Glyphosate Toxicity Alert: How America’s #1 Weedkiller Tricks Your Body Into Absorbing It

When you’re creating a meal or spraying a stray dandelion in your yard, you probably don’t think about glyphosate toxicity. Still, glyphosate is the most commonly used agricultural pesticide in the world — and a go-to weedkiller in lawns and gardens across America. And although you would never purposely add it to your food or drinking water … you’re still probably consuming it every day. (It’s used so heavily, it’s now detected in rain samples, too.)

The unfortunate truth is, glyphosate is virtually impossible to avoid, so you and your loved ones are probably at risk from its toxic effects right now — unless you take active steps to defend yourself.

The Inside Track on Glyphosate

Glyphosate’s primary use involves killing weeds, but it was first patented as a metal chelator (remover) because it binds to minerals (like calcium) to clear them out of pipes. That’s great for pipes, but not for people who need essential minerals to stay strong and healthy.

The herbicide also causes a devastating impact on our internal ecosystem. It kills off beneficial bacteria (probiotics) while giving dangerous pathogens a competitive edge. Research indicates that glyphosate creates and speeds up antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli.

In its central role, glyphosate is the most widely used agricultural pesticide in the world, but it’s often combined with other toxic herbicides including:

• Atrazine
• 2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)
• Dicamba
• Neonicotinoid insecticides

That’s why the vast majority of our conventional food supply is contaminated with glyphosate, almost always along with other toxins. And as we’re finding, these dangerous combinations spell disaster for our personal and planetary health.

Glyphosate Toxicity: The Many Dangers

Glyphosate poses an enormous health risk because of our constant exposure. And though each instance of contact with glyphosate may seem small, they all add up — especially since this everyday toxin “tricks” your body into storing it, by mimicking other essential nutrients.

That puts you at higher risk for many troubling health issues, including:

• Deficiencies in essential minerals such as manganese and iron that can lead to diabetes, dementia, and anemia symptoms
• Overgrowth of pathogens in the gut (dysbiosis or “leaky gut”), which disrupts immune function and increases inflammation, putting you at risk for dozens of chronic diseases
• Disruption of vital biochemical processes (like detox methylation), which can lead to toxin overload, autoimmune disease and cancer
• Reduced neurotransmitter production, which can cause depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline

Since glyphosate contamination is extremely difficult to avoid, you need to defend yourself against it every day.

Pesticides Taint Most Foods

Most plant foods sold in the U.S. come bathed in pesticides. According to the USDA, more than 225 different pesticides can be found on fruits, vegetables, and grains commonly consumed in the U.S. (See the Dirty Dozen list for more details.) Even organic foods are not always spared, since pesticides like glyphosate and others can find their way into organic farms via wind drift or other means.

Glyphosate itself contaminates hundreds of the most common foods. Even though each food may contain only trace amounts of glyphosate, those traces add up to an oversized daily dose. Here’s just a small taste of foods that contain glyphosate in popular brands:

• Granola bars
• Bottled orange juice
• Rolled oats
• 100% whole grain pasta
• Hummus

While it may seem impossible to avoid glyphosate and other pesticides, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your family from the harm these toxins can cause. Emphasizing organic foods and products is an important first step. Even though organic produce may still contain some pesticide or toxin residues, levels will be far lower than conventionally-grown items.

There’s also a new, independent certification that manufacturers can obtain to verify products as glyphosate-free. While still in the early stages, this new certification may be something to keep an eye out for, as awareness about the dangers of glyphosate continues to climb.

Protect Yourself from Glyphosate Toxicity

There are several things you can do to minimize — and even eliminate — glyphosate contamination, but the most important is to protect your body with natural defenders. That way, as we are chronically exposed to glyphosate, our bodies can safely deal with it before long-term damage is done.

The most effective glyphosate defense team includes:

Citrus pectin: A soluble fiber known to detoxify heavy metals and clear cholesterol through its superior binding powers

Alginates (purified from kelp): Proven to protect against pesticide toxicity and effectively remove heavy metals and toxins

Glycine: An amino acid needed to create glutathione — a powerful detoxifier and antioxidant that also protects the liver against toxicity. Interestingly, the body can mistake glyphosate for glycine during protein synthesis, tricking it into storing toxic glyphosate in tissues and organs. By supplementing with extra glycine, we can prevent glyphosate from being stored, enhance glutathione activity, and help support healthy protein production.

The top glycine-rich sources include collagen and bone broth, but it’s also found in legumes, meat, dairy, poultry, eggs and fish. Even some fruits and vegetables contain glycine, like spinach, cabbage, kale, bananas and cauliflower.

Gingko biloba: An ancient herb found to be a powerful protector against glyphosate toxicity

Organic Iceland kelp: A rich source of protective minerals including iodine, which prevents the absorption of radioactive ions and toxic pesticide halogens like fluoride, bromide, and chlorine

Probiotics and prebiotics: Needed to restore beneficial gut bacteria killed off by glyphosate

In my practice, I recommend a targeted detox formula with these detox binders, to safely remove glyphosate and other agricultural toxins, prevent them from being stored in the body, and support thyroid, GI health, and other areas.

Pesticides and environmental toxins represent a daily problem that require daily solutions—especially since our levels of exposure are on the rise. Supporting your body with safe, natural detoxifiers offers the best defense against glyphosate along with other pesticides and toxins, with additional protective benefits for long-term health and wellness.