Is Roundup Making us Sick?

Genetically modified crops are being grown and sold without much regard for longitudinal studies of the health implications associated with this method of farming.  A friend recommended an online article on the subject called "Glyphosate and Roundup's Implications on Modern Diseases."  This article does a great job of explaining the health concerns related to Glyphosate, also known as the herbicide Roundup.  The following is an excerpt from the interview style article:

How long has Roundup® been on the market, and how many gallons are used every year in the USA alone, not to mention globally?

It’s been on the market since 1975, and was first introduced into the US market. The US market today represents 25% of the total sales worldwide. In our paper we showed how the usage has gone up substantially in step with the increased penetration of GMO crops that are “Roundup Ready.” In 2001 an estimated total of 85 to 90 million pounds of it were used in the US alone, and this number more than doubled by 2007. I expect it may have doubled again since then, but we didn’t find hard numbers on that.

Glyphosate/Roundup is an organophosphate. Can you please explain what the problems are with that type of herbicide? Also, there is another organophosphate with an almost similar sounding name; it is glufosinate. Did you do any research on glufosinate?

Technically, glyphosate is an “organophosphonate,” not quite the same as an organophosphate but close. You're right that glyphosate and glufosinate are “cousins” with similar molecular structures and probably similar effects. We haven't specifically studied glufosinate, but I’d imagine it’s just as damaging as glyphosate. Glyphosate disrupts the shikimate pathway, which plants use to produce a set of essential aromatic amino acids. All microbes also have this pathway, and it’s essential for their well-being. So glyphosate would be expected to disrupt gut bacteria, and it has been shown to be the case in research studies on cows and chickens.

In your paper you say that the European Union is being asked by industry to approve higher levels of glyphosate in food crops. Why such a proposal and can you discuss that a little?

I’d imagine that it’s simply that food was coming in from the US that was exceeding the limits that had been set. I think the limits are generally set somewhat arbitrarily based on what is measured in the food. Since most people think that glyphosate is nontoxic to humans, there does not seem to be too much concern raised when limits are jacked up by a factor of ten or even one hundred!

Does that have anything to do with the supposed notion that glyphosate has a minimal toxicity effect in humans, which was based upon Monsanto’s safety/toxicity studies done for only 3 months on laboratory animals?
That's right.

Didn’t your research find that Professor Seralini’s two-year study contradicted Monsanto’s 3-month studies? Will you please elaborate on that and the apparent implications?

Yes. Seralini’s research showed that glyphosate has devastating effects on the health of rats over the long term. Mammary tumors, kidney failure, liver cancer, etc. Glyphosate is insidious because it’s not immediately obvious that it has caused a problem. It slowly depletes certain vital nutrients until eventually you can become very sick.

How long has Roundup® been on the market, and how many gallons are used every year in the USA alone, not to mention globally?

It’s been on the market since 1975, and was first introduced into the US market. The US market today represents 25% of the total sales worldwide. In our paper we showed how the usage has gone up substantially in step with the increased penetration of GMO crops that are “Roundup Ready.” In 2001 an estimated total of 85 to 90 million pounds of it were used in the US alone, and this number more than doubled by 2007. I expect it may have doubled again since then, but we didn’t find hard numbers on that.
- See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

Read the full article here

How long has Roundup® been on the market, and how many gallons are used every year in the USA alone, not to mention globally?

It’s been on the market since 1975, and was first introduced into the US market. The US market today represents 25% of the total sales worldwide. In our paper we showed how the usage has gone up substantially in step with the increased penetration of GMO crops that are “Roundup Ready.” In 2001 an estimated total of 85 to 90 million pounds of it were used in the US alone, and this number more than doubled by 2007. I expect it may have doubled again since then, but we didn’t find hard numbers on that.
- See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

How long has Roundup® been on the market, and how many gallons are used every year in the USA alone, not to mention globally?

It’s been on the market since 1975, and was first introduced into the US market. The US market today represents 25% of the total sales worldwide. In our paper we showed how the usage has gone up substantially in step with the increased penetration of GMO crops that are “Roundup Ready.” In 2001 an estimated total of 85 to 90 million pounds of it were used in the US alone, and this number more than doubled by 2007. I expect it may have doubled again since then, but we didn’t find hard numbers on that.
- See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

How long has Roundup® been on the market, and how many gallons are used every year in the USA alone, not to mention globally?

It’s been on the market since 1975, and was first introduced into the US market. The US market today represents 25% of the total sales worldwide. In our paper we showed how the usage has gone up substantially in step with the increased penetration of GMO crops that are “Roundup Ready.” In 2001 an estimated total of 85 to 90 million pounds of it were used in the US alone, and this number more than doubled by 2007. I expect it may have doubled again since then, but we didn’t find hard numbers on that.
- See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

Glyphosate’

Glyphosate’

ManAn interview with Stephanie Seneff, PhD: Co-author of "Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases." - See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

An interview with Stephanie Seneff, PhD: Co-author of "Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases." - See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

An interview with Stephanie Seneff, PhD: Co-author of "Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases." - See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

Glyphosate and Roundup’s Implications on Modern Diseases - See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

Glyphosate and Roundup’s Implications on Modern Diseases - See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

Glyphosate and Roundup’s Implications on Modern Diseases - See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf

Glyphosate and Roundup’s Implications on Modern Diseases - See more at: http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/06/glyphosate-and-roundups-implications-on.html#sthash.qIYISyHy.dpuf