Glyphosate (Free Article) 

What is Glyphosate?

Glyphosate is most commonly known as the active ingredient found in Round Up. It is a broad-spectrum herbicide that is widely used in agricultural practices to treat crops. Its purpose is to kill weeds and grasses that compete with crops and to increase the crop yield. It is also used as a “desiccant”, which helps to dry up the crops in preparation for harvest.

Interesting Fact: The United States uses more glyphosate in its agriculture than most other countries in the world.

How is Glyphosate Disruptive To the Body? 

As a synthetic (man-made) chemical, glyphosate serves ZERO physiologic purpose in our bodies. Furthermore, once glyphosate is ingested or absorbed, our bodies aren’t quite sure what to do with it. We are not equipped with any cellular machinery or enzymes to break down glyphosate, which allows it to accumulate over time. 

Some will claim that after spraying, glyphosate naturally breaks down in just a few weeks if conditions are ideal. Recent research studies have brought this claim into question. For example, a study published in 2021 found that plants sprayed with glyphosate still showed residue of the chemical in the plant 12 years later (Botten et. al).

The problem with glyphosate is that folks feel fine after ingesting produce that have been treated with it. Over time, however, the accumulation of glyphosate in our bodies can potentially lead to a number of chronic illnesses and diseases, including neurotoxicity and different types of cancers.

Elevated levels of glyphosate have been linked to:

• Diabetes 
• Cardiovascular diseases like High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol 
• Obesity 
• Gluten sensitivity 
• Autoimmune diseases 
• Fatty Liver Disease 
• Autism 
• Chronic GI issues like Leaky Gut Syndrome

Feeling a little inflamed and brain foggy?

Glyphosate has also been shown in animal models to disrupt the blood brain barrier as well as cause inflammation in the liver.  

Something else to consider: 

Just as humans lack the enzymes to break down glyphosate, plants and animals have the same problem once they absorb it. This results in an accumulation of glyphosate in the plants and animals we eat. 

And on top of that… 

Plants are smart and are evolving to become more resistant to glyphosate. What has the answer to this been? Spray more and more glyphosate on the plants!

A contaminated environment:

Studies done by the US Geological Survey have shown detectable levels of glyphosate in rivers, streams, and even rainwater. Yikes.

So, how can we protect ourselves?

Minimize our Exposure

1. Eat organic if you can:

The best way to avoid glyphosate in our diet is to eat organic produce as much as possible. Legally, organic crops cannot be sprayed with products containing glyphosate.   

Interesting Fact: 

Glyphosate strips produce of its natural vitamins and minerals. So, if you are eating non-organic foods, then your food is less nutrient dense. That means you have to eat MORE of it in order to gain the same benefits as eating organic food.   

2: Be aware of what GMO means: 

Know that non-GMO (or non-genetically modified) and organic are not the same thing. Genetically modified plants have been engineered to naturally produce their own pesticides, or to withstand treatment with glyphosate. Ever heard of “Round-up Ready” crops? These plants have been modified to stay alive when treated with glyphosate, which would normally kill the plant. In a perfect world, we would prefer all of our food to be both non-GMO and organic.  

3. Avoid using non-organic cosmetic products 

4. Avoid gelatin from collagen harvested from animals that are non-organic and GMO fed:

This would include:

• Gelatin capsules
• Gelatin containing foods (like collagen powder)

5. If you can, try to avoid the following non-organic foods as they have been shown to have much higher concentrations of glyphosate: 

• Wheat 
• Grains 
• Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, and soybeans) 
• Barley 
• Rice 
• Chickpeas (anybody love hummus?) 
• Grapes (anybody enjoy the occasional glass of wine?) 

How Can We Help Aid our System in Breaking Down Glyphosate? 

Here are some specific and actionable steps to take to help your body eliminate glyphosate:

 1. Increase your intake of fermented foods

The enzymes in fermented foods have been shown to help break down glyphosate.

Some Examples: 

• Apple Cider Vinegar 
• Sauerkraut 
• Pickled foods (asparagus, pickles, garlic, anything really) 
• Kimchi 
• Yogurt 

2. Eat foods high in glycine

Glycine is an important amino acid that our bodies use as a building block for protein. Given that glycine and glyphosate are similar in chemical structure, our bodies can mistake glyphosate for glycine and end up storing glyphosate in the body. Increased dietary glycine helps to compete with glyphosate and decreases the chance the excess glyphosate will be stored.

Common glycine containing Foods: 

• Bone broth 
• Gelatin and collagen 
• Chicken (including the skin) 
• Red meat 
• Turkey 
• Seeds (Pumpkin, Squash, Hemp, Sunflower, Peanuts, Almonds) 
• Pork 
• Salmon (wild caught)

*All sources need to be ideally organic, and pasture raised* 

Important fact: 

Glycine intake is especially important for pregnant women, as the need for glycine significantly increases during pregnancy.  

3. Eat high sulfur containing foods

Our bodies sulfur stores can be depleted due to glyphosate exposure, so it is important to have adequate sulfur intake in the diet.

Common sulfur containing foods: 

• Eggs 
• Garlic 
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnips, kale, cauliflower, arugula, etc.).  
• Whey
• Cheese 

Something to consider: 

Are you sensitive to high sulfur foods? This could be a result of glyphosate disrupting your sulfur metabolism pathways. Sulfur has many important roles in the body, and having inadequate sulfur can be detrimental to long term health if these foods are chronically avoided. If you are sensitive to these foods, it will be important for you to assess for possible sources of glyphosate exposure.

4. Supplement with trace minerals:

Research has shown that glyphosate acts as a chelating agent, which means it has the ability to bind to certain essential elements. This means that plants sprayed with glyphosate can be deficient in important minerals. These include zinc, copper, magnesium, iron, nickel, and manganese. This is why non-organic foods are less nutritious!

5. Optimize your glutathione

Glutathione is an important sulfur containing compound that is considered the “master antioxidant” in the body. It plays an essential role in our immune system and managing oxidative stress. Guess what gets depleted as a result of glyphosate exposure? Glutathione! 

A great way to increase glutathione in the body is to supplement with something called N-acetyl cysteine, commonly referred to as NAC. NAC serves a very important role in creating glutathione, and it also acts as an antioxidant to offset the cellular damage caused by glyphosate exposure.

6. Filter your drinking water

Here is an unsettling fact from an article published in 2018 in Germany: In the US, the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of glyphosate allowed in the drinking water is 700 ug/L.  In the EU however, the maximum tolerable level of glyphosate in drinking water is 0.1 ug/L. (Mertens M, et al). Just to put this in perspective, the US allows 7,000x the amount of glyphosate in our drinking water when compared to the EU’s general standard. For reference, ug/L is the same as saying parts per billion (PPB).

Just to put this in perspective, the US allows 7,000x the amount of glyphosate in our drinking water when compared to the EU’s general standard.

There are many companies that offer affordable and effective water filtration systems.

7. Binders

There are a couple of suggested binders that work well to bind up glyphosate when there is a known exposure, like when eating out for dinner for example.  

These are:  

“Tox Ease Bind” by Beyond Balance 

“Toxin-pul” by Researched Nutritionals  

It will be interesting to see how the world responds to the glyphosate dilemma. It is sometimes called the secret killer. Worldwide, people are starting to realize the harmful effects of glyphosate and a growing number of countries have banned glyphosate use altogether. That should get your attention!