Glyphosate – Round-up™– Things You Might Want to Consider

Glyphosate is an herbicide that came on the scene in 1964 when it was patented by the Stauffer chemical company. It’s the active ingredient in Round-up™ which has been the flagship product of the company Monsanto for many years.

Round-up™ is promoted as being “a perfect fit with the vision of sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.” (You can read it for yourself on the Monsanto website.)

If a lie is repeated often enough the lie will come to be considered truth. Monsanto certainly has proven that statement to be a fact. Millions of people world wide use Round-up™ and consider it safe. Even more amazing are the folks who consider themselves organic gardeners and use Round-up™ in other places besides the garden without any hesitation.

If you still believe that Round-up™ is harmless, you haven’t been paying attention. Evidence to the contrary has been around for decades and in the last 15 years more and more evidence has come to light.

For a Moment, Let’s Consider Chemicals without the Documented Evidence of Harm

In  July 2013 the US Department of Agriculture reported more than 180 million pounds of glyphosate are applied annually to U.S. soil. The figure is increasing drastically all the time.

And how about all the other chemicals used besides glyphosate? Of the more than 85,000 chemicals on the market only a few hundred have been tested for safety. Common sense should tell us how dangerous that is.

Surely one doesn’t have to read tons of documented evidence to know that individually and collectively we’ll pay a price for that kind of reckless abandon in using chemicals – no matter what kind they are.

A Few Findings

• Illnesses to livestock

Illnesses to livestock from ingesting  glyphosate (in genetically modified crops bred to withstand the Round-up™)  “include reproductive problems, diarrhea, bloating, spontaneous abortions, reduced live births, inflamed digestive systems and nutrient deficiencies.  ”

• Kills beneficial microorganisms

Glyphosate kills beneficial microorganisms in the soil.  This in turn encourages pathogens that cause disease to flourish. Plant pathologists, including Dr. Don Huber, an expert in microbial ecology, link over 40 crop diseases to glyphosate.

Are You Eating Glyphosate?

When fields are sprayed with Round-up™ or some generic glyphosate, the herbicide is taken up inside the plants that are exposed to it. (Known as systemic.) From there it goes into the soil and contrary to what the manufactures once said, it can stay around a while. The next crop that is planted can take up the glyphosate from the soil. (You eat the crop and then the glyphosate is in you.)

When sprayed around fruit or nut trees, you end up with glyphosate in the fruit or nuts.

Round-up™ Even More Damaging Than Generic Glyphosate

A study published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology in 2009 found the inert ingredients in Round-up™ to be more damaging than the active ingredient glyphosate, therefore making it even more deadly. The study outlined the herbicide’s ability “to kill human umbilical cord vein, embryonic kidney, and placental cells in concentrations typically found in food or livestock feed.” (1)

3 Decades of Evidence

There are over 3 decades of scientific evidence documenting miscarriages, birth defects, the initiation of cancer formation, disruption of the glands that secrete hormones and other things directly into the blood, long term DNA damage, and general poisoning of the cells, the brain, the liver, kidneys, etc. And all this at glyphosate levels well below recommended agricultural use.

Glyphosate is also linked to gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, autism, infertility, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and more.

Two Scientists Review 286 Studies of the Biological Effects of Glyphosate

In the August/September 2013 issue of Organic Magazine there was a report of the conclusion drawn by two scientists who reviewed 286 studies of the biological effects of glyphosate. (The article is online and I’ll give you the link at the end.)

One of the things they noted that I had not seen before was how glyphosate suppresses and inhibits a certain class of human enzymes. Why is that important? This particular class of enzymes play a critical role in detoxifying any foreign substances in our bodies, such as pesticides and other pollutants. These enzymes can’t do that when suppressed by the glyphosate.

The studies reviewed by the scientist also pointed out that glyphosate  “disrupts the ability of intestinal microbes to construct important amino acids that build and repair the body’s cellular tissues. ”

Glyphosate also impairs the movement of compounds in the blood important to the growth of infants, young children, and developing unborns.

More Evidence?

Over the years I’ve read dozens of articles on studies showing the harm done by Glyphosate and/or Round-up™. So I could go on and on, but I think you already get the idea of how serious the problem is.

If you want to know more,  the articles I’ve linked to at the end will get you started.  These are only a few of the many out there, but they’re some of the best in my opinion. I’ve also given you a link to a page that lists various other articles.

Final Thoughts

Studies have shown that switching to an organic diet reduces pesticide levels in your body by 85 to 90 percent.

Growing our own food and/or buying and eating only certified organic lessens the risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals.

Not using these chemicals is another way to lessen the risk of exposure.

____________
If you don’t already know about Monsanto, you may want to read these two previous posts:

Monsanto – Don’t Entrust Your Life to Them

A Readers Thoughts and Mine / Some Facts to Consider About Scotts

Sources for this post and other articles of interest: 

Organic Gardening/ Roundup-Unready? (link no longer works May 22,2023).

Institute of Science in Society (You can scroll to the part of Glyphosate. Really an excellent article if you have time to read it all.)

Rodale News – Roundup  (1) (update May 22,2023 – link no longer works)

Guarding Our Earth – Round-up (link no longer works)

US Weighing Increase in Herbicide Level in Food Supply

Natural News – Roundup (this page lists a bunch of articles on Round-up™)
___________

All content including photos is copyrighted by TendingMyGarden.com.  All Rights Reserved