glyphosate
Glyphosate
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What Is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is an herbicide that kills weeds. We call it the antibiotic against Earth.
It has other uses such as manipulating plant growth, preparing crops for harvest, and even ripening fruit. Monsanto, which was sold to Bayer in 2018, developed glyphosate and sold it under their trade name, Roundup.
Glyphosate was first synthesized in 1950 and was originally patented as an antibiotic. In 1974, glyphosate began to be used as a weed-killer known as Roundup. Things took a turn for the worse in 1996 when Monsanto introduced “Roundup Ready” crops. These crops are what we call “Frankenstein foods,” or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that are modified to be resistant to glyphosate (everything sprayed with glyphosate dies but the crop itself). Ultimately, the unintended consequences of GMOs are enormous, including a huge increase in the amount of glyphosate needed to kill weeds, depletion of our precious soil, and human disease to name a few.
Monsanto’s patent expired in 2000, and now there are hundreds of generic brands of glyphosate. Total revenue exceeds billions of dollars in profits for Bayer. An astonishing 8.6 billion kilograms (19 billion lbs) of it has been sprayed on our weeds since 1974, and over 200 million pounds of glyphosate are utilized by US farmers each year.
How Is It Harmful?
People have wisely begun to question the safety of glyphosate. If glyphosate is so toxic to plants, what about animals or even humans? Monsanto originally claimed that their chemical only affects plants. This claim is absolutely baseless.
Glyphosate comes from an amino acid called glycine. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are essential for biological life. Plants absorb glyphosate, which gets into the plants’ protein-making machinery, ultimately destroying the plants (for the nerds: it destroys the shikimic acid pathway). According to Monsanto, this pathway is only present in plants. Yes, humans and animals don’t use the shikimic pathway, but Monsanto neglected to mention that microorganisms (bacteria) and fungi also use the shikimic pathway. These microorganisms are found in our gut microbiome and in the soil.
Glyphosate has been shown to disrupt bees’ guts making them prone to infection and producing smaller and more developmentally delayed larvae. Ultimately this could lead to a reduced ability to effectively pollinate. It is also obliterating the monarch butterfly population. Glyphosate has reduced biodiversity in insects and amphibians with over 13 extinctions and counting.
Humans can absorb glyphosate through our skin, eyes, or lungs. Also, we consume it regularly. Almost 80% of urine samples from children and adults in the US contain glyphosate. Glyphosate has been linked to disruption of our immune systems, which may ultimately lead to certain cancers.
Short-term exposure to glyphosates is probably not that big of a deal. However, we must take action to reduce long-term exposure due to its potential long-term side effects, which include cancer, liver and kidney damage, reproductive and developmental problems, and possible risks for pregnant women and children. One last tip would be to consume more cruciferous vegetables (see resource guide) as they are potent anti-cancer foods.
We should heed the words of Phil Landrigan, director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good at Boston College: “Children are more heavily exposed to pesticides than adults because pound-for-pound they drink more water, eat more food and breathe more air… Also, children have many years of future life when they can develop diseases with long incubation periods such as cancer. This is particularly a concern with the herbicide, glyphosate.”
Potential Health Impacts and Studies
There are more than 40 studies suggesting a strong link between glyphosate and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (41% greater risk of developing NHL). Lymphoma is a cancer of our lymph nodes, which are part of our immune system. In addition there are over 100 studies showing negative effects of glyphosate on the microbiome. There are over 37 studies linking glyphosate to DNA damage. Over 24 studies link glyphosate to hormonal disorders in children, and over 22 studies link glyphosate to low testosterone. And much more!
The World Health Organization (WHO) called glyphosate “probably carcinogenic in humans” in 2016. Some experts believe this is too conservative, as it can take many years of exposure before developing cancer. This linkage technically still needs more “evidence,” but why take the risk? Unfortunately, causation through rigorous data takes years, and we are the guinea pigs.
Real people are getting hurt by glyphosate, evidenced by several successful lawsuits against Monsanto in 2016 (and yes, plaintiffs have been awarded several billion dollars in aggregate). There are currently over 14,000 lawsuits against Monsanto.
Ever since glyphosate was used as a desiccant (to dry up crops before harvesting them) in 2006, we have seen an explosion of gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Several studies confirm this association (glyphosate and gluten intolerance). 2006 also marked the first year that glyphosate was directly sprayed on our food. Glyphosate is toxic to the microbiome and leads to a leaky gut. Gluten is able to permeate the gut and cause a severe inflammatory response. Is the increase in gluten sensitivity because of gluten or glyphosate . . . or both?
The governing body that evaluates the safety of pesticides—the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)—continues to affirm that glyphosate does not pose any public risk. Hmmm? We wonder about the influence of Big Food/Big Agriculture lobbying our “protective” agencies. I think most of us can connect the dots. Remember, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the WHO) concluded that glyphosate may be a carcinogen. How can there be such a large discrepancy between these organizations?
Where Can Glyphosate Be Found
One can easily find this toxic substance anywhere there are unwanted weeds—from private backyards to commercial farms.
Spraying glyphosate to target unwanted weeds is difficult. Some can spill over into the grass where our livestock grazes. We consume what our livestock consumes. Also, aerosolized droplets can travel through the air like a cloud and fall on neighboring farms! Worse yet, no matter how carefully applied, glyphosate will seep into our soil, killing neighboring plants unintentionally. It can persist in the soil for months until digested by microorganisms releasing CO2, which contributes to climate change and the reduced quality of our soil.
Which foods have the highest levels of glyphosate? Almonds! Then apples, apricots, and asparagus. In addition, glyphosate can be found in cherries, avocados, spinach, potatoes, cucumbers, apples, lemons, grapefruit, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts. Glyphosate is also widespread in oat-based products, grain, and bean products. There have been growing efforts to measure the amount of glyphosate residue on these crops.
How Can I Avoid It?
Don’t buy Roundup or any other chemical herbicide. There are natural alternatives. Buy organic. Organic farming prohibits the use of glyphosate. Beware that buying organic does not completely eliminate glyphosate, but the levels will be far lower. Also, consider buying from vendors that you trust at local farmers markets.
What do critics say?
“Glyphosate has lower toxicity than nearly every other pesticide and less than many common household items.”
Yes, and one broken leg is better than having 2 broken legs. This claim is a mere distraction and tactic that has been exploited by Tobacco and Big Food. First, we don’t fully understand the extent of glyphosate toxicity even though the data are starting to pour in. Only time will tell how toxic glyphosate truly is in this worldwide human experiment driven by greed and profits.
“Glyphosate is primarily used on crops such as maize, soybeans, and cotton to control weeds.”
This is not true. Per the EWG (Environmental Working Group), “Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer in every sample of popular oat-based cereal and other oat-based food marketed to children.”
In 2016, glyphosate was applied to 33% of wheat acres in the USA.
“You only need a very small amount of glyphosate for it to be effective.”
It is known that organisms that are exposed to a certain antibiotic will learn to resist it. In fact, there are 48 glyphosate resistant species and counting. As a natural consequence, the trends of glyphosate use is skyrocketing. “Two-thirds of the total volume of glyphosate applied in the U.S. from 1974 to 2014 has been sprayed in just the last 10 years. The corresponding share globally is 72%. In 2014, farmers sprayed enough glyphosate to apply ~1.0 kg/ha (0.8 pound/acre) on every hectare of U.S.-cultivated cropland and nearly 0.53 kg/ha (0.47 pounds/acre) on all cropland worldwide.”
”Misinformation and scare tactics are overblown on social media. People don’t understand the data.”
Proof of safety regarding synthesized substances is required. There are countless examples (Thalidomide, Agent Orange, trans fats, Yellow-5, etc) that appeared safe initially but were indeed deadly. Data and statistics have consistently been manipulated and abused to service money and power. Why take an unnecessary risk, when there are alternatives. Also, by teaming up together and demanding the removal of a potentially toxic substance, we will create the necessary pressure to remove it from our food supply.
“Numerous agencies such as the EPA have deemed it ‘safe.'”
Opponents love to reference authorities. Unfortunately, these “authorities” have different incentives. We must question who is funding the research. Also, these organizations make recommendations based on “their opinion” of the literature. They also neglect to mention opposing authorities with different stances. For example, the WHO (World Health Organization) said, “Glyphosate is probably carcinogenic in humans.” We have seen governments, famous institutions, etc. blunder with regards to substances that were once deemed “perfectly safe.”
”The detected amount found in our urine is “tiny” and poses “no risk” to humans.”
This claim is full of hubris. The deadliest toxin, Botulinum Toxin, requires only 1 ng (nanogram 10^-9) per Kg to kill a human. In other words, an IV dose of 10^-7g would kill a person. We don’t know at this time how toxic a “tiny” dose of glyphosate is! We prefer to stay away from it completely.
What do critics say?
“Glyphosate is primarily used on crops such as maize, soybeans, and cotton to control weeds.”
This is not true. Per the EWG (Environmental Working Group), “Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer in every sample of popular oat-based cereal and other oat-based food marketed to children.”
In 2016, glyphosate was applied to 33% of wheat acres in the USA.
“Glyphosate has lower toxicity than nearly every other pesticide and less than many common household items.”
Yes, and one broken leg is better than having 2 broken legs. This claim is a mere distraction and tactic that has been exploited by Tobacco and Big Food. First, we don’t fully understand the extent of glyphosate toxicity even though the data are starting to pour in. Only time will tell how toxic glyphosate truly is in this worldwide human experiment driven by greed and profits.
“You only need a very small amount of glyphosate for it to be effective.”
It is known that organisms that are exposed to a certain antibiotic will learn to resist it. In fact, there are 48 glyphosate resistant species and counting. As a natural consequence, the trends of glyphosate use is skyrocketing. “Two-thirds of the total volume of glyphosate applied in the U.S. from 1974 to 2014 has been sprayed in just the last 10 years. The corresponding share globally is 72%. In 2014, farmers sprayed enough glyphosate to apply ~1.0 kg/ha (0.8 pound/acre) on every hectare of U.S.-cultivated cropland and nearly 0.53 kg/ha (0.47 pounds/acre) on all cropland worldwide.”
”Misinformation and scare tactics are overblown on social media. People don’t understand the data.”
Proof of safety regarding synthesized substances is required. There are countless examples (Thalidomide, Agent Orange, trans fats, Yellow-5, etc) that appeared safe initially but were indeed deadly. Data and statistics have consistently been manipulated and abused to service money and power. Why take an unnecessary risk, when there are alternatives. Also, by teaming up together and demanding the removal of a potentially toxic substance, we will create the necessary pressure to remove it from our food supply.
“Numerous agencies such as the EPA have deemed it ‘safe.'”
Opponents love to reference authorities. Unfortunately, these “authorities” have different incentives. We must question who is funding the research. Also, these organizations make recommendations based on “their opinion” of the literature. They also neglect to mention opposing authorities with different stances. For example, the WHO (World Health Organization) said, “Glyphosate is probably carcinogenic in humans.” We have seen governments, famous institutions, etc. blunder with regards to substances that were once deemed “perfectly safe.”
“The detected amount found in our urine is “tiny” and poses “no risk” to humans.”
This claim is full of hubris. The deadliest toxin, Botulinum Toxin, requires only 1 ng (nanogram 10^-9) per Kg to kill a human. In other words, an IV dose of 10^-7g would kill a person. We don’t know at this time how toxic a “tiny” dose of glyphosate is! We prefer to stay away from it completely.
We at MySuperherofoods are committed to following the best possible evidence and will reevaluate our opinions as the information changes.
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