The Mounting Dangers of Glyphosate & What You Can Do About It

Glyphosate is the world’s most widely produced herbicide (weed killer) and is the primary toxic chemical in Roundup™, as well as in many other herbicides that are commonly found at your local hardware store.  Glyphosate was introduced in the 1970’s to kill weeds by targeting the enzymes that produce the amino acids tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine. The enzymes of many bacteria are also susceptible to inhibition by this chemical, thus altering the microbiome of many animals.

Why is it so dangerous?

• Glyphosate disrupts the microbiome in the intestine, causing a decrease in the ratio of beneficial to harmful bacteria. 
• Highly pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella and Clostridia are highly resistant to Glyphosate versus most beneficial bacteria such as Enterococcus, Bifidobacterium species, and Lactobacillus species which were found to be highly susceptible to being killed off by this chemical. 
• Glyphosate acts as a mitochondrial toxin, impairing energy production which will cause fatigue.
• Deactivates vitamin D3, which we know is of upmost importance in maintaining a healthy immune system and protecting us from cancer.
• Impairs liver detoxification by interfering with liver pathways, which will increase the body’s overall toxicity.

What diseases is it associated with?

• Psychiatric disorders: Autism, ADHD, Bipolar, Depression
• Endocrine disorders:  Thyroid damage, Diabetes, Obesity
• Cancer: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Hairy Cell Leukemia
• Energy Production:  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, mitochondrial damage
• Neurological disorders:  ALS, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s Disease
• Reproductive and Developmental issue:  Infertility, Low sperm count, Learning disabilities
• Cardiovascular disorders: Hypertension, Stroke
• Renal and Liver disorders

What are sources of Glyphosate?

• 90% of tobaccos in US are genetically modified (GMO) and full of pesticides including Glyphosate, which is sprayed on the tobacco as a desiccant. 
• It is much easier for homeowners and gardeners to use Glyphosate products to kill weeds versus having to manually remove them. 
• All Genetically Modified Foods (GMO’s) especially corn, soy, canola, rice, barley, sugar cane, sugar beets, beans, peas, and sweet potatoes.
• Glyphosate is a primary drinking water contaminant that enters our water supply through ground water.

How do you get rid of it?

Initially, it is more important to prevent Glyphosate from entering the body first before working toward eliminating the stores that already reside in the body. 

Prevention:

• Be sure to use a high-quality water filter such as Multipure or Pure Effect filter for your drinking water and filters for your shower heads in order to prevent skin absorption.  If you would prefer a whole house water filter you can check out (https://www.lifesourcewater.com/)
• Avoid all Genetically Modified (GMO) foods.  Eat organic produce, grains, and animal products whenever possible.
• Confirm that you or your gardener are not using glyphosate products on your yard and garden. 
• Consider using a Tower Garden, which is an aeroponic garden, to grow your vegetables in or outdoors.  Even though you might have a traditional organic garden in your yard does not necessarily mean that chemicals are entering the roots from the ground water.

Assessment: 

• Many labs offer environmental chemical testing kits that only require a single urine sample.  The one that I frequently prescribe is Great Plains Laboratory GPL-Tox with the addition of Glyphosate.  This comprehensive testing allows us to assess levels of these dangerous chemicals in your body.

Treatment:

• Glyphosate is water soluble so it can be eliminated faster if you drink ½ your body weight in ounces of filtered water per day.  This way it will be excreted in the urine more effectively.  The home water filter from Pure Effect Filters will also add minerals back to your water after filtration. 
• S-Acetyl Glutathione or Liposomal Glutathione can be used to speed up the detoxification of glyphosate.  The dose is 100mg twice per day with a meal. 
• Aerobic exercise can increase the excretion of glyphosate through perspiration.

If exposure has been chronic or severe you may need to consider using an infrared sauna, such as Sunlighten, for optimal detoxification of Glyphosate.