He Han-Yi, founder of the Taiwan Integrative Functional Medicine Education Center, spent her childhood in a bedroom plagued by chronic water leaks and relentless dampness. Mold spread across the walls and curtains, quietly affecting her health. From a young age, she struggled with asthma and sinusitis, and her symptoms worsened over time. By high school, insomnia, brain fog, and chronic pain had become part of her daily life. Moreover, during her university years, even mosquito bites triggered severe allergic reactions.

“It wasn’t until I entered the field of functional medicine that I realized these persistent health issues were linked to mold growing inside my body,” she told The Epoch Times. By making changes to her environment, adjusting her diet, and supporting detoxification, she gradually regained her health.

However, He’s story—where long-term exposure to damp, moldy environments leads to multiple health issues—is far from rare. A growing body of research indicates that toxic chemicals produced by mold are associated with a wide range of diseases.

How Mold Harms the Brain and Body

More than 500 mycotoxin types have been identified, including aflatoxins, ochratoxins, and many others that are associated with mold. Tzung-Hai Yen, director of the Clinical Poison Center at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, said in an interview with The Epoch Times that different molds entering the human body can trigger different diseases.

Cognitive Impairment

A 2025 study published in Scientific Reports analyzed data from more than 10,000 older adults and found that people living in homes with musty odors, commonly used as a marker of hidden mold contamination, had about a 40 percent higher risk of cognitive impairment. The association remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle factors, and housing conditions.

Beyond observational evidence, emerging experimental research suggests biological mechanisms linking fungal exposure to brain health. A separate 2025 study reported that certain environmental fungal toxins can cross the blood-brain barrier, enter the central nervous system, and trigger neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. These processes are known contributors to cognitive decline and are also implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting a plausible pathway by which long-term fungal exposure could elevate neurodegenerative risk.

Autism

Beyond their association with cognitive decline in older adults, mycotoxins have also been observed to affect the nervous system in children. Studies have reported significantly higher levels of ochratoxin A—a potent mycotoxin found in contaminated cereals, coffee, and dried fruits—in the urine and serum of children with autism compared with healthy controls, suggesting a potential association between mycotoxin exposure and abnormal neurodevelopment.

Ochratoxin A is known to cross the blood-brain barrier and induce oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation—mechanisms relevant to early brain development. Ochratoxin A has also been shown to impair detoxification pathways and alter gut microbiota, which may further influence the gut-brain axis, an area of growing interest in autism research.

While these findings do not establish causation, they point to mycotoxins as a potential environmental risk factor that warrants further investigation.

Allergies

Chronic exposure to mold and damp indoor environments can increase the risk of allergies by repeatedly stimulating the immune system. Mold spores and microbial particles released from water-damaged materials act as persistent airborne allergens, promoting allergic sensitization in the airways—especially in children.

A study of 50 children’s homes found that residential dampness or water leakage increased the risk of allergic rhinitis by 9.3 times and the risk of developing multiple allergic conditions by 3.8 times. After adjusting for age, sex, and secondhand smoke, children living in homes with visible water damage had an approximately 10.4-fold higher risk of allergic rhinitis.

These findings suggest that mold exposure in damp homes directly contributes to allergic disease through ongoing immune activation, rather than being a coincidental environmental factor.

Autoimmune Diseases

Mold exposure may also provoke abnormal immune responses. One study found that among 30 teachers and 50 students in a wooden school building from the late 1880s—infested with mold growth in recent years despite multiple reconstructions—more than one-third developed autoimmune diseases over a 20-year follow-up period, an incidence far higher than that of the general population. Notably, two teachers developed exceptionally rare autoimmune conditions: one was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis, and another with neurosarcoidosis.

Intestinal Inflammation

Evidence from dietary exposure studies shows that ingestion of mycotoxin-contaminated foods can directly damage gut health. Once eaten, mycotoxins come into contact with the intestinal lining, where they can impair the intestinal barrier, disrupt gut microbiota, and trigger abnormal immune and inflammatory responses, potentially contributing to or worsening inflammatory bowel disease.

In animal studies, weaned rabbits fed grain contaminated with deoxynivalenol, also known as vomitoxin, showed a significant reduction in gut microbiota abundance and diversity, with the most pronounced changes in the ileum and cecum—key regions involved in immune regulation. These findings indicate that dietary intake is a direct and biologically plausible pathway by which mycotoxins promote intestinal inflammation.

Carcinogenic Risk

Certain mold toxins found in food are known to increase cancer risk. Aflatoxin, classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a definite human carcinogen, is strongly linked to liver cancer. Research shows it promotes cancer by damaging DNA, triggering oxidative stress, disrupting cell regulation, and weakening immune defenses.

Large population studies also suggest that long-term dietary exposure to other mycotoxins, such as vomitoxin, may further increase liver cancer risk.

People Most Vulnerable to Mold Exposure

Different populations have varying levels of tolerance to mycotoxins. Yen noted that the following groups face higher health risks from long-term mold exposure:

• People With Compromised Immunity: People with chronic illnesses or cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy have weaker immune defenses, making them more susceptible to worsening symptoms or liver and kidney damage caused by mycotoxins.


• People With Asthma: Inhaling mold spores can trigger allergic reactions and may provoke asthma attacks.


• Infants, Children, and Older People: Infants’ and children’s immune systems are not yet fully developed, and older adults experience a decline in immune function, making all three groups more vulnerable to the effects of mycotoxins.

How to Reduce Your Exposure to Mold

Although mold cannot be completely avoided, daily diet and home management practices can effectively lower exposure risks.

1. Be Cautious of Mold in Food

Yen advised that if any part of a food item shows mold, the entire item should be discarded, not just the visibly affected portion, because mold filaments often penetrate deep into food. When discarding moldy food, it is recommended that it be sealed in a plastic bag before placing it in the trash to prevent spores from dispersing into the air.

He also warned that foods prone to mold should be handled with particular caution. For instance, peanuts can readily accumulate aflatoxins, while moldy coffee beans or coffee grounds can produce ochratoxin. Such items should never be stored in warm, humid conditions.

For food storage, Yen suggested choosing vacuum-packed options for moisture-sensitive foods and avoiding bulk purchases. Once opened, foods should be kept in airtight containers and refrigerated if necessary.

2. Remove Mold From Your Home

Indoor mold commonly appears in areas with moisture problems, such as roof, window, or pipe leaks, or in regions previously affected by flooding. High indoor humidity can also promote mold growth on walls, carpets, and wooden furniture. Bathrooms with poor ventilation are another common breeding ground for mold.

Because mold spores cannot grow without moisture, using dehumidifiers or maintaining good ventilation at home is recommended to reduce the risk of mold spreading.

To remove existing mold, Taiwanese home expert Chen Ying-Ru shared practical tips with The Epoch Times. For minor mold infestations, she recommended using sodium percarbonate: Mix it with a small amount of water to form a paste, apply it directly to the affected area, let it sit for several hours, then rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry completely.

For more severe infestations or visible mold patches, opt for bleach or commercial mold removers or bathroom mold cleaners. When using commercial products, spray them directly on the affected area and follow the instructions provided.

If using bleach, fold a piece of kitchen paper into a strip, soak it in bleach, and apply it to the moldy spot. Leave it in place for several hours, then remove the paper, rinse the area with clean water, and dry it.

To remove mold from ceilings, spray the mold remover onto a cloth attached to a flat mop and gently wipe the surface.

Detox Your Body With TCM Methods

While reducing mold exposure is essential, enhancing the body’s natural detoxification capacity is equally important. Tian Yi-Min, director of Yimin Fashion Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Clinic in Taiwan, told The Epoch Times that detoxification is a process of confrontation between the body’s vital energy (“zheng qi”) and pathogenic factors (“xie qi”)—known in TCM as “supporting the righteous and expelling the pathogenic”—that restores the body to normal physiological function.

The following methods are practical detoxification approaches that most people can incorporate into daily life.

Detox Tea Recipe

This gentle detox tea blends warming spices and traditional herbs to support digestion, promote circulation, and help the body’s natural detoxification process.

Ingredients:

• 3 grams of cinnamon twig


• 1 red date


• 2 slices of licorice root

Instructions:

1. Wash all ingredients and place them in a pot.


2. Add 500 milliliters of water and bring to a boil.


3. Strain and drink the tea. The detox tea may be taken once daily.

Tian noted that this tea can accelerate metabolism and help eliminate toxins through urine. However, it is unsuitable for people with a hot or dry body constitution. If you experience symptoms such as dry mouth, heat sensitivity, constipation, hard stools, or flushed skin, you should not drink this tea.

Foods That May Support Detoxification

In addition to the detoxifying tea, Tian recommended eating more high-fiber foods to support regular bowel movements and reduce the buildup of toxins in the intestines. Supplementing with probiotics may promote intestinal motility and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.

He also suggested eating more dark green vegetables to support the liver’s detoxification function and help expel mycotoxins from the body.

She also recommended that people suffering from mold toxicity avoid added sugars and artificial sweeteners and reduce intake of processed foods, as these may potentially worsen symptoms such as allergies. She noted, “In clinical practice, we often find that if someone has a particular craving for sweets, especially highly processed chemical foods, their symptoms can flare up easily. For example, after eating cake, their rashes may become much worse.”

Apart from dietary changes, Tian suggested moderate aerobic exercise or soaking in a bath to promote sweating. However, he cautioned that older people with thinner skin or reduced vascular elasticity should avoid prolonged baths, as prolonged immersion may place additional strain on the cardiovascular system.