Glyphosate

Glyphosate originally patented as an antibiotic, has been found to target good bacteria and spare the life of bad bacteria making it a serious issue for the microbiome. Even more troubling is that it has extremely high affinity to chelate copper in the soils and since it has contaminated many of the staple crops that humans eat we have now become deficient in copper.

A few simple steps can greatly reduce our exposure to this toxin. 

1. Eliminate these foods from your diet.

Oats, Wheat, Barley, Buckwheat, Millet, Canola, Sugar beets, Potatoes, Lentils and Peas with heavy contamination.

Prefer fruit where the skin will be removed so that the bulk of contamination can be sparred from consumption.

2. In some regions the drinking water is contaminated with Glyphosate

The only suitable method for removal of glyphosate from drinking water is to use a cost effective distiller or an advanced reverse osmosis system.

3. Make your own candy.

A great activity for you and the kids, find some candy recipes and use organic cane sugar or maple syrup with gelatin beware of artificial dies and use fruits to color and flavor your candy.

Here is the dirty dozen list from EWG https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php it will help guide us through what items might be best purchased organic. EWG also created a clean 15 list https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php some of my favorites on this list are avocadoes, pineapple, papaya, honeydew melon, watermelon, mangoes, sweet potatoes, watermelon and carrots.

Link between prenatal glyphosate exposure and autism: https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.1922287117

Glyphosate Population Control Study and Connection to Autism: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30894343/

Toxicity to the nervous system: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9101768/

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that “Glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans” based on epidemiological, toxicology, and genotoxicity studies3.

Evidence of Exposure

https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-018-0435-5

1. Update on Human Exposure to Glyphosate:

   • This study provides an update on glyphosate exposure levels in both occupationally exposed individuals and children.

   • It reviews available literature and quantifiable exposure data.

   • The lowest average level of glyphosate exposure reported was 0.28 μg/L, and the highest average exposure levels reported were 4.04 μg/L1.

   • However, due to limited data, parsing out the potential relationship between glyphosate exposure and disease remains challenging.

2. Toxic Effects of Glyphosate on the Nervous System:

   • This systematic review investigates the neurotoxic effects of glyphosate exposure in various animal species and humans2.

   • It highlights the impact of exposure on the nervous system.

3. Childhood Exposure to Glyphosate and Health Risks:

   • New research from UC Berkeley School of Public Health links childhood exposure to glyphosate (the world’s most widely used weed killer) to liver inflammation and metabolic disorder in early adulthood.

   • These effects could potentially lead to liver cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease later in life3.

4. Glyphosate Infiltrates the Brain and Increases Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine TNFα: Implications for Neurodegenerative Disorders:

   • Glyphosate, the active ingredient in many commercial herbicides, is the most heavily applied herbicide worldwide. Recent studies have shown a positive correlation between increased glyphosate application and death rates due to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

   • Researchers found that glyphosate infiltrates the brain in a dose-dependent manner and upregulates the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα both in plasma and brain tissue. This suggests that exposure to glyphosate may have detrimental effects on the general population’s health1.

   • The study also revealed that glyphosate exposure in primary cortical neurons increases levels of soluble Aβ 40-42 (associated with Alzheimer’s disease) and cytotoxicity.

   • RNA sequencing showed over 200 differentially expressed genes in a dose-dependent manner, affecting processes related to oligodendrocytes, myelination, and glial cell development.

5. Systematic Literature Review of Glyphosate and Neurological Endpoints:

   • As of December 2021, 25 eligible epidemiological studies on glyphosate exposure and neurological endpoints were assessed. These studies provide insights into the potential effects of glyphosate on the nervous system2.

6. Toxic Effects of Glyphosate on the Nervous System:

   • Glyphosate exposure induces several neurotoxic effects in various animal species and humans. These effects are a cause for concern and warrant further investigation3.

7. Chelation Basics:

   • Chelation refers to the process by which a molecule (the chelator) forms stable complexes with metal ions. In the case of glyphosate, it can chelate with various metal ions, including copper (CuII).

   • The strength of chelation depends on factors such as the ligand (glyphosate), the metal ion, and the surrounding environment.

8. Glyphosate and Copper Interaction:

   • Glyphosate’s affinity for copper is well-documented, but direct quantitative comparisons with other minerals are less common.

   • Glyphosate forms stable complexes with CuII ions, affecting their availability in soil and plants.

   • In agricultural systems, glyphosate competes with other essential nutrients (such as iron, manganese, and zinc) for binding sites in soil .

   • The chelation of copper by glyphosate may lead to imbalances in nutrient availability.

9. Potential Implications:

   • Copper Deficiency: Glyphosate’s strong affinity for copper could reduce its bioavailability to plants. Copper is essential for various plant processes, including photosynthesis and enzyme function.

   • Nutrient Imbalance: If glyphosate disproportionately binds to copper, it may disrupt the balance of essential micronutrients in crops.

   • Food Quality: Reduced copper availability in crops could impact food quality and human health.

10. Glyphosate and Copper Chelation:

    • Glyphosate, also known as N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine, is widely used as a broad-spectrum herbicide. Interestingly, it was initially patented as a metal chelator due to its ability to form stable complexes with divalent metal ions, including copper 1.

    • This chelating property allows glyphosate to bind to copper ions, potentially affecting their availability in soil and plants.

11. Studies on Glyphosate’s Impact:

    • Environmental Persistence and Crop Health:

      1. Glyphosate-based herbicides are commonly used for weed control. However, concerns exist regarding their nontarget impacts in agroecosystems.

      2. Glyphosate persists in the environment and can affect crop health and nutrition. Researchers have explored its degradation, persistence, and effects on crops 2.

      3. The herbicide’s persistence may be longer than previously thought, especially when crop residues containing glyphosate return to the soil 3.

    • Soil Microbes and Nutrient Availability:

      1. Glyphosate can alter soil microbial communities. For instance, it affects the relative abundance of proteobacteria and Acidobacteria in response to exposure 3.

      2. As a chelator, glyphosate binds to essential nutrients like iron, manganese, zinc, and boron in the soil, potentially limiting their uptake by plants 4.

      3. The competition between glyphosate and phosphorus (P) for adsorption sites in soil affects P availability to crops 2.

    • Copper and Glyphosate Interaction:

      1. Glyphosate’s affinity for copper can lead to imbalances. It competes with other minerals, affecting their availability.

      2. Unfortunately, specific quantitative data on glyphosate’s higher affinity for copper over other minerals are scarce in the literature.

      3. However, the chelation of copper by glyphosate may impact nutrient availability and potentially affect food quality 1.

12. Ecological Risks and Safety:

    • Glyphosate’s impact extends beyond plants. It can adversely affect aquatic invertebrates, amphibian larvae, and earthworms 3.

    • While the mechanism of action is unique to plants and some microorganisms, evidence shows adverse effects on mammals.

    • Adjuvants in commercial glyphosate products may also contribute to toxicity 3.