The Mold Crisis: Why 30% of Homes Are Making Us Sick

Mold toxicity is a growing global health issue, with prevalence rising due to climate change, urbanization, and increased indoor exposure. Effective protocols must address detoxification challenges and the biological realities of mold toxins, with sulforaphane and quercetin emerging as leading solutions for both prevention and recovery.

Roughly 30% of homes worldwide are affected by mold, driven by moisture, substandard construction, and climate shifts. Mold exposure is linked to respiratory issues - 4.6 million U.S. asthma cases are tied to household mold - and contributes significantly to chronic sinus infections, cognitive complaints, and childhood asthma risk. Mold is difficult to eliminate as it can hide in walls, ceilings, and HVAC systems, making avoidance a persistent challenge. Even if your home is free of mold, it’s likely that your workplace, school, and even favorite vacation spot harbor mold and impact your health.

Why Mold Is Hard to Avoid

• Mold spores are ubiquitous and resilient to cleaning.

• Climate change is expanding the geographic range of toxic mold species, increasing human exposure globally.

• Standard antifungal treatments offer limited options and resistance is rising, with no current prevention or easy remediation treatments available.

• Indoor living has increased risk; mold-related illnesses can affect populations across class and geography.

Sulforaphane: More Than a Detox Strategy

Sulforaphane (SFN) is a potent detoxifier, supporting all three phases of detox. This breadth sets SFN apart, as most conventional detox agents (e.g., milk thistle, curcumin, charcoal, zeolite) typically support just one or two phases. Clinical trials demonstrate SFN's pivotal role in protecting neurocognitive function, reducing inflammation, and strengthening gut barrier integrity amidst mold toxicity.

Phase 1: SFN activates the Nrf2 pathway, upregulates antioxidants, and processes fat-soluble toxins.

• Phase 2: Enhances glutathione, glucuronidation, and key liver enzymes for mycotoxin conjugation and safe excretion.

• Phase 3: SFN supports biliary and renal excretion, reducing reabsorption and optimizing elimination.

Quercetin: Mast Cell, Histamine, and Mold Protocols

Quercetin stabilizes mast cells, which release histamine in allergic and extreme reactions such as MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome). Its impacts include:

• Reducing histamine and tryptase release, calming tissue inflammation.

• Acting as a natural antihistamine, mitigating MCAS flare-ups and histamine-driven symptoms in mold-sensitive patients.

• Inhibiting inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, TNF) and supporting immune system resilience.

Bioavailability Problems and Solutions

Sulforaphane (SFN)

Most supplements contain glucoraphanin (the precursor) rather than preformed SFN, relying on myrosinase from gut microbiota. This results in variable absorption and can be harsh on the gut at high doses; bioavailability is usually only 10% without active myrosinase. Preparation method (e.g., freeze-dried sprouts, enteric coating, added myrosinase) drastically improves uptake.

BrocElite® by Mara Labs leverages a proprietary stabilization process to deliver highly bioavailable SFN directly, enhancing cellular function and ensuring sustained, effective dosing. The most important aspect of SFN is Nrf2 activation - something that BrocElite accomplishes with just one serving.

Quercetin

Quercetin’s bioavailability is normally only about 5%, limiting therapeutic impact. Mara Labs’ QuercElite® formulation combines quercetin with broccoli seed complex to markedly increase bioavailability, overcoming absorption barriers and delivering rapid cellular benefits. Our customers who use QuercElite for “seasonal nose issues” report feeling it work within hours, which speaks to the superior bioavailability.

Two are better than one:

The combination of BrocElite and QuercElite happens to be a powerhouse for a comfortable daily detox that takes the pressure off of your body and builds resilience to face a daily onslaught of environmental and biolgical stressors.

• BrocElite: Delivers preformed, stabilized SFN with enhanced systemic absorption and cellular uptake, bypassing the bioavailability issues found in glucoraphanin-based products. Activating over 200 antioxidant genes, it works against the clock to benefit the brain, gut, skin, and sleep for decades of wellness.

• QuercElite: Utilizes proprietary seed complexes to boost quercetin’s cellular penetration so it effectively regulates histamine and supports immunomodulation.

References

1. Mayo Clinic. "Chronic sinus infection attributed to mold." Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 1999. Read

2. Danner, Bridgit. "Five Ways Sulforaphane Supports Detox." Bridgit Danner Wellness Blog, 2022. Read

3. Pure TheraPro RX. "Recovering from Mold Toxicity." Pure TheraPro RX Blog, 2025. Read

4. Dmytriv, Tetiana R., et al. "Glucoraphanin conversion into sulforaphane and related compounds by gut microbiota." Frontiers in Physiology, 2025. Read

5. Quercetin, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, and Histamine Intolerance. EDS Clinic, 2024. Read

6. Sulforaphane Bioavailability from Glucoraphanin-Rich Broccoli. PLoS ONE, 2015. Read

7. Improving quercetin bioavailability: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Food Chemistry, 2025. Read

8. BrocElite by Mara Labs. "Bioavailability vs Functionality." Mara Labs Journal, 2024. Read

9. QuercElite by Mara Labs. "Quercetin & Histamines." Mara Labs Journal, 2024. Read

10. NCT07040280. "Testing the Effect of Sulforaphane, a Broccoli Compound, On Inflammation and Disease Risk." ClinicalTrials.gov, 2025. Read