Skip to content
Call: 303-993-7910400 S. McCaslin Blvd, Suite 210, Louisville, Colorado 80027 | Get DirectionsFor Practitioners
Facebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowPinterest page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new windowYouTube page opens in new windowLinkedin page opens in new windowRss page opens in new window
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Your Functional Medicine Expert!
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MDDr. Jill Carnahan, MD

Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter

Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
  • HOME
  • MY STORY
  • ABOUT
    • About Us
    • What is Functional Medicine?
    • Mission Statement
    • Meet Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP
    • Meet Crystal Crowley, MS, PA-C, IFMCP
    • Meet The Team
    • Location
    • Fees
    • FAQs
    • Forms
    • Testimonials
    • For Practitioners
  • SERVICES
    • Services
    • Functional Medicine Consulting with Dr. Jill
    • Functional Medicine Consultation with Crystal Crowley, MS, PA-C, IFMCP
    • Naturopathic Consulting with Dr. Nicole
    • Massage Therapy with Rene
    • Nutritional Consulting with Judy
    • Nutritional Consulting with Megan
    • Chiropractic Care with Dr. JoEllen
    • Nutrition therapy and Private Yoga with Haley
    • Infrared Sauna Detox Therapy
    • IV Infusion Therapy
  • RECIPES
  • PRESS KIT
  • EVENTS
  • VIDEO/AUDIO
  • BLOG
    • Dr. Jill’s Blog
    • Dr. Jill’s Recipes
    • Dr. Jill’s Facebook
    • Dr. Jill’s Instagram
    • Dr. Jill on LinkedIn
    • Flatiron Functional Medicine on LinkedIn
  • ONLINE STORE
    • Online Store
    • Products We Love
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • MY STORY
  • ABOUT
    • About Us
    • What is Functional Medicine?
    • Mission Statement
    • Meet Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP
    • Meet Crystal Crowley, MS, PA-C, IFMCP
    • Meet The Team
    • Location
    • Fees
    • FAQs
    • Forms
    • Testimonials
    • For Practitioners
  • SERVICES
    • Services
    • Functional Medicine Consulting with Dr. Jill
    • Functional Medicine Consultation with Crystal Crowley, MS, PA-C, IFMCP
    • Naturopathic Consulting with Dr. Nicole
    • Massage Therapy with Rene
    • Nutritional Consulting with Judy
    • Nutritional Consulting with Megan
    • Chiropractic Care with Dr. JoEllen
    • Nutrition therapy and Private Yoga with Haley
    • Infrared Sauna Detox Therapy
    • IV Infusion Therapy
  • RECIPES
  • PRESS KIT
  • EVENTS
  • VIDEO/AUDIO
  • BLOG
    • Dr. Jill’s Blog
    • Dr. Jill’s Recipes
    • Dr. Jill’s Facebook
    • Dr. Jill’s Instagram
    • Dr. Jill on LinkedIn
    • Flatiron Functional Medicine on LinkedIn
  • ONLINE STORE
    • Online Store
    • Products We Love
  • CONTACT

What Does Finland’s Dementia Crisis Tell Us About This Devastating Disease?

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Brain Health
  3. What Does Finland’s Dementia Crisis…
Finland

It’s easy to assume environmental factors that contribute to the decline of our health usually come from outside our homes. When we think of environmental toxins, pollution most often comes to mind. And while pollution is a concern, we can’t forget that toxins also exist inside our homes. In fact, a lot of homes are idyllic places for toxin producing mold to reside.

What’s more, there are reports coming out that sometimes mold is preexisting in building materials. This means mold grows easily when the surface becomes damp or there is high humidity. I’ll be writing more on this soon, so keep a lookout.  

One of my biggest concerns about mold is the research that indicates it plays a role in the development of dementia. With dementia on the rise (Alzheimer’s is now the third leading cause of death), it’s important we examine underlying causes and take preventative measures earlier.

To examine this, I want to take you to Finland. A developed country known for being wealthy and progressive. And yet, Finland has the highest rate of dementia in the world.

New research in Finland is finding that the reason could be largely mold. I’ve talked about mold and dementia before, and these findings further support the effect of mycotoxins on inflammation and dementia. There are also certain nutrients and toxins from other sources researchers believe might contribute to Finland’s high rates of dementia, which may expose clues about this condition.

Finland’s Dementia Crisis is Shining a Light on This Deadly Disease

Finland’s climate is very cold and humid. So, the homes must be well insulated, which can trap moisture within the walls. This creates the perfect climate for mycotoxin producing mold to grow.

Once these mycotoxins are in the air, they begin their infiltration into our bodies. Breathing in toxic, damp air can cause neuronal abnormalities, which have been linked to the exposure of water damaged buildings.

A considerable number of homes in Finland are thought to have mold. Mold can cause brain abnormalities, systemic inflammation, and changes in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Not only are Finnish homes breeding grounds for mold, researchers believe other factors may be contributing to this alarming situation.

What Else Could be Contributing to Finland’s Dementia Crisis?

Researchers believe other factors that are contributing to the dementia crisis include:

  • Toxin producing cyanobacteria in the water supply, which end up in fish.
  • Mercury and methyl mercury, which can be found in the water supply.
  • Naturally low levels of selenium in the soil, and persistent selenium deficiencies.

Finns consume 72 pounds of fish per year on average. This increases their intake of mycotoxins and heavy metals. Other countries in the Nordic region with similar ecosystems are known to experience higher rates of dementia as well, and this is thought to be a possible reason as to why.

Finland is also known to have a low concentration of selenium in the soil. Selenium is a vital nutrient needed for brain function. It also fights free radicals that can cause oxidative stress. Selenium helps produce glutathione peroxidase, an protective enzyme that helps guard neurons from damage. A deficiency in selenium could inhibit the body’s ability to detox properly and increase oxidative stress on the brain.

Mycotoxins Cause Serious Inflammation

Research on Finland shines a light on a very complicated condition. Mycotoxins are turning out to be a major suspect of dementia development, which isn’t known by most people at this point in time. It’s not mainstream knowledge that Alzheimer’s can start as early as your 20’s, or that it can be due to exposure to harmful mold.

But we need to spread the word. Just because mold doesn’t affect you immediately does not mean you can ignore it. Mycotoxins from mold can lead to a gamut of health concerns. Once mycotoxins enter the body, they pass through the cell membranes causing damage to various systems in the body.

Prolonged exposure to such toxins through inhalation or ingestion creates systemic inflammation. This can lead to chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), which has been associated with dementia. Scientists have even identified Inhalational Alzheimer’s as a separate subtype. Many doctors don’t consider mold in their testing. This means exposure often goes undetected for years and is sometimes misdiagnosed.

We must take mold more seriously. These mycotoxins cause an uproar in the immune system which can lead to all sorts of health issues including:

  • Cognitive Impairment – Memory loss, confusion, emotional and behavioral issues and an overall decline in day to day performance.
  • Respiratory Issues – Coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest.
  • Weakened Immune System – Frequently sick and unable to fight off infection.
  • Digestive Disorders – IBS, constipation and stomach upset.
  • Muscle Weakness – CFS, joint pain and stiffness.
  • Mood Changes – Depression, anxiety or loss of motivation.

…And the list goes on.  

Reducing Your Risk – A Future Focus

Dementia is the degenerative disorder causing cognitive impairment – memory loss, confusion, and the inability to perform daily tasks. Battling a disease like dementia is daunting. It’s hard to see your loved ones struggle with this condition, and it’s even harder to understand why it’s happening.

Because early signs can be difficult to pinpoint, a diagnosis must be made through an examination of symptoms and environmental factors such as mold exposure. Taking measures to test and clear your home (or your loved ones’ home) of potential toxins like mycotoxins could help prevent illness. Check out my article Five Essential Tips For Living With Mold Toxicity and CIRS to uncover more ways to battle mold toxicity in your home. The Finland studies also suggest we should consider taking selenium and sticking to fish that’s lower in mercury.

Dementia is turning out to be a sometimes preventable disease, but if we are going to prevent it, we must first know about it. Knowledge truly is power when it comes to dementia. You can check out my article for more on this: 2 Surprising Facts About Alzheimer’s: Mold Can Cause Alzheimer’s & It’s Reversible.

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28687259

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24946038

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3013072

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789584/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4147716/

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The product mentioned in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.   The information in this article is not intended to replace any recommendations or relationship with your physician.  Please review references sited at end of article for scientific support of any claims made.

Categories: Brain Health, Environmental Toxicity, Gut HealthBy Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCPDecember 30, 20185 Comments
Tags: brain healthcognitive declinecognitive functioncognitive healthdementiagut healthinflammationtoxicity
Share this post
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook TweetShare on Twitter Pin itShare on Pinterest Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

Author: Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP

https://www.jillcarnahan.com/

Dr. Jill is Your Functional Medicine Expert! She uses functional medicine to help you find answers to the cause of your illness and addresses the biochemical imbalances that may be making you feel ill. She'll help you search for underlying triggers contributing to your illness through cutting edge lab testing and tailor the intervention to your specific needs as an individual. She may use diet, supplements, lifestyle changes or medication to treat your illness but will seek the most gentle way to help your body restore balance along with the least invasive treatment possible. Dr. Jill is a functional medicine expert consultant and treats environmental and mold-related illness as well

Post navigation

PreviousPrevious post:Maca Hot CocoaNextNext post:The Gut-Brain Axis Provides More Clues in the Alzheimer’s Mystery

Related posts

Butyrate
Butyrate: The Health Benefits of This Mighty Molecule and How to Get More of It
May 20, 2022
Autism
Mycotoxins and Mold: Could this be A Missing Puzzle Piece in Understanding Autism?
April 28, 2022
Trimethylamine
Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO): How Does This Molecule Fit Into Your Health and Diet?
April 1, 2022
alkaline phosphatase, liver enzymes
Low Alkaline Phosphatase? What Causes This Deficiency and How to Restore Balance
March 31, 2022
PFAS
PFAS: Why They’ve Been Dubbed “Forever Chemicals” and How You Can Protect Yourself
March 24, 2022
Mycobacterium
How Mycobacterium Might Contribute To Your Inflammatory Bowel Disease
March 18, 2022

5 Comments

  1. Matt Tucker says:
    January 17, 2019 at 4:05 am

    Just confirming- it should be cyanotoxins produced by the cyanobacteria, not mycotoxins? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jill Carnahan, MD says:
      January 18, 2019 at 5:20 pm

      thanks, Matt! I corrected the error

      Reply
  2. Lindsay says:
    February 17, 2019 at 3:18 pm

    Why did you say “Finland has the highest rate of dementia in the world.” with a link to a citation that says no such thing? The citation clearly says “Finland has the highest death rate from dementia”. Twisting scientific research like this is exactly why the mainstream medical world doesn’t take alternative medicine seriously.
    Even if you wanted to claim that Finland has “the highest rate of dementia” per capita, it’s important to note that it has the 5th largest population over 65, with 21% of its population above the age of 65. So simply by virtue of having a higher percentage of elderly, it will have a higher rate of dementia.

    Reply
    • Jill Carnahan, MD says:
      March 10, 2020 at 4:29 pm

      The article has all references listed at bottom, including this one https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28687259

      Reply
  3. Andy says:
    June 28, 2020 at 8:04 am

    June 2020. I am being made aware by Australian researchers that respirable mycotoxins in water damaged homes often exceed workplace exposure limits set for agricultural workers. The impact of this research will be profound if shown to be accurate. Looking into it!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Post comment

Search
Dr. Jill
Dr. Jill will help you search for underlying triggers contributing to your illness through cutting edge lab testing and tailor the intervention to your specific needs as an individual.
  • Address:
    400 S. McCaslin Blvd, Suite 210, Louisville, Colorado 80027
  • Get Directions
  • Phone:
    (303) 993-7910
  • Fax:
    (303) 993-4674
  • Specialty
    Functional Medicine Expert Trained in Family Medicine Board Certified Trained in Integrative Holistic Medicine

Find us on:

Facebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowYouTube page opens in new windowRss page opens in new windowLinkedin page opens in new windowPinterest page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new window
Testimonials

I certainly understand how Dr. Jill got so popular! Love watching her very interesting videos on the site and have signed up for the newsletter. She exudes such an air of competence, authenticity, intelligence and humility!

Karin
Karin

Good day Jill, you Motivated me very much. In the Last years, I prepared to become a registered German Naturopath (Heilpraktiker). The webinars of Functional Medicine Practitioners I attended as often as I could. Best wishes from Europe.

Norbert
Norbert

In my many years and many experiences with doctors… you guys have them beat, hands down. You guys are great.

Jessica Hull
Jessica Hull

I just wanted to thank Dr. Carnahan and all the staff for a wonderful visit. What a great experience from start to finish. Of course, Dr. Carnahan is the icing on the cake! (Hmmm …need a healthier analogy) Anyway, I’m feeling excited optimistic, and hopeful after all these years of being sick. Again my thanks and blessings to you all. Warmly, Roberta

Roberta
Roberta

I just wanted to send a quick thank you for your time and advice today. I am so appreciative and I feel hopeful that the plan we have can really help me. I’ve been sick for a long time and recently I’ve been rather discouraged with where I’m at with my health. I believe that God has allowed our paths to cross and that He is going to use you help restore my body to health. Thank you for giving me hope. Blessings, Kara

Kara
Kara

I wanted to let you know you did an outstanding job at this past weekend at the IFM {Reversing Cognitive Decline} conference. I appreciate you sharing your personal health journey. You are a true inspiration!

Ronald Grisanti
Dr. Ronald GrisantiBoard Certified Chiropractic Orthopedist
Facebook
Jill Carnahan, MD
Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Dr. Jill
Dr. Jill will help you search for underlying triggers contributing to your illness through cutting edge lab testing and tailor the intervention to your specific needs as an individual.
  • Address:
    400 S. McCaslin Blvd, Suite 210, Louisville, Colorado 80027
  • Phone:
    (303) 993-7910
  • Fax:
    (303) 993-4674

Find us on:

Facebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowYouTube page opens in new windowRss page opens in new windowLinkedin page opens in new windowPinterest page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new window
Latest Tweets
  • Jim LaValle : Dr. Jill LIVE! Interview https://t.co/6FlSnwwKiD via @FacebookWatch8 days ago
  • Erin Pheil: Dr. Jill LIVE! Interview https://t.co/tIh4qer14V via @FacebookWatch8 days ago
  • Hope for MOLD: Dr. Jill LIVE! Interview https://t.co/2mvyZeC0o4 via @FacebookWatch12 days ago
Facebook
Jill Carnahan, MD
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD

© 2022 Jill Carnahan. All Rights Reserved | Site by Yakadanda  | FAQS | Disclaimer | Financial Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions

| Dr. Jill works as a functional medicine consultant in conjunction with your current health care team and is not considered a replacement for your primary care physician. She requires all new patients to have a primary care physician to cover emergencies and routine care and screening.

Go to Top
Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter
Thanks for Joining Me in the Microbiome Summit. Get Your Free Download Here
Join new and get your free copy of Paleolicious Snack Ideas. We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and get SEVEN FREE health downloads
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Flatiron Functional Medicine Newsletter
Join Dr. Jills' health community today and receive health tips, recipes and recommended products for a healthier you!
Join today and get Dr. Jill's Paleo-licious Snack Ideas for free! We promise never to share your email with anyone.
Flatiron Functional Medicine Holiday Giveaway
Enter now to win your free Berkey Water Filtration Sysyem (my personal favorite).
We promise never to share your email with anyone.
RESOLVE YOUR MOLD EXPOSURE SYMPTOMS
Dr. Jill's long-awaited Miracle Mold Detox Box is finally here. This handcrafted and researched bundle includes all of the crucial pieces you need to release and flush out toxins in 30 days.
SHOP NOW