Most of our soy and corn crops are Roundup Ready, but are we? What are the hidden health hazards of glyphosate, the primary ingredient used in Roundup?
What is Roundup ready?
Crops like corn and soy are genetically modified to be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. This means the plant will live when sprayed with glyphosate and the weeds around them will die.
What’s wrong with glyphosate?
In March of 2015, The World Health Organization added glyphosate to their growing list of probable carcinogens. WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), based its findings in part on a US EPA report concluding that is “sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals.” (See the news release IARC Monographs Volume 112: Evaluation of Five Organophosphate Insecticides and Herbicides.”
A 2016 study appearing in Environmental Sciences Europe notes that glyphosate is the most widely applied pesticide in history with yet-to-be-determined health and environmental implications.
The apparent tendency of glyphosate to concentrate in the kidneys, coupled with glyphosate’s action as a chelating agent, has led some scientists to hypothesize that glyphosate can bind to metals in hard drinking water, creating metallic-glyphosate complexes that may not pass normally through kidneys [71], [72]. For this, or other as yet unrecognized reasons, the risk of chronic kidney disease may be heightened in human and animal populations with heavy glyphosate exposure.
Countries around the world have since taken action against glyphosate. As yet, the United States has done nothing. (See 10 Countries Shun Glyphosate.)
Glyphosate was introduced into our food supply in the 1970s based on the assumption that humans are missing the shikimate pathway – a mechanism used to kill the targeted plant.
This assumption may prove to be one of the most hazardous assumptions ever made. While the shikimate pathway is missing from human physiology, it is not absent from the bacteria, fungi and other microbial species that dominate our immune system.
Our microbial cells outnumber human cells by as much as 10:1 (if not more). Doesn’t it make sense that disruption of critical amino acids in plants will impair vital nutrient systems in the human microbiome?
Consider the rise in inflammatory bowel disease over the last 40 years. Imagine the type of reactions occurring in the gut if most of our protective microbial allies are under attack.
The authors of a critical study published in 2013 contend there is a strong correlation between the prevalence of glyphosate and a disrupted human microbiome. Stephanie Seneff and Anthony Samsel, authors of Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases, note glyphosate’s preference for pathogenic bacteria over friendly ones,
“Glyphosate has been shown to have remarkable adverse effects on the gut biota in poultry by reducing the number of beneficial bacteria and increasing the number of pathogenic bacteria in the gut. Highly pathogenic strains of Salmonella and Clostridium were found to be highly resistant to glyphosate, whereas beneficial bacteria such as Enterococcus, Bacillus and Lactobacillus were found to be especially susceptible. Due to the antagonistic effect of the common beneficial bacterium Enterococcus spp. on Clostridia, the toxicity of glyphosate to E. spp could lead to overgrowth of Clostridia and resulting pathologies.”
Furthermore, researchers have linked glyphosate and two other widely-used herbicides with a growing health issue: antibiotic resistance.
This information not only tells me I want to shop carefully for eggs (from chickens who are not subject to genetically modified food), it lets me know I want to steer clear of glyphosate altogether.
This means the avoidance of all soy and corn as well as wheat, sugar beets, canola and other crops that are sprayed with glyphosate shortly before harvest to dry them out for easier processing. (See more about crop desiccation and glyphosate here.)
And I must pay careful attention to water. Glyphosate is often found in both private and municipal water supplies. Our local water quality report shows the presence of glyphosate with a very high acceptable range.
This is an excerpt of my community’s most recent Water Quality Report.
The highest level detected is less than 6, but look at the tolerated amounts as indicated by the number 700!
I frankly don’t think 700 ppb constitutes safe. But then I don’t deem <6 safe either. (Especially when ingested with the 70 other contaminants listed in my city’s water report.)
For now, I’ll keep filtering my water, avoiding herbicide sprays, and choosing organic, non-GMO food. I don’t need the constant assault of a chemical designed to disrupt critical life-giving pathways.
Glyphosate is also considered to be an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). Learn more about EDCs in the article Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 101.
Are humans Roundup Ready? What do you think?
I honestly wonder how much longer we feel we can mess with our food supply and not totally fall apart as a human race for it. Whenever we “play God”, it never works out. When, oh when, will we learn???
I so agree with you, Heather. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hello Andrea,
I, being a new farmer (and formerly a chemist), was referred to your post by my concerned wife (who, btw, is an active GAPS diet proponent, herself being a huge success story).
I understand your concern for the willy-nilly use of synthetic compounds in farming. I use glyphosate some on our crops – from which we eat! So when an article is published linking glyphosate to gut bacteria imbalance related problems, I want to know the facts behind it.
I’m sorry to say that the Seneff and Samsel article is just a review of past papers – no new studies or data. But even the data that the review article refers to is not at all conclusive. The referenced papers which actually did testing with controlled amounts of glyphosate dealt mainly with massive dosing in the laboratory of test cells or bacteria. The lowest dosage studied (that I found in the papers) and found to have an effect was 10 ppm. That equals 10,000 ppb (parts per billion)!
So, I think you can be a little less concerned for the <6 ppb in your city drinking water and possibly residual glyphosate in general.
I appreciate your thoughts, John. My focus is not so much on the study I referenced but my gut feeling that chemicals – with a strong emphasis on glyphosate – do harm to the gut. We’re slowly finding that the “dose makes the poison” method of operation is not necessarily always right. I really enjoyed hearing from you. My heart is for people like yourself to lead the way by turning to organic methods. With your expertise as well as your wife’s I think you could help change the world for the better. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
John,
I have personally seen subsurface groundwater contaminated twenty-three days after a single application of glyphosate was sprayed at the prescribed rate on surface vegetation. This was not some willy nilly thing, this was documented on a highly regulated site by a certified testing laboratory. FYI, the vast majority of both surface, and subsurface water in North America are highly contaminated with glyphosate and MTBE.
Very sad indeed. Thank you for the information, Mark.
I’m with you, I’ll stick to buying filtered water from my local natural foods co-op, keeping our garden herbicide free, and choosing organic, non-GMO food. I also ask farmers about this when I shop at farmers markets – I ask if they use Roundup on their property, if they do, I don’t purchase from them.
I’ve learned not to hesitate to ask questions of farmers. Thanks for stopping by Emily.
The old “acceptable levels” argument is so disturbing! I don’t find any level of Round Up acceptable.
I so agree, Linda. We’re slowly finding out that the dose doesn’t make the poison.
I’m not sure what’s more scary, the fact that everything is so manipulated nowadays, or the fact that people cover their ears and go on with their business, and keep buying things that should not be consumed. Sigh
It’s so hard to think about these things. Much easier to go on “as is.” Thanks for your comment, Danna.
I wish someone would just call a “time out” long enough to implement the precautionary principle with all the new chemicals that are in such widespread use. Thanks for writing this, Andrea.
Europe is ahead of us when it comes to the precautionary principle. I think the profit issue keeps us from it.
This just literally makes me sick. 🙁 It break my heart about what my kids are going to face in this world if we continue doing this to our food and land.
I agree. I can’t look too far ahead.
This insight you make is incredibly important, that the microflora that make up so much of who are are adversely affected by the poison. We are so short-sighted with convenience items!!! 🙁
Yes we are, Megan! Short-sighted is exactly right.
This really boils me. I actually believe that a huge factor in my own gut imbalance as a very young teenager stemmed from eating food with this…
Yes me too, Renee!
I agree with you, I think we are doing damage on a deep molecular, biological level that I fear won’t be able to be undone (or at least will be extremely hard to repair)… kind of like cutting down all the trees… it takes a long time to get a biological habitat back to homeostasis. Great article, thank you for posting!
Yes, it’s a very deep problem. Nice to hear from you, Sarah.
I know that Round Up isn’t easily removed from the ground and that it can take many, many years before it’s out of the soil so during this time of ‘ridding’ it from the soil, it has already penetrated ground water and other sources. It reminds me a lot of the pervasiveness of Bermuda grass that is grown in the desert. In the 60s, desert residents wanted green grass so they planted Bermuda and years later, people are still removing the deep roots of the grass. They can go six feet down or more I’m sure. Oh, and then folks spray it with glyphosate to keep it alive. Ugh. This is not a problem that will go away any time soon so we must continue to educate ourselves about the dangers of the OVERuse of pesticides on our food, the eco-system, and our health. I always tell folks, ‘do the best you can with the resources you have at your disposal and always be open to learning and growing’.
After living in the dessert for 6 years I can attest to the desire for green grass – but embracing nature is far more rewarding. Good advice, Jessica.
I can personally say, studies or not, I have had so many clients show marked health improvements by eliminating GMO’s and pesticides from their foods. Even just drastically reducing their intake shows marked health improvements. Its “empirical” but dang it its relevant! People need to think about what they are putting into their bodies and how it effects us over not only the day to day, but over a life time.
Yes, the implications down the road are very relevant. Thanks Amanda!
Thank you for sharing this! Due to budget, we don’t buy everything organic, but we have been moving to making sure more and more of our diet is organic or at least non-GMO. We have found it makes a difference for us!
Great informative post. It’s so surprising to me that we don’t label GMO foods. Well, I get it. They have lost of money to make sure that doesn’t happen. I guess I should say that it just makes me sad. More home grown whole fresh organic foods for me!
Yes, makes me sad too. Amen to the fresh organic foods.
So awful. 🙁 Thanks for spreading awareness on this issue.
Thanks for all you do to help educate others about these issues, Kylie.
Thank you, Kylie. 🙂
What is so disturbing is that our government knows that the chemicals harm us and they don’t care. You see Roundup is manufactured by Monsanto, which gives tons of money to keep you from knowing the truth about their products and their gmo’s. They don’t want labeling on food because they know that people won’t buy it. It is only common sense that the increase of gut problems is due to what they are doing to our foods. The sad part of this is, will we be able to stop them from killing us? As long as it puts money in their pockets they don’t care who or how they harm people….it’s a sad commentary on what corporations consider important.
Yes, when profit is the motive we are truly at risk. Thanks for you comment, Debbie.
Andrea, how can we really go all non-GMO? How do we find meat sources that are not fed GMO corn? Can a farmer truly keep his crop non GMO? What if the farmer near him is dumping such poison and growing lots of GMO corn, how does it not cross pollinate and eventually compromise the smarter non GMO farmer? Btw, we tried to check into raising a few chickens in our suburb no rooster but our city has banned raising chickens……so many roadblocks!!!
I get it, Rebecca. It seems so overwhelming. If all else fails you can order from Amos Miller Organic Farm (as one option)….there may be a farmer closer to you, but Amos Miller is a true organic farm nestled in the hills of PA. It’s worth the extra effort as I believe one day it will be obvious that tinkering with nature has huge health implications. The problem is these issues don’t surface for many years so it’s hard to take hold of it now. You’re smart to be fighting this fight I assure you.