Testing Mycotoxins has been done for many years, but what is the best practice in mycotoxin testing is highly debated in the medical field. Dr. Andrew W. Campbell and Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker are two thought leaders on mycotoxin testing & treatment. They have developed distinctive approaches for testing mycotoxin exposure to your body.
Some believe Shoemaker’s approach to testing mycotoxins is the most effective, and others believe Campbell’s approach is the best. We are going to break down the different approaches and schools of thought. PEAK Integrative medicine approaches mycotoxin testing following Dr. Campbell’s approach because we believe it provides the most accuracy, which helps us correctly diagnose your mycotoxin symptoms.
Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker’s Protocol For Mycotoxins
Shoemaker’s approach is more of a standardized and protocol-based approach to mycotoxin-related conditions. His protocols revolve around Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). This condition Dr. Shoemaker has said, is triggered by exposure to toxins. The steps to his protocol are:
- Diagnosing: He uses biomarker testing for mycotoxins, which is done through urine tests. While this can confirm mycotoxins, it can lead to a large number of false positives due to regular exposure to mold in our daily lives. It can also overlook past long-term exposure to mycotoxins.
- Eliminate The Source: Remove the mold from the person’s home or workplace.
- Treating Mycotoxins: Treatment is approached with a key focus on the inflammation (CIRS). The steps focus on correcting hormone imbalances, and certain lifestyle changes.
Learn more about the steps to Shoemaker’s Protocol For Mycotoxins.
Dr. Andrew W. Campbell’s Approach To Mycotoxins
Campbell has extensive work in mold and mycotoxin illnesses and recognizes that mycotoxins can cause a myriad of symptoms like mold causing back pain or mycotoxins being the root cause of certain chronic illnesses that are misdiagnosed. These symptoms can be confused with many other chronic diseases, so his analysis and approach to mycotoxins are much more comprehensive and in-depth.
- Diagnosing: He supports extensive testing to determine whether mycotoxins are present in the body, using sophisticated blood tests and symptom evaluations to create a diagnosis.
- Eliminating The Source: While eliminating the source is important, Campbell’s approach recognizes the symptoms from mold and mycotoxins can lie dormant for many years.
- Treating Mycotoxins: Campbell’s therapeutic approach is complex, emphasizing detoxification and promoting general health through dietary adjustments, supplementation, and lifestyle alterations. He stresses the significance of an individualized treatment plan made to fit each patient’s unique requirements and circumstances.
Dr. Campbell has a website dedicated to this information and extensive informational videos on YouTube walking you through understanding mycotoxins and proper treatment.
Comparing Dr. Campbell & Dr. Shoemaker
Dr. Campbell and Dr.Shoemaker agree that mycotoxins present health problems, including major long-term health problems. They also agree that it is critical to treat them; their methods and approaches are different.
How They Diagnose Mycotoxins
While Dr. Shoemaker uses a variety of biomarker tests to determine the physiological consequences of CIRS as proof of exposure, Dr. Campbell prefers a comprehensive evaluation of symptoms in conjunction with direct testing for mycotoxins. This is because Dr. Campbell wants to make a more accurate diagnosis so that they can perform more accurate treatment. Since Dr. Shoemaker uses the same approach for patients, accuracy is less of a priority.
How They Differ In Treating Mycotoxins
Campbell supports an individualized treatment plan that emphasizes detoxification and overall health improvement. While acknowledging the necessity of detoxification, Shoemaker also recommends a more organized and stepwise treatment plan created especially to address CIRS. While Shoemaker’s approach can work in many cases, we have seen in our own practice and experience that Campbell’s approach has better overall results.
Contact PEAK Integrative Medicine To Test & Diagnose Your Mycotoxins
We work with many cases of mycotoxins and provide thorough testing. While many of our practices align with Dr. Campbell’s approach to mycotoxins, certain approaches to health are different from Dr. Campbell’s and Dr. Shoemaker’s. We have studied their work and focus on providing the most effective approach to improving your health.