Glyphosate's Pathways to Pathology

Interference with function of cytochrome (CYP) P450 family of enzymes

Chelation of important minerals (iron, cobalt, manganese, etc.)

Interference with synthesis of methionine (which supplies sulfur), leading to shortages of critical neurotransmitters and folate

Disruption of sulfate synthesis and sulfate transport

Substitution of glycine for glyphosate during protein synthesis

Inhibition of CYP450 Enzymes

Cholesterol synthesis and metabolism

Vitamin D3 synthesis and metabolism

Detoxification of xenobiotics

Regulation of retinoic acid

Inhibition of Methionine Synthesis

DNA production

Detoxification

Eye health

Liver health

Cellular energy

Fat metabolism

Estrogen metabolism

Metal Chelation

Antioxidant protection

Glutamine synthesis

Bone development

Sperm motility

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome

Fatal familial insomnia

Kuru

Alzheimer's disease

Parkinson's disease

Huntington's disease

Type 2 diabetes

Spinocerebellar ataxias

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Substitution of Glycine for Glyphosate During Protein Synthesis

Diabetes

Obesity

Asthma

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Pulmonary edema

Adrenal insufficiency

Hypothyroidism

Alzheimer's disease

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Hypertension

Glaucoma

Infertility

The Debate on Glyphosate Toxicity

7 Ways to Protect Yourself Against Glyphosate

Curcumin

Garlic

Vitamin C

Probiotics

Methyl tetrahydrofolate

Cobalamin

Glutathione

Taurine

Epsom salt baths

Organic bread

Organic tofu

Almonds

Pecans

Peanuts

Spinach

Tea (green/black)

Pineapple

Brown rice

Beans (lima, pinto, navy)

Sweet potato

Seafood

Eggs

Onion and garlic

Cruciferous vegetables (ex: broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)

Organ meat such as liver

Cheddar and parmesan cheese

Veal, beef, chicken, and pork

Nuts

Cow's milk

Peaches and apricots

Does Glyphosate Cause DNA Damage?

References:

Nothing incites anger and fear in us quite like the thought that we are being slowly poisoned by toxins in our food and water. From endocrine disrupting chemicals in everyday household products to lead in drinking water, it seems that we are increasingly at risk of developing diseases by things that we often have no control over.And glyphosate is no exception.The reports of harmful effects of glyphosate are exploding — within the medical and scientific community as well as the general public. At a time when bee populations are already declining, a recent study reported that glyphosate perturbs gut bacteria of bees, making them susceptible to infection. 1 But how exactly does this highly controversial chemical affect humans? Glyphosate toxicity is a topic I've written about numerous times. This time we'll talk specifically about the various ways glyphosate exposure could lead to devastating health consequences, one of which includes pretending to be glycine, an amino acid that is crucial for protein synthesis.Glyphosate acts by disrupting the shikimate pathway (also known as the shikimic acid pathway), a seven-step metabolic pathway used by plants to synthesize the aromatic amino acids tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. 2 In plants, these amino acids are used as precursors for numerous natural products, such as pigments, alkaloids, hormones, and parts of the cell wall. Glyphosate inhibits the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), a key component of the shikimate pathway, causing plants to die.Samsel and Seneff published five commentaries on the potential pathways by which glyphosate could lead to pathology. In their research, Samsel and Seneff report that the main toxic effects of glyphosate are as follows:Let's take a brief look at a few of these hypotheses.In their first commentary on the health impacts of glyphosate, Drs. Samsel and Seneff linked glyphosate ingestion to disruption of gut bacteria, impairment of sulfate transport, and suppression of the activity of cytochrome (CYP) P450 family of enzymes. 3 But why is CYP450 so important?The CYP450 family of enzymes is involved in the synthesis and metabolism of various molecules and chemicals, including those that are potentially toxic. 4 Using evidence from multiple studies, Samsel and Seneff hypothesized that glyphosate could disrupt many of the CYP enzymes that are active in the liver, which could affect:They also expected that glyphosate would travel throughout the bloodstream, disrupting any CYP enzymes it comes into contact with.In addition to reduced levels of the aromatic amino acids tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine, glyphosate can also lower levels of serine, glycine, and methionine in glyphosate-sensitive cells. The reduction of methionine, in particular, can have serious consequences. Methionine is one of four common sulfur-containing amino acids and is the initiating amino acid in virtually all eukaryotic protein synthesis. 5 When methionine synthesis is impaired, DNA methylation is also hindered. DNA methylation is the process by which a methyl (CH3) group is added to the DNA. It can alter the activity of the DNA, turning necessary biological switches on for optimal functioning.Because many neuronal diseases are associated with DNA methylation impairment, Samsel and Seneff believe that the reduction of methionine contribute to this defect.In their third commentary, Samsel and Seneff introduce the link between glyphosate and manganese dysbiosis. 7 Manganese is one of the 14 essential trace elements and place a role in various important processes, including:Manganese is also a transition metal and an EPSPS catalyst, a substance that helps speed up chemical reactions.But what about in the human body? Samsel and Seneff propose that certain species of gut bacteria utilize manganese in various ways for protection from oxidative damage. The chelation of manganese by glyphosate would result in reduced numbers of essential gut bacteria.Prion proteins bind to the element copper in the body. However, Seneff and Samsel propose that they can also bind to manganese instead of copper, which causes the prion proteins to misfold. 9 10 Manganese binding also prevents the degradation of proteins, a characteristic feature of prion diseases, and promotes prion protein aggregation. 11 In their fifth commentary,In fact, the chemical name of glyphosate is N-phosphomethyl-glycine, which indicates that it is a derivative of glycine.Samsel and Seneff cite another study to bolster their hypothesis that the substitution of glyphosate for glycine is possible. In a 2010 report, Godballe et al. used N-substituted glycines to construct mimics of antibacterial peptides called peptoids. 14 The modification of the reactive side chain in glycine was moved to the backbone nitrogen, resulting in greater metabolic stability.The higher stability of peptoid chains can be beneficial in many ways because it allows antimicrobial agents to stay in the body for longer before being broken down. However, the resistance to proteolysis can have adverse effects when it comes to glyphosate, which can also be considered a peptoid unit.The commentaries by Samsel and Seneff aren't without controversy. In a review titled "Facts and Fallacies in the Debate on Glyphosate Toxicity" published in 2017, Robin Mesnage and Michael N. Antoniou wrote that the commentaries are a "misrepresentation of glyphosate's toxicity [that] misleads the public, the scientific community, and regulators. Although evidence exists that glyphosate-based herbicides are toxic below a regulatory set safety limits, the arguments of Samsel and Seneff largely serve to distract rather than to give a rational direction..."Regarding the first commentary, Mesnage and Antoniou argued that although CYP450 is inhibited by high levels (agricultural use concentrations) of glyphosate, typical environmental exposure levels do not show the same results. 15 Additionally, they mention that Seneff and Samsel do not acknowledge animal studies in which environmentally-relevant levels of glyphosate show anin CYP450 activity, not suppression. 16 Furthermore, the reduction in CYP450 cannot be solely attributed to glyphosate toxicity. Samsel and Seneff point to a study in which rats exposed to Roundup at levels allowed for human consumption showed a reduction in CYP450 levels. However, glyphosate is not the only ingredient in Roundup. It also contains co-formulant adjuvants, which are highly toxic in their own right. Studies have established that co-formulants often make commercial pesticides more toxic than the active ingredient alone. 17 18 This means that the exact cause for CYP450 suppression is unclear.It's also unclear whether glyphosate has any affect on the gut microbiome, especially at environmental exposure levels. While some studies demonstrate an adverse effect, 19 others have reported no effects. 20 Mesnage and Antoniou also point out multiple logical fallacies in the commentaries. Samsel and Seneff propose that the chelation of manganese could cause it to out-compete copper in binding to prion protein. The misfolding that results is thought to contribute to prion diseases. However, the evidence of such effects is lacking.The authors also indicate that if glyphosate acts by sequestering manganese, that means it would make the micronutrient unavailable for participation in interactions with proteins. It would actually be unable to out-compete copper for binding to prion proteins. If this is true, then the chelation of manganese by glyphosate would have a protective effect against prion disease, not a causative one.The hypothesis regarding the substitution of glyphosate for glycine has also received criticism. Samsel and Seneff argue that glyphosate can replace glycine in peptoids, and therefore, it can also replace glycine in regular polypeptides. However, Mesnage and Antonious write, peptoids do not exist naturally in living organisms. Therefore, it is not valid to extrapolate the observations from the laboratory-manufactured peptoids to naturally-occurring polypeptides as they are structurally distinct.Perhaps the most striking argument against Samsel and Seneff's fifth commentary is that direct experimentation has shown that glyphosate does not get incorporated into proteins. 21 Studies involving E. coli cultured in the presence of high concentrations (1 g/L) of glyphosate showed that there were no shifts in molecular weight of proteins or incorporation of glyphosate in polypeptides. Had glyphosate been incorporated into the proteins of E. coli, protein molecular weight would have changed and glyphosate would have been detectable by the analytical methods used in the studies.Despite the controversy, we know glyphosate use is widespread, and it's getting more difficult to avoid. But there are ways to reduce your risk and possibly reverse some of its toxic effects. Here are a few ways you can safeguard yourself and your family against glyphosate.1) Extracts from Dandelions, Barberry, and BurdockGlyphosate is toxic to liver and embryonic cells at doses far below those used in agriculture. A few studies have suggested that a specific combination of plant medicinal herbs may have protective effects against glyphosate. In one study using rats, extracts from dandelion, barberry, and burdock reversed many of the adverse effects provoked by glyphosate when taken prior to and during the 8 days of exposure. Most of the biochemical disturbances caused by glyphosate were also reversed by the combination of plant extracts. 22 2) Charcoal and Humic Acids Animals like cows are frequently exposed to glyphosate through their feeds.Dr. Seneff believes that these treatments could also be effective in humans when trying to detox glyphosate.3) Important Nutrients4) Get GroundedGrounding is the direct physical contact between the body and the surface of the earth. Emerging research has shown that grounding (also called earthing) generates "a kind of electric nutrition." 24 How does this occur?The hypothesis about grounding/earthing is based on the fact that the earth is satiated with free electrons. When two objects make contact, either directly or indirectly, there is an instantaneous migration of "mobile" electrons so that the electrical potentials of the two objects equalize. Some studies have suggested that these free electrons can have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by neutralizing reactive oxygen species. 25 Simply put, the earth is a giant negatively-charged battery. By making direct contact with the ground, the electrons flow right into your body, helping you to regenerate the negative charge.5) Go OrganicAlthough it may be difficult to completely avoid being exposed to glyphosate, eating an organic diet will reduce your exposure to the herbicide. Furthermore, it'll increase the demand for foods that don't use glyphosate. It's also important to be careful with meat and dairy products, which can be sources of glyphosate exposure. Check with your local farms to find the healthiest meat and dairy products for you and your family.6) Eat Foods Containing ManganeseSince glyphosate can chelate manganese, Dr. Seneff recommends eating foods high in manganese to replenish your body of the mineral. Examples of such foods include 26 7) Eat Foods Containing SulfurIn addition to eating foods high in manganese, eating an organic diet rich in sulfur can help protect from glyphosate poisoning. Examples of foods with high sulfur content include the following:So what does all of this mean? It means that the science isn't settled yet. The effects of glyphosate on DNA and need to be investigated under controlled laboratory conditions.Still,Now it's time to hear from you. What steps have you taken to reduce your exposure to glyphosate? What are your thoughts on the widespread use of glyphosate in the environment? Share your thoughts in the comments below!Interested in a glyphosate test kit from HRI Labs? Get 10% off when you use code 'DrJill' at checkout. This makes the price $89.