by Alex Pietrowski
In addition to the other documented risks of Monsanto’s Roundup, a cutting-edge study using molecular profiling reveals that it also causes liver disease, even at doses currently approved by regulators.
Researchers at King’s College London have discovered that the popular weedkiller Roundup causes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The two-year study performed on rats tested the effect of real-world glyphosate doses currently permitted by regulators. This is the first time that science has shown a direct causal link between the consumption of an extremely low dose of Roundup and a serious disease.
The study, conducted by Dr. Michael Antoniou et.al. and published in Scientific Reports, states:
Overall, metabolome and proteome disturbances showed a substantial overlap with biomarkers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its progression to steatohepatosis and thus confirm liver functional dysfunction resulting from chronic ultra-low dose glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) exposure.
Regulators commonly accept toxicity studies in rats as indicators of risks affecting human health, thus, the results of this latest report have grave implications for human health.
The Roundup Addiction
Shockingly, according to the United States Geological Survey, over 2.6 billion pounds of Roundup herbicide were dumped onto USA’s farmland and food supply from 1992 to 2012. Roundup is the most-popular glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) sold worldwide. Hundreds of millions of pounds are sprayed around the world each year.
The proliferation of glyphosate use in big agriculture has had many environmental ramifications, and the quality of soil is being impacted globally. Farmers now face hundreds of glyphosate-resistant superweeds, increasing their costs and requiring use of many more herbicides. Roundup has been found in rain and air samples, and glyphosate residues have been found in human breast milk and urine, as well as tap water and all types of food, including milk, eggs and baby food. A recent FDA study even found high levels in many popular foods.
“New testing conducted by an FDA-registered food safety lab found alarming levels of the chemical glyphosate (known as Monsanto’s Roundup weed-killer) in several very common foods. This independent research reveals that many popular foods have over 1000 times the glyphosate levels that have been established to be harmful.” [Source]
Many scientific studies have shown that exposure to GBHs such as Roundup can lead to serious health problems, such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, kidney disease, and Celiac disease. This newest study showing a causal link between Roundup and liver disease is one of the most compelling due to extremely low doses being tested.
Very Low Doses of Roundup Cause Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
The research conducted at King’s College London by Dr. Antoniou and his team was one of the first to take into consideration the effects of exposure to glyphosate amounts currently permitted by regulators. The researchers were concerned that results from other glyphosate toxicity studies “were obtained at doses far greater than general human population exposure.
“Doses tested were typically over the glyphosate acceptable daily intake (ADI), which is currently set at 0.3 mg/kg bw/day within the European Union (1.75 mg/kg bw/day in the USA) based on hepatorenal toxicity measurements after chronic exposure in rats.”
To address this problem, the team administered Roundup via drinking water at a concentration of 0.1 parts per billion (ppb), or 0.05 microgram/Liter (μg/L). This equals a daily intake of 4 ng/kg bw/day, much lower than the acceptable daily intake in Europe and the USA.
Regardless of the extremely low Roundup concentration, which was thousands of times below what is permitted by regulators, the researchers found the following:
The results showed that Roundup caused an increased incidence in signs of anatomical pathologies, as well as changes in urine and blood biochemical parameters suggestive of liver and kidney functional insufficiency.
Dr. Antoniou adds:
“Our results also suggest that regulators should reconsider the safety evaluation of glyphosate-based herbicides.”
Based on this latest study, one would think it obligatory for regulators to reconsider the acceptable daily intake levels for glyphosate-based herbicides. Are these findings sufficient to set in motion even bigger changes?
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
The new study highlights the question of whether Roundup is an unrecognized risk factor leading to an increase in NAFLD, which affects about 25% of the population in the USA. It is just as common throughout Europe.
NAFLD symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, itching of the eyes, spider-like blood vessels, and swelling in the legs and abdomen. Over time, NAFLD can progress to more serious conditions such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, where the liver can swell and become damaged, as well as the irreversible liver cirrhosis.
Considering the high levels of glyphosate contamination of our food and water supply, it seems wise to take proactive action in keeping the liver healthy. Some ways to reduce the risk of NAFLD and even heal a fatty liver are offered by Dr. Mark Hyman. He is the chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine and author of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet:
- Eliminate all high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS),
- Get rid of white, processed flour and eliminate or greatly reduce starch,
- Add healthy fats,
- Improve your metabolism through exercise,
- Supplement intelligently, with herbs as milk thistle, and supplements such as glutathione and magnesium.
- Eat detoxifying, liver-repairing super foods, such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and leafy veggies (1-2 cups per day)
- Power up with protein, including nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, chicken or grass-fed meat (about 4-6 ounces with each meal)
Alex Pietrowski is an artist and writer concerned with preserving good health and the basic freedom to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. He is a staff writer for WakingTimes.com and Offgrid Outpost, a provider of storable food and emergency kits. Alex is an avid student of Yoga and life.
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