Erectile dysfunction (ED), mold and agriculture: how are they connected?

Erectile dysfunction (ED), mold, and agriculture seem like a strange mix. But in my opinion, there is a very close connection with men involved in agriculture, their work or handling of moldy food or grain, and the incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED) or the symptoms that lead to it. Sometimes the effects of mold come on so slowly that symptoms are missed or ignored altogether.

However, on some occasions someone can become physically ill very quickly from contact with mold in a grain bin or bin and must be treated in an emergency situation. The amount, level of toxicity, and time of exposure all factor into how well your body can handle your exposure. In any case, the first concern of the medical profession has been to determine if the lungs and respiratory system are damaged. Of course, this is very important, but I think they sometimes seem to overlook the potential long-term effects of mold ingestion that can lead to erectile dysfunction (ED).

As farmers, we have always been told never to give mold-contaminated grain to our animals for them to eat. Even the use of bedding that contains mold is a practice that should be avoided. Veterinarians and farmers alike know that toxic levels of mold in feed or bedding can easily make an animal sick or, in the worst case, cause death.

This ingestion of mold in feed or livestock bedding, if concentrated enough, can be quickly noticed by following the health status of the animals involved. Even moldy feed or bedding that are not in excessively high concentrations still have an effect on them, just more long-term, but just as severe nonetheless. The animals become lazy, their appetite can be suppressed, and most notably, the sex drive can decrease, creating a problem with reproduction. Females tend not to have very strong heat cycles, have fewer, or don’t come into heat at all. It can also cause the cow to abort. Male animals are less sexually aggressive and tend to show less interest in females.

I know this may sound overly simplified, but mold and mycotoxin that enter the lungs or are ingested eventually enter the bloodstream and can have some devastating effects.

If mold and its mycotoxin have such an effect on the reproductive health of your farm animals, then why should we think that mold or mycotoxin in our system won’t have the same possible effects? Most farmers work side by side with their animals, breathing the same air and sharing the same environment while caring for them.

As farmers, we don’t always take the precautions we should, like wearing a mask or staying away from poorly ventilated areas. We believe that our exposure may only be for a short time and after the coughing, gasping, and spitting up of phlegm is over, it will all go away.

But what if it doesn’t go away?

So how do you know if you have possibly been affected by mold that has gotten into animal feed or bedding? Sometimes it is not easy to know, especially if it is a small amount.

Common symptoms are:

1) Breathing difficulty: cough, sneezing, phlegm

2) Difficulty swallowing – choking, coughing up mucus

3) Dirty taste in the mouth – coated tongue

4) headaches

5) Confusion – such as being intoxicated, slurred speech

6) Reproductive complications

There are many more symptoms that can occur. Symptoms depend on the duration of exposure, the concentration of mold where you were working, or how often you have been put in a place where there is mold. Sometimes a small exposure over several months or years will eventually lead to the body finally having a major reaction.

There is very little information available on the subject of the connection between the crop, the mold and the incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED), but if you look in a veterinarian’s medical journal, the information is abundant.

The most helpful and detailed information I have found on the effects of mold on the human body is in a book called “The Fungus Link” by Doug Kaufmann. This book not only explains in easy-to-understand terms how ingesting mold or its mycotoxin can cause erectile dysfunction (ED), but also how to find out if it’s a problem you might have. If you think mold may be the cause of the symptoms you’re experiencing, the book has detailed steps on how to remove it from your system.

For men who work in agriculture or who have worked with products that may have contained mold and have some or all of these symptoms, it’s not too late. Erectile dysfunction (ED) doesn’t have to be a life sentence. Not only for your sake, but for those you love and who love you, the book is worth reading.