypoxia, inflammation, swelling, and edema. HBOT may reportedly inhibit the growth and proliferation of internally colonizing Aspergillus mold [1]
Yoga, Tai Chi, and gentle forms of exercise – increase blood and lymph flow, yet don’t stress the adrenals and nervous system, which can be beneficial to healing without depleting the body further. Athletes experience the benefits of increased circulation and detox through sweating due to exercise. However, this can be overly depleting.
Guasha tools – are helpful for manually increasing circulation and bringing toxins out of the cell to be excreted out of the body by “scraping” the skin with the hard, flat tools. This can be done at home or by a massage/physical therapist.
Vibration plate or Rebounder trampoline – are beneficial for greatly boosting lymphatic flow, as mold and mycotoxins cause stagnation and toxicity of the lymphatic fluid. Trampolines increase lymph flow due to low levels of “G-force” that force the lymph upward. Vibration plates are great for those who are injured or for gentle recovery.
Checking training facilities – by paying attention to smells, humidity, temperature, leaks or water spots, symptoms you or other athletes are experiencing, and obviously, visible mold growth. Check the commonly moldy areas that athletes encounter listed above. If you see, smell or suspect something, say something! In Part II we discussed where to look for mold and what exactly to look out for, such as peeling wallpaper or discoloration and soft spots in floors or ceilings.
Maintaining your athletic gear properly – is one of the most important tips, as this is a frequent source of exposure for athletes. Use baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, HOCl, or other antimicrobial substances to thoroughly disinfect gear. Leave it in a well-ventilated area to dry out and use fans if needed. Anything that can go in the washer and dryer should be thoroughly cleaned and dried before putting away. Scrub the surfaces of your equipment and make sure it dries out completely, especially fabrics and foams. If you own a training facility or gym, pay attention to your building to prevent your clients from getting ill.
Conclusion
As an athlete, it is important for you to continually perform at your peak. Factors like mold and mycotoxins may be secretly wrecking your performance–and your health. Now is the time to address these issues if you suspect mold exposure. Use the tips provided in this 4-part series to take control of your environment and regain your vitality. If you would like professional guidance, our team at Vagus Clinic is here to help you take your health and peak performance back. Contact us here, call or text at (416) 649-6489, or click here to schedule your free 20-minute discovery call.
As we believe in full transparency with our community, it’s important we disclose that we may receive commissions when you make a purchase using links from our content. Vagus Clinic carefully curates all affiliate partnerships to ensure they are trusted and bring maximum value to our community.
As we believe in full transparency with our community, it’s important we disclose that we may receive commissions when you make a purchase using links from our content. Vagus Clinic carefully curates all affiliate partnerships to ensure they are trusted and bring maximum value to our community.