Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the popular herbicide, Roundup. Glyphosate toxicity is a big deal and what you don’t know just might kill you! Many people routinely spray their lawns with this chemical totally unaware of the toxicity. In the United States, farmers are applying ever increasing amounts to their crops before harvest. According the the World Health Organization, glyphosate is now declared a “probable carcinogen” which means it may cause cancer. The industry still asserts that it is totally safe for humans, however, one only needs to look at the data to know that is not true.
Ignorance may be bliss but I believe we may be on the verge of one of the most toxic man made environmental disasters in history… and unfortunately this chemical is persistent in both the environment and the human body and it is not easy to clean up. France’s highest court found Monsanto guilty of lying as far back as 2008 about the toxicity of it’s popular weedkiller, Roundup. “The court confirmed an earlier judgment that Monsanto had falsely advertised its herbicide as “biodegradable” and claimed it “left the soil clean” (Read more here)
According to an Article in Nature published March 24, 2015:
Glyphosate is the world’s most widely produced herbicide, by volume. It is used extensively in agriculture and is also found in garden products in many countries. The chemical is an ingredient in Monsanto’s weedkiller product Roundup, and glyphosate has become more popular with the increasing market share of crops that are genetically engineered to be tolerant to the herbicide.
California recently became the first state to issue plans to list glyphosate as a chemical known to cause cancer according to EcoWatch. This is big news and we need to pay attention. The use of glyphosate has nearly doubled from 95 million pounds in 2001 to nearly 185million pounds in 2007, according to the latest released report form the EPA and who knows how much it’s increased sine 2007! This is likely in part due to the increase usage of Round-up Ready genetically modified crops during that same time period.
Dr. Anthony Samsel and Dr. Stephanie Seneff state in their recent article published August 2015:
Glyphosate has a large number of tumorigenic [cancer-causing] effects on biological systems, including direct damage to DNA in sensitive cells, disruption of glycine homeostasis, succinate dehydrogenase inhibition, chelation of [minerals such as] manganese, modification to more carcinogenic molecules, such as N-nitrosoglyphosate and glyoxylate, disruption of fructose metabolism, etc…
Sadly epidemiological evidence supports a strong correlation between the dramatic rise in use of glyphosate on crops and the multitude of cancers reaching epidemic proportions, such as breast, pancreatic, kidney, thyroid, bladder, and liver cancers.
In perhaps the most ironic twist of all, glyphosate has proven highly toxic to the basic phase one detoxification of the liver, the cytochrome pathways. I find it incredibly alarming that one of the most toxic chemicals known to mankind also exerts it’s influence by impairing human detoxification. Did you get that!? A toxic chemical that makes is harder to detox… what nonsense!
Here is an excerpt from Entropy 2013, Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 enzymes and amino acid biosynthesis by the gut microbe:
Glyphosate’s inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes is an overlooked component of its toxicity to mammals. CYP enzymes play crucial roles in biology, one of which is to detoxify xenobiotics. Thus, glyphosate enhances the damaging effects of other food borne chemical residues and environmental toxins. Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body.
Harvesting wheat after glyphosate application
Glyphosate may trigger autoimmunity, such as celiac disease by the following mechanisms:
- Spraying of wheat before harvest with glyphosate, a common practice in North America allows for a large exposure to glyphosate in wheat.
- Wheat may be the most common ingredient in processed foods.
- Glyphosate also damages the microvilli in gut reducing ability to absorb vitamins and minerals
- Wheat contains gliadin, which is difficult for genetically susceptible individuals to break down.
- Glyphosate may attach to the gliadin as a consequence of a chemical interaction between the chemical make it even harder to break down this large protein molecule.
- It may not be recognized by the body or able to be broken down, making even more likely to induce an immunological response in susceptible individuals, contributing to development of celiac disease
In addition to celiac disease, researchers now believe that glyphosate may be linked to the following diseases:
- Autism
- Autoimmune diseases
- Cancer
- Parkinson’s
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Depression
- Infertility
Glyphosate is also toxic to our gut microbiome
Glyphosate is toxic to many of our benetifical gut microbes. It may preferentially kill off species, like lactobacillus while leaving potential pathogens, like clostridia to run wild. Glyphosate also chelates essential minerals, such as manganese, iron, cobalt, molybdenum, and copper so that the gut microbes do not have access to them. This leads to chronic inflammatory states in the gut as well as increased intestinal permeability, a mechanism at the core of many chronic illnesses, including inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and autoimmunity.
If you are eating processed food, you are eating glyphosate…
Residues of glyphosate are commonly found in the most common foods in the American Diet, including
- Corn
- Soy
- Sugar Beets (sugar)
- Canola
- Cotton (not food but in clothing, sanitary napkins and many products we use daily)
Nearly one billion pounds of glyphosate are doused on both conventional and genetically modified crops world-wide each year but GMO crops receive the largest amounts. Processed foods undoubtable expose you to this toxic contamination, courtesy of wheat, corn, soy and the vegetable oil used. And the meats from conventionally raised animals in confined feed lots are given fed that most likely contains glyphosate-laden corn and soy.
And finally… it gets personal
You may know that I grew up on a farm in Central Illinois. My Dad and brothers still farm corn and soybeans there and I couldn’t be more proud that they have recently switched over to non-GMO versions of these crops. My brothers have started a few fields of organic crops as well. Due to my own history of breast cancer and Crohn’s disease, I have followed at 100% organic diet for at least the past 10-15 years.
Recently I realized just how pervasive this glyphosate exposure is in our environment when I sent out my urine to test my own glyphosate level. I was shocked to get the results back (below) showing that my level was higher than the “Farmer” study, which tested farm workers on application day! This made me realize how pervasive this dangerous chemical is in our environment and how important it is to remain vigilant to decrease exposure and work to get it banned. I am currently working hard on detoxing this chemical from my body and will keep you posted when I do repeat testing.
Dr. Jill glyphosate levels
Ok, so what can I do about it?!
The most important thing to realize is that you cannot wash glyphosate off food since it is incorporated into each cell of plant.
Here are some tips to keep your diet free of glyphosate:
- Only way to 100% eliminate from your diet is to avoid conventionally grown and processed foods
- Glyphosate accumulates in animal tissues, so make sure your meat was not fed GMO grains and your butter and dairy is organic
- Switch over to a 100% organic diet
- Take activated charcoal or rice bran powder in aiding elimination of organophosphates and glyphosate after exposure
- Maintain adequate mineral status by taking a multi-mineral supplement that includes trace minerals
- Support glutathione production with N-acetylcysteine, glycine and glutamine or oral liposomal glutathione
- Support phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification by avoiding alcohol and taking liver support, like silymarin, lipoid acid
- It is much harder to reverse damage once it’s done, so best to avoid glyphosate from the start—especially in children!
- A glyphosate test kit. HRI Labs will give 10% off when you use code ‘DrJill’ at checkout. This makes the price $89.
Thanks so much for this article. Even though it depressed my usual perky morning disposition today, I am glad to have the information. Could you elaborate on the sixth point you made regarding what we could do to keep our diets glyphosate free, i.e., promote glutathione production… are the things you mentioned available in health food stores?
Sure, Marie
I like Xymogen S-Acetyl-glutathione which you can order from Xymogen using code# DrJill and last name: Carnahan. Dose is 200mg 3x daily 30min prior to meals
warmly
Dr. Jill
wow, scary! any idea how your level got that high? I assume you’re following a 100% organic, wheat free diet?
yes, I eat 100% organic, whole food diet and have for 10+ years….
Any idea what might be causing that crazy high result? Food or environment? Yikes!
It’s not food, I’m quite certain my diet is as clean as it gets…. I have two dogs who walk on grass that may be treated since we live in a condo. I also have poor detoxification genetics so that may play a role 😉
Pls add to your article that glyphosate is also sprayed on the soil of our crops fields as a burn down before planting and as a desiccant (drying agent) on non organic crops such as sugar, wheat, barley, lentils, dried peas and beans etc. So these foods must always be organic! Thanks for your important article!
What lab did you use for your glyphosate levels?
Thanks
Great Plains now does testing. I original used The Detox Project for my test
Is glyphosate just in Round Up or many other sources?
I believe just in Roundup
There are many glyphosate-based herbicides like Round-up. The formulations may vary, but they all contain glyphosate. And in fact, the formulated herbicides (like Round-up) are likely to be more carcinogenic and toxic than glyphosate alone, due to the surfactants and contaminants in the formulations. The surfactants “enhance” glyphosate’s toxicity. They act to dissolve the cell membrane, allowing glyphosate to access the DNA.
In New Zealand glyphosphate is available in many weed killer products as well as roundup. It can be bought in supermarkets as well as many other hardware and chain stores. It is used freely without restriction. I became suspicious when my vege patch produced malformed plants only to find roundup had been used by neighboring hop garden.
Studies are showing Roundup is IN OUR RAIN NOW.. So it’s rain on us. In addition to the nano-particle sized chemrails full of Aluminum, Barium, Strontium, Mercury, lead, Cadmium etc.. experimenting on us for so called “weather control and change”, and/or aerosol vaccines from air, we also have Roundup raining on us, and ALL organic crops too. Toxic clouds from it all. Google recent studies finding Roundup in cloud rain.
Read here how Monsanto is creating GMO seeds that will grow in HIGH levels of Aluminum, while it is hurting Organic crops, as it lands in soil. So i guess the Gov’t plans to spray us long term :(( Keep detoxing.
1. Chemtrails hurting Organic Crops:
http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/chemtrails-killing-organic-crops-monsantos-gmo-seeds-thrive/
2. Chemtrails right now Urgently needs more people to help stop Illegal spraying.
By Dane Wigington / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25AgJXMgwo0#t=2413.412335
Thank you for the article. A few comments. Glyphosate is not just in Roundup, it is the most widely used herbicide in the US, if not the world. Eating organic is the way to go but unfortunately, as the previous person stated, it is almost impossible to escape. Due to flooding, wind, bees, government “rain”, and drainage I am beginning to believe most organic and non-gmo food no longer is. But here is the thing, if you eat conventional, your levels of toxins are going to be outrageously higher than the organic eater. At least for the time being.
Great article, thank you very much for acting on rising awareness about the dangers of glyphosate!
I hope your health problems are under control now and wish you great health and lots of such great work for the future!!!
If people are in the Boulder/Denver area – most residents don’t realize that the County actually sprays many of the open space trails (eg Walker Ranch, etc) and roadways. They use 2,4-D and others. If you want to speak out and suggest they stop using any pesticides at all (they claim “just a little” is not a big deal, but it’s not a little, and it is a big deal, and it has long term affects) – please write to Boulder County Board of Commissioners
Likewise, whenever you see a yellow flag posted in town in front of shopping complexes, find out who the property management is and give the a call to voice your concerns. This won’t stop until enough people speak out!
commissioners@bouldercounty.org
re above comment – this is the email address to write to (didn’t paste first time?)
Hi Dr. Jill,
As you are pointing people towards a 100% organic diet like yours, are you not worried about the increase in ingesting pesticides used in organic farming? Many of these, despite being ‘natural’ as opposed to synthetic, are far more harmful and toxic than glyphosate.
I’m sure this is something that concerns you.
Organic is still superior in limiting toxic exposure and nutrient density, so no
In what ways?
This week I was spraying round up with a new sprayer and as I was using it while leaning over to pump it up the spray shot up out of top and covered one side of my hair, cheek and arm. Hurried to hide then straight to shower. Did not burn or seem to bother me but concerned about effects that could happen from this accident. My husband said the seal on bottom of part that goes in tank did not seal causing it to shoot out. Have had breadth cancer and stuns love stroke what now. Should contact co. that made it, really did not know it was this toxic. Thanks for info on this. Any suggestion as to anything I can do. See u can have a test to see how much in body. Thank you for this informative information.
you may try infrared sauna therapy
I’ve read organic food is so contaminated with glyphosate, that it is no longer truly organic, & is becoming less so by the day. Especially now that it’s being found in soil, water, & I wouldn’t doubt the air we breath. Even USDA organic labeling, can contain a certain % of inorganic ingredients.
The only truly safe organic, would be grown by you, using organic soil, in a green house with truly filtered water, that is air tight, blowing air out but never letting it in, to prevent chemtrail exposure. How on earth, does a backyard grower accomplish that?
Unfortunately, new research reveals this is even in Organic & Non GMO labeled foods including the oatmeal I have been eating every morning for breakfast. Monsanto has convinced companies to use this as a drying agent for crops and is used as well in organic & non-gmo baby oatmeal which sickens me.
I have been very sick for almost a year now I have experienced lesions covering at least 68% of my body and my entire head I keep active lesions in my head and no matter what i do I never get any better my once beautiful hair that was past my waist is now so infected that it comes out by the hands full daily my complexion used to be the best now it’s so bad i rarely leave home because it embarrasses me to be seen like this there are days I pray for death because i no longer have any quality of life and for some reason I can’t help but feel that my toxicity levels have gone Haywire from glyphosate toxicity i feel that my body cant fight anything off and the bacteria and funguses have taken over I wish there was some way to be myself again but I feel sure there is no hope for me any longer 🙁
Hi Terri – don’t give up! There is always hope… find a functional medicine doctor to help you.
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
Is glyphosate used in Italy? I’ve heard of people who have gluten sensitivity and even Celiac disease being able to eat the gluten in Italy with no problems. Can we just buy our food from Italy? For example, Davinci pasta says made in Italy on the box. Does that mean it’s free of glyphosate?
Hi Anna
Many European nations have banned Roundup/glyphosate
warmly
Dr Jill
The maintenance man where i live sprays rounup on tiny tiny plants along the road. The smellis horrible. He suits up like hazmat & googles. He sprayed me in the wind all up my nose , mouth, eyes & it burns . No way to get it out of my brain. nasal passages chest or lungs, i lost my smell , taste even grapefruit& lemons, i now have a massive headache, dizzy & 2nd day diarehha. The Er dept said make a pilice report. Follow up in a day with regular dr. the er rn said poision control eoundup doesnt have a smell. Bullshit or its mixed with something
I’m wondering whether provocation studies for urinary glyphosate may be more helpful as with heavy metals testing, having a toxicity in the trine could just mean you were temporarily exposed but dealing with it appropriately?
Hi Dr. Gupta,
Yes, I couldn’t agree more… I don’t know yet how best to determine total body load.
warmly
Dr. Jill
Thank you for article. Wonderful and it’s bwckme a huge problem in our food source. I hear glyphosate is so entrenched that is Spreads to organic farms via bees and winds as well. Also do you know if their is truth to molds growing stronger to survive glyphosate?
I don’t know that glyphosate affects molds… only plants/weeds as it is an herbicide. Fungicides would affect mold
It’s scary how pervasive glyphosate is, even if you’re eating organic! A friend of mine who eats very clean, also did the test and found out there were still levels of glyphosate that she wasn’t comfortable with…. Thankfully, I recently found a product that detoxes glyphosate, which of course helps your gut function better! It helps repair the microbiome by nurturing “good” bacteria and helping to flush harmful toxins. It was even proven to be successful in a double-blind trial!
Thank you for your article. I grow a1200 square ft organic garden. I start everything from organic seeds myself, use only OMRI approved products only to have it ruined this year by the neighboring farmer who sprayed his field on a windy day. The Department of Agriculture confirmed drift of not only Glyphosate and Atrazine but two powerful insecticides. I was advised not to eat anything out of the garden this year and possibly next year. I was outside when he sprayed not knowing what it was until a couple of weeks later when my plants showed symptoms of drift. Since then I’ve had several health issues and am trying to find out how to get tested. If anyone has any information I would appreciate it. I’ve started taking activated charcoal in attempts to remove this poison from my body.
My diet is very limited due to gut health so I eat a very healthy diet in general. Some organic, some not. The reason I am not 100% on board with organic is because they use copper on organic fruits and vegetables and some of my friends were tested and had high levels of copper which if you research causes COPPER TOXICITY. Its like you have to grow all your own food these days! Sorry! Not happening. My son saw me reading this and suggested that the breakdown of cells due to mutations from generation to generation has contributed greatly to all of these health issues as well. Who knows what the answer is. I keep telling myself its balance and real food. The more I read the more confused I get. I just know what makes me feel sick and I avoid it.
The government of the US has done its citizens a grave disservice by not taking action against glyphosate. It was never realistic to think that farmers could spray massive amounts of an herbicide on crops without there being harmful effects to the health of those who eat these foods. But everything in America these days about greed for the Almighty Dollar instead of doing what’s right.
Sadly just eating organic foods doesn’t totally fix the problems. Organic foods are often grown on soil that was previously used for other crops that were treated with glyphosate. In other cases they are close enough to such crops that the wind may carry the poison over. The official government definition of “organic” allows 5% of non-organic ingredients. So organic foods may not be totally free of the poison.
Another measure worth considering is to refuse to eat any foods grown in the United States. Clearly the problem of glyphosate contamination is worse in the United States than anywhere else.
I have recently been suffering from urinary tract problems. I strongly suspect that glyphosate might be respsonsible for it. Chronic kidney disease is one of the most common ailments caused by glyphosate. For many years I have been eating a grain-heavy diet. Grains are often the worst-contaminated crops.
As a very young child 1 to 2 years of age I ate weed killer and was rushed to the hospital after i became extremely ill. I was diagnosed with and extreme case of crohns. I have lost most of my digestive system and still and in a extreme amount of pain. I have short gut and was told i would never get off tpn but I am not a quitter and i eat and drink and there is no reason why i can still function doing so according to all my Drs. I always found it strange that I am the only person in whole family who has or has ever had anything like this. Is there anything I can do not to help. I know crohns means there is a change to my DNA that is causing my immune system to go haywire but it would be nice if i could find something that could help as i have exhausted all known and clinical trial drugs. I rarely eat meat, my daughter does not eat meat at all. we both eat fish. i have gone organic and even try to grow my own food in my own organic compose I make. I do eat eggs but I get them from a local farmer. I live in Las Vegas NV so this is not the healthiest city but if there is something more i can do for myself or to keep my teen daughter health i need to know. Once my daughter is out of high school we are moving back east on a large portion of land where I can but my PhD in environmental engineering to work and try to live a self sustaining life and have full control of how our food is grown and gathered.
Please Dr Jill tell me how to support my phase one and two detox pathways.. And meditation.. I’m very toxic from the air and electricity and electromagnetic radiation.. I’m a toxic mess. I’m wondering if I have broken brain barrier and leaky gut.. Everything I breath in goes right into my nose then brain then tissue and lymph instantly.. Right now I taste metal in my mouth and have no teeth I always have that taste.. I was diagnosed with mast cell activation disorder is there any way to help that and my thyroid wasn’t producing t3 so Dr butcher has me on composted t3..please give me some advice.. Wish I could come see you what do you specialize in are you an environmental doctor… I do take activated charcoal but was wondering what you thought of clay that you can bath in or drink or both when you drink it it’s supposed to pull all the toxins to it.. Thank you love candy I’m scared now never been this toxic in brain and body and reactive to all smells and electrical
Adding glycine to the diet is also helpful if that glycine is from a glyphosate-free source. Glyphosate imitates glycine, so the body tries to use it as if it were glycine, with devastating results. Then you need to get the real stuff in there! The fact that your urine shows so much glyphosate is a bit encouraging to me, because it is possible it indicates you are getting rid of it at a high rate from a life of high exposure. It might not be such a bad indicator of the direction of your health!
Hi, Jill. I just shared this article and someone asked me some questions which I’m going to pass on to you…. If you don’t have time for them all, then especially the last question:
It’s interesting that in the graph of Dr. Carnahan’s personal results, there is a higher amount of Glyphosate in non-farm households and a lower amount in farming households. Did I read that correctly? If so, why would this be?
Is this chemical used in things other than herbicides? Or could there be a higher concentration in processed foods which non-farming families maybe consume more of?
It is also interesting that the chart on the right says children have higher levels, but the bar graph results per region on the bottom left shows every region with children having lower levels. Both charts are levels found in urine. Why is it not consistent?
Thank you so much!!
Hi Donna
The graph is comparing specific studies where glyphosate was testing in certain populations. These are from different sources and thus differing results
warmly
Dr Jill