Which Mold is the Most Dangerous?

If you are asking the question, " what mold is the most dangerous?", it is a very difficult question to answer, and I will explain why. Despite the common misconception that black mold or Stachybotrys is the most dangerous, the truth is that the danger of mold is related to mold's secondary metabolite production, what we commonly call a mycotoxin. A mycotoxin is a toxic substance produced by certain fungi, that can contaminate food, the building in which one lives, and the building in which one works. Mycotoxins can cause a wide range of health problems, from cancer to immune system damage. They are found in many different types of food, including grains, cereals, nuts, and fruits. They can also be found in the air and in the home. For a mycotoxin producing mold to produce a toxin, the mold needs to be in a state of growth, not sporing and not dormant. This is an important concept for us to understand. During the growth stage, the mold is 'eating'. This is achieved when the mold releases and produces enzymes to break down the substrate or food source in which it is consuming, and the mold releases its waste, i.e. mycotoxins. This is a very simple summary. However, for this article, it is very important.

Some molds like stachybotrys produce some really nasty mycotoxins such as satratoxin, which has been the subject of many research papers. However, what has not been as widely discussed is which food source is producing the more dangerous toxin. And there lies the issue, neither the scientific community nor us in the mold industry can identify exactly which mold is producing which toxin on which food source. Just like our digestive system, the mold is also subject to variations caused by the food it consumes. As a matter of fact, two stachybotrys colonies have been shown to produce 2 distinctly different toxins when feeding on different food sources.

Another reason that the question of which mold is the most dangerous is often misunderstood is that when dealing with mycotoxins, the traditional method of testing is only able to test for what is alive and what is dead and is capable of identifying the genus and species of what is observed in a spore trap or other testing cassette. Since mycotoxins are not a living cell or spore. Therefore "killing" a mycotoxin is not possible. They are not alive. However, eliminating the mold that produces the mycotoxin is the simplest and most effective way of eliminating the mycotoxin. As an analogy, if you have a gas leak in your house, you can go around measuring and testing for gas, and trying to contain and remove the gas, however the most effective method of eliminating the gas is to simply fix the leak. Same goes for mycotoxins. The existing toxin will oxidize, and will naturally break down, and with some well documented detox practices and products (I will leave that to the health care professionals) you and your home will be free of the toxin and the mold, as long as the mold source that produced the toxin is also eliminated.

Back to our question. To oversimplify the answer to the question of what mold is the most dangerous, the answer is related to not just the mold but the mold feeding on a particular food source, emitting a particular toxin, inside a particular building, with a particular amount of ventilation, or lack thereof, and a particular amount of overall "mold load" in the home, and ultimately, a particular body that is being exposed.

In conclusion, and to re-emphasize, the "mold load" in the home needs to be addressed. The beauty of the Pure Maintenance VaPure treatment is that it addresses mold throughout the home, on every surface, in the air, embedded in clothing and soft furnishings. The Pure Maintenance licensee has access to an antimicrobial treatment that is by far superior to any other antimicrobial on the planet. The result is a Fresh Start to a Healthy Home.