Multiple Sclerosis: A Chronic Mycotoxicosis?

[Guest guest]

Here's an interesting theory, from Dr. Mercola's website. Makes a lot of

sense.

Charmoon

Multiple Sclerosis: A Chronic Mycotoxicosis?

by Holland, MD

(Dr. Dave Holland is the co-author, with Doug Kaufmann, of the new book,

" The Fungus Link, Volume 2. " Inside this follow-up to their book " The Fungus

Link, " you'll not only learn about the dangers of antibiotics. You'll also

learn about the ins and outs of natural and prescriptive antifungals.

Additionally, Doug and Dave share with you the role fungi and their

mycotoxins play in what are unfortunately everyday diseases such as

prostatitis, ear-nose-throat disorders, weight problems (including obesity

and anorexia), autoimmune diseases, hormonal disorders, neurologic diseases,

hair loss, and eye problems.

To order either of these books, call , M-F 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Central, or go to causesandcures.com.)

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, one of several non-profit

organizations dealing with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research funding and

patient assistance, raised almost $74 million dollars in the fiscal year

2001. It spent $64 million, of which $54.8 million went toward program

expenses, and $6.6 million was directed at fundraising efforts. Two million

goes toward administrative costs. The CEO alone makes over $300,000. (1)

Still, in the 57 years of the society¹s existence, no cause for MS has been

assigned. I use the word " assigned " and not " found, " because I believe a

cause has already been found. In our book, " The Fungus Link, Volume 2, " Doug

Kaufmann and I discuss the role of fungal toxins, called mycotoxins, in the

etiology of MS. The evidence brought forth by various scientists over the

years and compiled in a small section of this book is quite compelling. It

is so compelling that, at this point, I believe scientists will be forced

into a position of proving that mycotoxins are NOT the cause of MS, a task

at which, I believe, they shall not succeed.

MS is characterized by destruction of the protective sheath- called the

myelin sheath- around nerves in the brain and the spinal cord. As a result,

the transmission of nerve impulses to other nerves, muscles, and vital

organs is interrupted. This impaired nerve function translates into symptoms

such as difficulty in walking, abnormal, " pins and needles " sensations

throughout the body; pain and loss of vision due to inflammation of the

optic nerve, tremors, incoordination, paralysis, and impaired thinking and

memory (2). In addition, muscle wasting, bladder dysfunction, fatigue,

osteoporosis, and a host of other problems may develop either directly or

indirectly due to this nerve damage.

Although there is a genetic predisposition toward MS, as proven in studies

of twins, only a third of those that are genetically susceptible will get

MS, indicating there is still an outside factor involved (3). MS is more

common in those born and raised above the 37th parallel (a line extending

from Newport News, VA to Santa Cruz, CA); however, if a person moves to an

area of low risk (i.e. below the 40th parallel) prior to adolescence, they

assume the lower risk of their new location. These last points support the

idea of an environmental exposure link to the disease.

If outside causes are to blame, then Oppenheim, an early 1900¹s researcher,

was the closest in his assertion that MS is caused by an environmental

toxin. Other researchers of his day thought that there was a defect in the

blood vessels or in the glial tissues. Pierre Marie, in the late 1800¹s,

felt that MS was caused by an infectious agent. However, despite all of the

" infection " theories that have been tested over the past 150 plus years, not

one- whether bacteria, virus, Chlamydia or scrapie-like agent- has proven to

be the culprit.

So, let¹s apply what we already know about MS and see if we truly know the

cause of MS or not. Mycotoxins are chemicals made by fungi. They are found

in grains that have been contaminated with fungi and mold. Some mycotoxins

are used for medicinal purposes. Antibiotics, such as penicillin and the

cephalosporin drugs, are fungal metabolites- they are mycotoxins. Alcohol is

a mycotoxin. Aflatoxin, the most carcinogenic substance on earth, is a

mycotoxin. The most commonly contaminated crops are peanuts, corn, and

wheat.

Often, other foods such as barley, apples, sorghum and rye can be

contaminated as well. Some mycotoxins are produced in our body by the yeast

in our intestines or vaginal tract. In one study, 3 women severely

symptomatic for vaginal candidiasis were found to have vaginal fluid samples

with significant levels of a mycotoxin called gliotoxin (4). From our

environment, we can be exposed to mycotoxins through countless routes:

ingestion, inhalation, skin contact, etc. The question is, once inside the

body, can these mycotoxins damage nerves? Let¹s answer that question now.

We already know that, in MS, there is a loss of molecules called

sphingolipids from the white matter in the central nervous system (5). What

is not well known is the fact that mycotoxins can actually disrupt

sphingolipid biosynthesis (6). Specifically, gliotoxin, as we mentioned

above, on a slightly larger scale can induce nerve cell death (apoptosis).

Gliotoxin is a heat stable chemical made by Aspergillus, Candida, and other

species of fungi. (7). Not coincidentally, scientists have recovered a heat

stable toxin from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of MS patients. In this

particular study, they took the CSF from MS patients, heat-treated it to

destroy any infectious germs, and then exposed it to nerve cells in a

laboratory culture. What happened? The nerve cells died! They called this

heat-stable toxin " gliotoxin. "

The source of gliotoxin appears to be, again, primarily from the yeast and

fungi within the human body. As such, gliotoxin is less important as an

agricultural scourge than are other mycotoxins such as fumonisins, made by

Fusarium and Aspergillus fungi, and the penetrim D toxin made by Penicillium

crustosum. Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins that happen to be neurotoxic

as well as carcinogenic. They are " universally present in corn and

corn-based products. " (8). Penitrem mycotoxins are found in things such as

moldy apple products. Penetrem D can cause tremors, convulsions, limb

weakness, and ataxis (unsteady gait), " not unlike the symptoms observed in

MS. " (9).

As there are different classes of MS (chronic progressive,

relapsing-remitting, etc.) it may very well be that the different classes

are being caused by different classes of mycotoxins. In addition, the

regional differences in the prevalence of MS might be explained by the

particular agricultural products that dominate the most affected areas. For

example, the part of America that lies above the 37th parallel also happens

to encompass the cornbelt. Remember that corn is universally contaminated

with mycotoxins (7). This area is also represented by much of the wheat

belt. Is this just a coincidence, or good evidence of an environmental

exposure risk factor?

Let¹s talk about some of the latest treatments for MS. Dr. Mercola has

already stated in a previous article that most MS drugs are a waste of money

(10). The new buzz on the town, however, is that statin drugs

(cholesterol-lowering drugs) have proven effective in slowing the

progression of MS (11-13). Their effectiveness should not surprise us, in

light of the fungal/mycotoxin theory, when we also learn that statin drugs

are antifungal (14).

Dr. Mercola has also mentioned in previous articles that Vitamin D as well

as plain old sunlight can reduce mortality from and positively influence the

immune system in MS (15,16). Other researchers have explained that the

reason why these work is, once again, Vitamin D, whether taken in the form

of a cod liver oil supplement or made naturally by our body from sunlight

exposure, is anti-mycotoxin (14).

Finally, let¹s talk about diet again. Last year a German researcher claimed

that eating smoked sausage in childhood was responsible for causing multiple

sclerosis later in life. (16). Dr. A.V. Costantini, retired head of the

World Health Organization¹s collaborating center for mycotoxins in food,

helps us out here by explaining that smoked and aged meats are often

contaminated with mycotoxins (18). Thus the cause of MS, according to these

and other researchers, is right in our food.

In another of Dr. Mercola¹s articles, he talked about how starving mice with

an MS-like condition resulted in fewer symptoms and decreased progression of

the illness (19). Why does starvation work? In our humbled opinion, it could

be as simple as: the fewer foods taken in, the fewer mycotoxins that enter

the body. You see, if we are following the standard, food pyramid, grain

based American diet, we are consuming on average from 0.15 to 0.5mg of

aflatoxin per day (8). Aflatoxin is the only regulated mycotoxin in America,

so what level of exposure we have to the other, known mycotoxins in our diet

that we¹ve discussed is a guess, at best. So starvation diets not only

deprive us of calories. They also " deprive " us of disease-causing,

carcinogenic mycotoxins.

If indeed mycotoxins cause MS, then there are a number of steps one must

take to minimize exposure to fungi and their mycotoxins. We just finished

talking about diet. Since mycotoxins are commonly found in grain foods

(7,8), then it would be wise to minimize grains in our diet. Doug Kaufmann

outlines his Initial Phase diet in our book, The Fungus Link, Volume 2. As

well, Dr. Mercola has published his book, The No-Grain Diet, which offers

equally valuable information. Secondly, we should minimize our exposure to

antibiotics.

Antibiotics are, for the most part, derived from fungi and are therefore

classified as mycotoxins. If we¹ve taken lots of antibiotics in the past, we

should attempt to correct the damage done by these by taking a good

probiotic supplement. Lastly, if we have any obvious signs of fungal

infection in our body, and to us, simply having MS might qualify as an

obvious sign, it might behoove us to take natural or prescriptive

antifungals for a period of time. Remember that gliotoxin can be made by

fungi and yeast that are already in the body, not necessarily by fungi that

reside in contaminated foods.

Doug and I hope that we¹ve given you some insight to this " mysterious "

disease of MS. It seems, according to the research we¹ve pointed to, that

the cause for this disease is right before our eyes. Now, we just need to

apply this knowledge. Future research should be directed at treating the

disease as if it were caused by fungi and their devastating mycotoxins.