Too skinny or too many kilos

Too skinny or too many kilos?

Are mycotoxins behind your weight loss or your weight gain?

Many people living in mold experimentes changes in body weight. This fast changes in your normal body weight without a cause are very often one of the first things the patients tell in a conversation. They tell me " I don't know if it is related, but I have lost / gained a bunch of kilos".

This phenomenon is usually mycotoxin related if there are also other sings of mold in their house. Let's see why.

Mycotoxins can affect body weight in both directions — some people gain weight, others lose weight — because mycotoxins interfere with metabolism, hormones, organs, appetite regulation, and gut function.

Mycotoxins disrupt:

• hormones

• mitochondria (energy production)

• blood sugar regulation

• thyroid function

• leptin/ghrelin (hunger hormones)

• gut microbiome

• liver metabolism

This can push the body toward weight gain OR weight loss, depending on the person’s biology and type of mycotoxin.

1. Weight Gain Due to Mycotoxins

Many people with mold/mycotoxin exposure struggle with unexplained weight gain, especially around the belly.

Mechanisms:

A. Slowed thyroid function → slower metabolism

Mycotoxins (especially ochratoxin A) can suppress thyroid hormones. Effects:

• slower metabolism

• cold intolerance

• fatigue

• water retention

• gradual weight gain

B. Cortisol dysregulation (stress hormone)

Chronic mycotoxin exposure stresses the adrenal glands. High cortisol causes:

• belly fat increase

• sugar cravings

• insulin resistance

• muscle breakdown

C. Inflammation → leptin resistance

Leptin tells your brain “I’m full.”
Mycotoxins create inflammation → brain stops responding to leptin. Result:

• constant hunger

• snacking

• cravings

• food doesn’t feel “satisfying”

D. Gut microbiome disruption

Mycotoxins alter gut bacteria → favor bacteria that extract more calories from the same food.Signs:

• bloating

• constipation

• sugar cravings

• weight gain despite eating normally

E. Impaired liver detox → fat storage

When the liver is overloaded with toxins, the body stores fat to “dilute” toxic stress. Fat becomes a protective storage site for toxins → easier to gain weight, harder to lose.

2. Weight Loss Due to Mycotoxins

Some people lose weight unintentionally, especially when the gut is more affected. Mechanisms:

A. Impaired nutrient absorption. Mycotoxins damage the intestinal lining and increase permeability (leaky gut). Effects:

• poor absorption of calories

• malabsorption of fat / protein

• nutrient deficiency weight loss

B. Appetite suppression. Some mycotoxins interfere with hunger hormones, causing:

• nausea

• low appetite

• early satiety (feeling full quickly)

C. Increased metabolic stress. In certain cases, the body burns more energy to fight inflammation.Signs:

• rapid unexplained weight loss

• weakness

• muscle wasting

D. Chronic diarrhea or gut dysfunction. Mycotoxins like DON (vomitoxin) cause:

• diarrhea

• abdominal pain

• inability to digest food

• accelerated transit → nutrient loss

• 3. Mixed Pattern: Weight gain + inability to lose weight. This is incredibly common.

• inflammation from mycotoxins → water retention

• slowed thyroid → fat gain

• gut issues → poor nutrient absorption

• high cortisol → cravings + belly fat

• fatigue → less ability to exercise

This combination leads to:

“I gain weight easily and can’t lose it even if I eat less.”

4. Signs Weight Changes Are Mycotoxin-Related

✔️ Weight changes started after moving into a damp building
✔️ Weight changes accompany fatigue, brain fog, gut issues
✔️ Skin problems appear (rashes, eczema)
✔️ Hair thinning at the same time
✔️ Cold hands and feet (thyroid)
✔️ Mood swings or anxiety
✔️ Resistant weight loss despite diet/exercise

5. The four organs that control weight & how mycotoxins affect them

Thyroid: Suppressed hormone production->Weight gain

Adrenals: High cortisol->Belly fat + cravings

Gut: Dysbiosis, leaky gut->Gain or lose weight

Liver: Impaired detox->Fat gain, sluggish metabolism

Most people have at least two of these impacted.

So it depends on your body physiology if you'r going to loose or to gain weight, but in both cases you can tell your doctor, that this is a symptom typical associated with mold toxicity.