Detox Supplements and Medications
There are both over-the-counter supplements as well as prescription medications that can be used for mold detox. My preference is to start with prescription Welchol or Cholestyramine as they cover all types of mycotoxins. These medications have a particular affinity, based on molecular weight, to bind up these tiny biotoxins and put them out through your stool.
If someone is very sensitive to medications or has gut issues, I will often start with Welchol as it has fewer binding sites than Cholestyramine and is better tolerated for those who have GI issues. Children are good candidates for Welchol, too. Depending on the person, I will sometimes start with as little as ¼ tablet per day, with or without food. Generally, I have patients gradually increase the dose as long as they are tolerating it.
Cholestyramine
Cholestyramine comes as a powder that is mixed with water, or mixed in a food like applesauce. It’s stronger than Welchol. Side effects to watch for are mostly GI-based, such as discomfort or constipation. I often recommend mixing it with magnesium powder like Calm to prevent these issues. Again, starting low and gradually increasing the dose works best. I will start with ¼ to ½ packet per day, 30 minutes before eating or 60 minutes after eating, and never taken with supplements (other than magnesium powder) or medications.
Sometimes a person does not tolerate either prescription, and we have to start with less strong supplements. Unfortunately, not all supplements bind all types of toxins. When possible, it helps to have a urine mycotoxin test so that I know which ones are most prominent, and can make choices based on the type of toxin. Some examples of toxin-specific pairs are:
- Ochratoxin - charcoal
- Aflatoxins - charcoal and bentonite clay
- Trichothecenes - charcoal and possibly chlorella
- Gliotoxins - bentonite clay, charcoal, chlorella
- NAC (n-acetyl cysteine) in spray or orally can inactivate gliotoxin
- BINDER BLEND contains bentonite clay, charcoal, chlorella, and slippery elm and is a good choice to cover several types. I give it 2 hours away from food on either side.
Most of the time I try to use over-the-counters as a step towards tolerating Cholestyramine or Welchol. The pharmaceuticals are simply better binders.
I use binders, whatever the type, until my patient passes the Visual Contrast Sensitivity test and gets rid of MARCoNS. See more information about these tests. Later, they can use binders as needed for preventive treatment if going into a moldy building, if they get exposed to mold, or if they get a tick bite or exposure to another biotoxin.
Dr. Robin Thomson
