What if the same mold growing behind your walls could damage not just your lungs, but your brain?
ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, robs the body of movement by breaking down motor neurons. Typically, ALS is hallmarked by muscle weakness, muscle cramps, and progressive loss of coordination that eventually affects speaking, swallowing, and breathing.
For decades, ALS has been viewed primarily through a genetic lens, but that picture is shifting. Scientists now suspect the environment plays a meaningful role in triggering or accelerating the disease, especially in people who may already be predisposed to familial ALS per genetic testing.
One emerging concern: toxic compounds released by fungi and bacteria living in damp, water-damaged buildings. These microbial toxins (known as mycotoxins and cyanotoxins) are capable of harming nerve cells, disrupting cellular energy systems, and provoking inflammation in the nervous system. Some of the same biological changes seen in ALS have been observed in lab studies of these toxins.
The question being asked is simple: What causes ALS disease, and could hidden bio-toxins in our living spaces be acting as another stressor on the nervous system? Let’s talk about it.
First, What Are Mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds released by certain molds that thrive in damp or water-damaged materials. However, they’re not limited to buildings. These same molds can contaminate cereal crops such as corn, wheat, barley, and animal feed, making mycotoxin exposure a concern not only for indoor air quality but also for food safety.
GWE Investigator samples microbial breakthrough at a water-damaged wall in the Client’s Bedroom. Photo Credit: VJ Coppola, Building Biologist / IAQ Scientist with GreenWorks Environmental, LLC
Regulatory agencies monitor these toxins closely because even trace amounts in grain-based foods and food additives can pose health risks over time.
According to research published in Toxicon, some mycotoxin contamination can cause neuronal death, oxidative stress, and inflammation, all of which are features seen as the ALS disease progresses.
A Possible Environmental Link to What Causes ALS Disease
At GreenWorks LLC, we’ve investigated numerous homes with water intrusion and elevated fungal and bacterial levels, including actinomycetes and cyanobacteria, microbes known to produce potent biotoxins.
In several cases, residents have been diagnosed with ALS or other neurodegenerative diseases, and their physicians have expressed concern about environmental exposure.
These questions parallel what researchers are uncovering in broader environmental studies. For example:
Florida’s Blue-Green Algae Research Raises New Questions
A 2025 investigative report from Florida public media (WLRN) examines whether chronic exposure to cyanobacterial blooms (common throughout Florida’s waterways) could contribute to degenerative diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer’s. Scientists studying these algae have detected BMAA, a cyanobacterial neurotoxin already suspected in other ALS clusters around the country.
Additionally, a Fox 13 News Florida segment recently featured experts warning the public about the neurological risks linked to recurring toxic algae blooms. Researchers explained how airborne particles from these blooms may be inhaled by residents, potentially exposing them to the same neurotoxic compounds found in lakes with known ALS clusters.
These findings expand the conversation: cyanobacteria in warm, stagnant, or nutrient-polluted waters may create airborne or waterborne exposure pathways for harmful neurotoxins.
Documented ALS “Clusters” Support the Environmental Hypothesis
ALS clusters have been documented near cyanobacteria-contaminated lakes—particularly Lake Mascoma in New Hampshire, where the incidence was reported up to 25 times higher than average. The suspected culprit, BMAA (β-Methylamino-L-alanine), is a cyanobacterial neurotoxin that can accumulate in human food chains and potentially affect motor neurons.
The research emerging from Florida adds weight to these earlier findings, suggesting that warm-weather states with frequent toxic blooms may face higher exposure risks than previously understood.
How Home Environments Could Contribute to ALS Diagnosis Risk Factors
GWE Investigator notes hidden moisture intrusion is rarely this obvious but at this Client’s bedroom wall hidden moisture intrusion is saturating the exterior insulated wall and ceiling. Photo Credit: VJ Coppola, Building Biologist / IAQ Scientist with GreenWorks Environmental, LLC
The same organisms that thrive in polluted or stagnant water can also colonize rooftops, gutters, and building materials. When these colonies dry, fine particles carrying fungal species and cyanobacterial fragments can become airborne and settle inside homes.
Over time, occupants may inhale or ingest these microscopic mycotoxins produced, leading to chronic, low-level exposure and serious health risks.
Why Mycotoxin Exposure Matters: Health Effects
While no study has definitively proven that fungal or bacterial toxins cause ALS, the biological plausibility is strong. Chronic exposure to mycotoxins and cyanobacterial neurotoxins may contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation in vulnerable people and other animal species, potentially acting as one piece of a larger environmental puzzle.
That’s what makes testing home environments so critical. Water-damaged structures can harbor complex microbial ecosystems that produce mycotoxins and other concerns. Identifying these contaminants early can protect not only the building but also the people living in it.
GWE Investigator notes rooftop molds, algae, and bacteria on the roof of the Client’s home. Photo Credit: VJ Coppola, Building Biologist / IAQ Scientist with GreenWorks Environmental, LLC
Knowing what’s circulating in your air or lurking in your roof’s mold could be the missing link between unexplained adverse health effects and genuine recovery. If you or a loved one has developed symptoms, an assessment might be the place to start.
The GreenWorks Perspective on Mycotoxin Production
GWE investigator collects a wall cavity air sample, noting that “what you see is just the tip of the iceberg.” Photo Credit: VJ Coppola, Building Biologist / IAQ Scientist with GreenWorks Environmental, LLC
At GreenWorks LLC, our mission is to better understand how indoor environmental contaminants affect human health. By testing for fungi, bacteria, and their toxins in homes (especially those with water damage), we strive to uncover hidden exposures (including mycotoxin production) that could be influencing neurological and systemic health.
If you or a loved one is living in a home with chronic moisture issues or suspected mold species, it may be time to test your environment. What we find could provide clues to a growing public-health concern and help prevent mycotoxin contamination and its toxic effects. Schedule an environmental assessment with GreenWorks to learn what’s really in your air, from mold growth to mycotoxins. A simple investigation could reveal toxic substances or environmental factors that standard home inspections miss and help create a safer, healthier space for your family.
References
Peer-Reviewed + Scientific Sources
- Toxicon Journal – Research on mycotoxin-induced neuronal death and oxidative stress.
- Cox, P. A., et al. Research on BMAA neurotoxicity and ALS cluster associations.
- Bradley, W. G. “Environmental Neurotoxins and ALS.” Neurodegenerative Disease Management.
News & Investigative Reports
4. WLRN Public Media. “What a link between blue-green algae and degenerative diseases means for Floridians.” Feb 25, 2025. https://www.wlrn.org/health/2025-02-25/what-a-link-between-blue-green-algae-and-degenerative-diseases-means-for-floridians
5. Fox 13 News Tampa Bay. “Toxic algae: Florida scientists warn of hidden dangers.” https://www.fox13news.com/news/toxic-algae-florida-scientists-warn-hidden-dangers
Environmental Observations
6. GreenWorks LLC case data and environmental assessments (internal findings).7. Caller TA, Field NC, Chipman JW, et al. A cluster of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in New Hampshire: A possible role for toxic cyanobacteria. Amyotroph Lateral Scler. 2009;10(S2): Yes–7. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19929741/
