At Needles, Herbs & Labs, Dr. Naylous may use Mosaic Diagnostics environmental toxin and mycotoxin testing when there is concern that environmental exposures may be contributing to a patient’s health picture.

Mosaic Diagnostics offers urine-based testing that can evaluate exposure to mycotoxins, environmental chemicals, pesticides, plastic-related compounds, volatile organic compounds, and other toxicants. Testing may be selected based on the patient’s symptoms, exposure history, environment, occupation, lifestyle, and other clinical factors.
 
Looking Beyond Symptoms Alone

Environmental exposures can be difficult to recognize because symptoms are often nonspecific and may overlap with many other health concerns.

Patients may experience fatigue, headaches, brain fog, digestive symptoms, respiratory concerns, sinus issues, changes in mood, or other persistent symptoms without immediately realizing that their environment may be relevant.

Testing does not automatically prove that an environmental exposure is the cause of a patient’s symptoms. Instead, Dr. Naylous uses the results alongside the patient’s health history, symptoms, home and workplace environment, diet, medications, supplements, and other laboratory findings to determine whether an exposure may deserve closer attention.
 
Mycotoxin Testing

One of the primary tests Dr. Naylous may use is the MycoTOX Profile® from Mosaic Diagnostics.

Mycotoxins are compounds produced by certain species of mold and may be encountered through contaminated food, water-damaged buildings, vehicles, or other environments. Mosaic notes that exposure can occur through inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact.

The MycoTOX Profile is a urine-based test that evaluates 11 different mycotoxins, including compounds from major mycotoxin groups such as:

• Aflatoxins

• Ochratoxins

• Trichothecenes

• Zearalenones

• Citrinin

• Gliotoxin

• Mycophenolic acid

• Chaetoglobosin

• Enniatin

• Sterigmatocystin

Mosaic uses LC-MS/MS laboratory technology to measure these compounds and applies creatinine correction to account for differences in urine concentration.
 
Environmental Toxicant Testing

When broader environmental exposure is a concern, Dr. Naylous may also use Mosaic Diagnostics’ TOXDetect Profile® or EnviroTOX® panels.

These urine-based tests can evaluate metabolites associated with environmental chemicals commonly encountered through food, water, air, household products, plastics, personal-care products, and occupational exposures.

Depending on the panel ordered, testing may include markers related to:

• Phthalates

• Bisphenols

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

• Parabens

• Pesticides

• Glyphosate

• Acrylamide

• Perchlorate

• Oxybenzone

• Other environmental toxicants

Mosaic’s broader EnviroTOX® panels can combine environmental toxicant testing with other assessments such as the MycoTOX Profile, heavy metal testing, and Organic Acids Testing when a more comprehensive evaluation is appropriate.
 
Where Exposure May Come From

Potential environmental exposures can come from many different sources.

Depending on the patient, Dr. Naylous may consider factors such as:

• Water-damaged or mold-affected buildings

• Home or workplace environments

• Food contamination

• Drinking water

• Air pollution

• Household cleaning products

• Personal-care products

• Plastics

• Pesticides and herbicides

• Occupational exposures

• Renovation or construction materials

• Other environmental factors

The purpose of taking an exposure history is not to assume that every symptom is caused by toxicity, but to determine whether a patient’s environment may be one relevant part of the larger clinical picture.
 
Who May Benefit From Environmental & Mycotoxin Testing?

Testing may be considered for patients with concerns such as:

• Known or suspected mold exposure

• A history of living or working in a water-damaged building

• Persistent or unexplained fatigue

• Brain fog or cognitive concerns

• Headaches

• Digestive symptoms

• Sinus or respiratory concerns

• Chronic or unexplained symptoms

• Previous abnormal environmental toxin testing

• Occupational or household chemical exposure

• Patients who feel their symptoms change based on a particular environment

• Patients seeking a broader environmental health evaluation

Not every patient with chronic symptoms requires environmental testing. Dr. Naylous determines whether testing may provide clinically useful information based on the individual patient’s history and overall health picture.
 
Connecting the Results Back to Your Environment

An abnormal test result does not automatically identify exactly where an exposure came from.

Mycotoxins and environmental toxicants may have multiple potential sources, which is why Dr. Naylous reviews laboratory findings alongside the patient’s exposure history and environment.

When appropriate, he may recommend investigating possible exposure sources in the home or workplace, reducing ongoing exposure, or pursuing additional environmental assessment.

Mosaic also offers a Mycotoxin Body + Home Panel, which combines urine MycoTOX testing with household dust testing for mold species when evaluating both the patient and their environment is appropriate.
 
How It Works

After your consultation, Dr. Naylous will determine which Mosaic Diagnostics environmental or mycotoxin test may be appropriate based on your symptoms, exposure history, and clinical needs.

Most of these assessments use a urine sample collected at home. You will receive a collection kit with instructions for completing and returning the specimen to Mosaic Diagnostics.

The MycoTOX Profile and several Mosaic environmental toxin panels currently have estimated turnaround times of approximately 5–10 business days, although turnaround times may vary.

Once the results are available, Dr. Naylous reviews them in detail and discusses the findings with you during a follow-up consultation.

Recommendations are individualized and may focus on reducing ongoing exposure, supporting nutrition and overall health, addressing relevant deficiencies, lifestyle strategies, targeted supplementation, Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, or additional testing when appropriate.

A More Complete Look at Environmental Health

The goal of environmental and mycotoxin testing is not simply to find an elevated number and assume it explains every symptom.

At Needles, Herbs & Labs, Dr. Naylous uses environmental testing as one part of a broader evaluation—looking at exposure history, symptoms, laboratory findings, nutrition, lifestyle, and the patient’s overall health picture to determine which findings may truly be relevant and what steps may make sense next.