Glyphosate

Definition: Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant. It is used to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with crops. It was discovered to be an herbicide by Monsanto chemist John E. Franz in 1970 and is the active ingredient in many herbicides, including the brand Roundup.. In this video you can see Dr Edward Dickin explain more about how glyphosate is used.  In 2018 Monsanto was ordered to pay $289 Million as the jury ruled that the weedkiller caused a man cancer.  I have been suggesting that we avoid Glyphosate for many years, and in this feature here, which has been updated, I first shared my advice on why we should try to avoid wheat with pesticides, whenever possible and in particular Glyphosate. 

Concerns Related to Gut Health

Globally, 9.5 million tons of glyphosate has been applied to agricultural land — enough to coat every cultivated acre on earth. In the most recent USDA Agricultural Chemical Use Survey on wheat, farmers across eighteen states used eighty-seven different pesticide active ingredients on winter wheat alone. Around 30% of US wheat acres are sprayed with glyphosate, while corn and soybean remain the primary crops for application. In the UK, glyphosate is routinely applied to over two-thirds of conventionally grown wheat, not only as a weedkiller during the growing season. Yet as a desiccant, sprayed directly onto the mature crop shortly before harvest to accelerate drying and standardise yields. The residue does not disappear. It is in the grain, milled into the flour and ends up in the bread.

The long-term health implications of regular dietary exposure to glyphosate residues are not yet fully understood — and that, in itself, is reason enough for caution. Bayer AG (which acquired Monsanto) announced it would stop selling glyphosate-based herbicides to consumers by 2023, following tens of thousands of lawsuits related to exposure and concerns about its association with certain cancers, as well as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and autism. A 2019 study found a 41% increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in those with high glyphosate exposure.

I am not going tell you that glyphosate in bread will make you ill. What I can tell you is that when I look at the evidence available and weigh it against the complete absence of evidence that eating it is safe along with my genetics means that I choose organic flour. Every time. especially when the residues concentrate in the outer grain layers, meaning wholegrain flour — the very thing we tell people to eat more of — carries higher residue levels than refined flour when crops have been treated.

In this study in Lebanon on Glyphosate in Bread

• Glyphosate levels were almost equal regardless bread brand, flour type, and origin.
• •Glyphosate was detected in all the flour samples and in 80% of the bread samples.

In 2014 the Guardian reported that tests showed that over 60% of breads sold in the UK contain pesticide residues and in 2022 PAN UK reported that half of Bread contains pesticide cocktails reporting that “The presence of glyphosate in grain is largely due to its use as a pre-harvest desiccant, when it’s used to artificially dry crops to make harvesting easier. If the UK Government banned the use of glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant it could reduce the amount of this residue found in grains.”

1. Impact on the Gut Microbiome: Glyphosate has been shown to affect the gut microbiome adversely. The microbiome is crucial for various bodily functions, including digestion, vitamin production, and immune system regulation. Studies suggest that glyphosate can inhibit the growth of beneficial gut bacteria while allowing pathogenic bacteria to thrive. This imbalance, known as dysbiosis, can lead to several health issues, including inflammatory bowel diseases and a weakened immune system.
2. Glyphosate as an Antibiotic: Research suggests that Glyphosate’s mechanism of action involves inhibiting a specific pathway (the shikimate pathway) crucial for the synthesis of certain amino acids in plants and microorganisms but not in humans. However, more studies need to be done as this pathway is present in many beneficial gut bacteria, meaning glyphosate may well be acting as an antibiotic, selectively killing or inhibiting these bacteria and further contributing to dysbiosis.
3. Association with Gastrointestinal Disorders: There is emerging evidence linking glyphosate exposure to an increased risk of gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. This association is hypothesized to stem from glyphosate’s impact on gut bacteria, intestinal permeability (leaky gut), and enzyme function, which can lead to an improper immune response to dietary gluten.
4. Suitability for Human Consumption: The debate over glyphosate’s safety continues, with various international agencies and studies producing conflicting reports on its carcinogenic potential and overall safety. Given its widespread use and persistence in the environment, there is growing concern about its presence in food and water and the long-term health implications of low-level exposure, particularly concerning gut health and related conditions.

Conclusion: Avoiding glyphosate may be considered a precautionary measure to protect gut health and reduce the risk of associated health issues. Organic farming practices, which prohibit the use of synthetic herbicides like glyphosate, offer an alternative to conventional agriculture, potentially leading to reduced exposure to glyphosate through diet.

Given the complexity and evolving nature of research in this area, it is essential to consider both the potential health impacts of glyphosate and the broader environmental and ecological considerations when assessing its suitability and safety for human consumption.