Glyphosate and COVID-19

Glyphosate is a complex topic that may affect many aspects of health other than being a cancer risk or obvious toxin in the sense of a traditional definition of an obvious poison – take cyanide and you die. If we have glyphosate residue in food and also in the air (5) then it may be affecting our health in many unknown ways. (16)

*This post is also available as a tabbed document, 12 pages (longer now, I added to the document), your liver is worth it though – I encourage you to read it. Here are the summary points, included again at the end:

Take home point for severe – COVID-19 patients:

  • Consider testing the urine output for presences of glyphosate residue, test kits can be ordered by clinicians or through a health company, example (greatplains.mymedlab.com/great-plains-tests/glyphosate–2);
  • and if it is present in excess consider adding a heme-oxygenase-1 inhibitor to their care: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inhibitors include metalloporphyrins (Mps) and imidazole dioxolane derivatives, (13);
  • in addition to following some of the other tips for helping reduce intake of more glyphosate and providing extra methylation support and di-methyl glycine.
  • This post got long so I’m copying the section of possible aids if excessive glyphosate is a concern: Curcumin, Garlic (source of sulfur containing phytonutrients), Vitamin C, Probiotics (fermented foods, yogurt, live active culture pickles), Methyl tetrahydrofolate – (this is the bioactive form of folic acid), Cobalamin – methyl B12, Glutathione (GSH) (an antioxidant that we make for ourselves when healthy, NAC, N-acetyl-cysteine is a precursor, or liposomal glutathione can be better absorbed. Glutathione is typically broken down in the intestines otherwise. Alpha lipoic acid and Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are additional antioxidant support for the body. (26)), Taurine (another amino acid), Epsom salt baths, source of magnesium and sulfate., Manganese containing foods, Eat organically grown foods when possible. (9)
  • Those tips were collected prior to COVID-19 and the theory of heme-oxygenase-1 potentially being defective and acting as an inflammatory peroxidase instead. The garlic, and sulforaphane containing produce can act as Nrf2 promoters which might also lead to increased heme-oxygenase-1 which in normal function acts as an anti-inflammatory enzyme. The citrus and pomegranate polyphenols might also increase Nrf2 and heme-oxygenase-1 production. >>> test urine for glyphosate seems like an essential first step before proceeding with other standard anti-inflammatory treatments other than vitamin C and quercetin – both of which can help reduce an overexpression of Nrf2 (which occurs in a few types of cancer). (30)


Glyphosate use has increased significantly in the last 10-15 years, & may also be in biofuel exhaust.

Glyphosate residue may be in the air we breathe due to its presence in the exhaust created from burning biofuel that had been made from crops grown with Roundup/glyphosate herbicides. (5) Glyphosate residue is found in our foods and the other inert ingredients of Roundup may help it pass through mucus membranes more easily than glyphosate would on its own, so safety testing on glyphosate may not reflect risks of the mixed herbicides like Roundup. (16) (See post, re glyphosate found in humans)

Glyphosate is a man-made chemical that has the same basic structure as an amino acid, building blocks of proteins, and it has been found to possibly be incorporated into protein structure with radioactive tracing. The other ingredients of Roundup increase bioaccumulation of glyphosate in living tissue by helping transport it into tissue. (7) Glyphosate has been found in all vaccine samples that were tested by an independent group, (8), which might be due to vaccine ingredients being cultured on gelatin plates. Gelatin is an animal byproduct derived from collagen.

Glyphosate is a man-made amino acid similar to the natural amino acid Glycine, but has an extra side-chain.

Whether glyphosate is entering our bodies in foods or in the air we breathe, it may be incorporated into our own protein structures. Glyphosate is very similar to the amino acid glycine. An example of glycine’s importance is its role in forming collagen (25% glycine by weight, 1) which is used to form cushioning areas around joints (patients with osteoarthritis have less glycine, and less collagen in their joint tissue than during normal health, 1 ). Glycine is also used in other proteins like enzymes that are used in chemical reactions that lead to other effects on our health.

Glyphosate is similar to a natural, smaller amino acid called glycine but it has a different and larger side chain – a chemical group attached to the glycine like amino acid form. Glycine as a free amino acid has calming, inhibitory effects within the brain and has a small methyl group which can be used to stabilize genes in an ‘off’ mode. (16) Within longer protein structure glycine has an important role in the folding and formation of enzymes or receptors.

Proteins are a string of amino acids joined one to one like beads on a necklace but which then may fold into very complex shapes: Slightly like this toy. The side group on glyphosate is large enough and positioned in a way that it can change the shape and possibly the function of a protein that is made with it instead of glycine. The protein may fold correctly but then the additional chemical group is in the way where the smaller glycine may have left an opening which would be an active spot for a chemical enzyme or receptor – picture a puzzle piece that now has a sticking outward spot instead of an open area.

Puzzle pieces.

A chemical enzyme or receptor has an open area that a matching chemical can fit into. The extra molecular group on glyphosate can interfere with the opening that a smaller glycine would have created in a folded protein. If glycine is being incorporated into protein structure, feasibly it might change the function of an enzyme that included glycine at an active site – changing the shape of the puzzle piece so that it was inactive, the opening too small to accept the normal ligand – matching chemical; or it might change the opening to fit a different chemical potentially changing the function of the enzyme.

Glycine also has a role in cancer prevention because it can donate a methyl group, which is protective against cancer by limiting genes from becoming active if they are not supposed to active. Epigenetic changes can occur in the methylation of genes that don’t change the DNA structure itself but which can be passed from mother to developing fetus and if female, to the fetal ovum – the potential grandchildren. Glyphosate has been found to cause “epigenetic changes through endocrine-mediated mechanisms [54737576798183].” (16)

The extra molecular group in glyphosate is not a methyl donor and therefore would not help preserve necessary methylation of genes that are meant to be in the methylated inactive ‘off’ mode. (9) Unmethylated genes are available to be made into proteins – and we might not want some cells to be making some proteins – cancer cells tend to grow out of control and produce more blood vessels than normal – necessary to support the uncontrolled growth of a tumor.

The glyphosate residue problem of accumulation in our bodies would not be able to be reduced quickly, but might be reduced gradually by avoiding any food that might have Roundup in the production/feed chain, and providing extra glycine as a supplement – to help the body build new collagen and other proteins with the correct amino acid. Some tips that may help reduce glyphosate are included in this post, based on a video by researcher Stephanie Seneff, and which include strategies that were used to treat herd animals who ingested excess glyphosate. A functional medical health professional might be able to provide individualized guidance. (9)

Excerpt describing how replacement of glycine with a different amino acid can change an enzyme from beneficial to harmful: “The title of a paper published in 2000 clearly states the consequences of replacing the first glycine residue with a different amino acid: Re­placement of the distal glycine 139 transforms human heme oxygenase-1 into a peroxidase.”46 The researchers replaced the first glycine residue with several different amino acids, but the one that caused the worst disruption was aspartate. Aspartate is a very good model for how glypho­sate would behave because, like glyphosate, it is considerably larger than glycine & negatively charged. Turning the molecule into a peroxidase would result in the release of redox-active fer­ryl iron (Fe(IV)), a highly oxidized & very dangerous form of iron. 47” – Stephanie Seneff (5)

The change in the enzyme example, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) would cause a positive feedback loop – inflammatory chemicals would cause an increase in production of the HO-1 enzyme, which normally would be protective as it is anti-inflammatory, but a switch to it being a peroxidase, the defective theoretically glyphosate or aspartate containing enzyme would instead further increase inflammation which would lead to the positive feedback loop of an increase in production of the normally anti-inflammatory enzyme, which if defective, would again increase inflammation instead, signally further increased production of the potentially defective enzyme, etcetera, creating an out of control increasingly inflammatory condition.

The bad news – this might be why some people are having severe COVID-19 conditions with blood clotting and other circulatory problems and severe inflammation. The good news – there are known heme oxygenase-1 inhibitors used for research purposes and a few types of cancer that have developed ways to use the enzyme.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inhibitors include metalloporphyrins (Mps) and imidazole dioxolane derivatives, (13) :

Historically, the first molecules used as non selective HO-1 inhibitors were metalloporphyrins (Mps). The subsequent development of the imidazole-dioxolane derivatives afforded the 1st generation of non-porphyrin based, isozyme selective HO-1 inhibitors.” (13)

Typically anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, such as carnasol (12) found in rosemary and sage which increase the anti-inflammatory Nrf2 pathway, might not be as helpful for a patient whose problem involved glyphosate residue and defective heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The normally anti-inflammatory HO-1 enzyme is also increased, induced, by the promotion of the Nrf2 anti-inflammatory pathway, (See excerpt: 10) in addition to being increased by an increase in levels of inflammatory chemicals.

Our results showed that hesperetin and gardenin A dramatically suppressed ROS and IL-5 production through distinct pathways. Interestingly, hesperidin induced HO-1 expression through the transcription factor Nrf2 coupled with the PI3K/AKT or ERK/JNK signaling pathway, consequently downregulating NFAT activity and IL-5 secretion. Likewise, gardenin A induced HO-1 expression and subsequently suppressed IL-5 production by reducing NFAT activity and upregulating PPARγ in EL-4 cells, suggesting that inducing HO-1 expression may inhibit asthmatic inflammation. Altogether, hesperidin and gardenin A have great potential for regulating the asthma-associated immune responses through antioxidant properties.” (10

Clearly more research is needed regarding the role of glyphosate in severe Covid-19 illness. My own successful use of citrus peel flavonoids such as hesperetin for helping the asthma like symptoms of Covid-19 like illness was early in the progression of the illness and I have been avoiding glyphosate containing foods for several years, as well as taking a few grams of supplemental Di-methyl glycine daily during that same time period. Citrus flavonoids have been found beneficial for asthma and some other types of respiratory problems due to activating bitter taste receptors within the lungs. (11)

How to tell if Glyphosate is a problem for a patient? test the urine for residue is one method used in a fatty liver disease study.

Glyphosate animal studies tended to have liver damage as a risk so a research team tested a small group of humans with early stages of liver damage and a group without for the presence of glyphosate in their urine. the people with liver disease (Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, NAFLD) were found more likely to have higher levels of glyphosate being excreted in their urine samples than the people without liver damage. (19, 20) Test kits for the presence of glyphosate in a urine sample can be ordered by clinicians or through a health company, example: (greatplains.mymedlab.com/great-plains-tests/glyphosate–2)

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease has become much more common in the last couple decades in the United States and other areas.

Having liver disease whether NAFLD, or more advanced stages, is associated with increased risk for more severe COVID-19 illness. (many search results, COVID19/NAFLD) Having more severe COVID-19 illness may also increase risk for being left with liver damage in survivors. (23)

High fructose corn syrup sweetened products may be part of risk. Fructose is a sugar that is not used by the body for energy except within the liver, similar to calories from alcohol. An excessive intake of calories from alcohol or fruit sugar on a regular basis can then lead to more energy than the liver needs on a daily basis and the excess is made into fat and stored within the liver. If the problem continues, excess fruit sugar or alcohol, than more fat is made and added to the liver storage and the stored fat isn’t used. The liver is not designed to store extra fat. The area become inflamed which leads to fibrosis, scar tissue, and eventually cell death. The liver is where toxins are detoxified and removed from circulation so a non-working liver then leads to an excess of toxins in the blood, and jaundice may become visible as yellowing of the whites of the eyes.

More information about the progression of liver disease is available at the Liver Foundation website: (21).

Limiting fruit sugar and alcohol intake to a moderate one or two servings per day or less is the obvious solution to preventing Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease from occurring. This may not be as obvious as it seems regarding High-Fructose Corn Syrup – which is now being used to sweeten soda and other beverages. Twenty ounce fructose sweetened anything might be four fruit serving equivalents, but without providing the beneficial phytonutrients or fiber of a whole fruit. Anti-inflammatory phytonutrients such as anthocyanins from blueberries, and other red/purple fruits and produce may be protective as well. (many anthocyanin/NAFLD studies) Avoiding glyphosate may also be necessary. (19, 20)

The issue of NAFLD is very significant because if not corrected early, in the fatty stages when the extra energy could be used by the liver, it progresses to the fibrotic scarring and cell death stages, which are generally non-reversible and liver transplant is needed. Treatment during the fibrotic stage may be possible, early diagnosis can help prevent a need for liver transplant, if lifestyle changes and treatment is followed. Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is being diagnosed in people as young as age 15 more commonly now in the U.S.. Fatty Liver Disease used to be a disease linked to decades of drinking too much alcohol – in older people. There are waiting lists for organ transplant – ideally, better to take care of your own liver.

Progression between the stages was thought to generally take a couple decades – age 15, would be possibly needing a liver transplant by age 35, however that no longer seems to be true either. Some patients are reaching the more severe liver disease within just a couple years from initial diagnosis of NAFLD. Other risk factors for NAFLD include “obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia,” also “obstructive sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome, gout, and hypothyroidism.” (22) If glyphosate is part of the risk, than the 15 year old could have been consuming glyphosate residue for 15 years.

If glyphosate is interfering with re-methylation, that also could be a risk factor for risk of developing NAFLD: “In summary, advanced NAFLD is associated with multiple alterations in methionine metabolism that lead to hepatic methionine deficiency and homocysteine elevation, mainly as a result of impaired remethylation of homocysteine to methionine.” (24) Methionine is also an amino acid like glycine that can be a methyl donor – when it has a methyl group available to donate.

Dietary nutrients or phytonutrients mentioned by Stephanie Seneff in a video about glyphosate, and reducing negative impact of it include:

  • Curcumin
  • Garlic (source of sulfur containing phytonutrients)
  • Vitamin C
  • Probiotics (fermented foods, yogurt, live active culture pickles)
  • Methyl tetrahydrofolate – (this is the bioactive form of folic acid)
  • Cobalamin – methyl B12
  • Glutathione (GSH) (an antioxidant that we make for ourselves when healthy, NAC, N-acetyl-cysteine is a precursor, or liposomal glutathione can be better absorbed. Glutathione is typically broken down in the intestines otherwise. Alpha lipoic acid and Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are additional antioxidant support for the body. (26))
  • Taurine (another amino acid)
  • Epsom salt baths, source of magnesium and sulfate.
  • Manganese containing foods,
  • Eat organically grown foods when possible.
  • (9)

Toxicity risk is assessed based on old standards of overt lethality, cancer risk, and teratogen – birth defect risk.

Toxicity risk for new chemicals still focuses on the overt risk of how much is too much – how much will cause cancer, visible or otherwise obvious birth defects, or will lead to death within a short time span? Toxicity risk would not be checking whether the function of normal enzymes still worked, or whether collagen was still being made in the same way.

Modern man-made chemicals may be affecting health in less obvious ways. Endocrine disrupting chemicals have been studied more extensively than the question of the similarity of glycine and glyphosate. Endocrine disrupting chemicals can affect the balance of female/male hormones and possibly affect development of infants during a woman’s pregnancy and may be affecting health throughout the lifespan in other ways – at very low doses. Hormones affect the body in very tiny amounts – not at amounts that would cause cancer or lead to death in a short amount of time. Glyphosate containing herbicides have been found to have androgen like effects, male hormone, and effects on reproductive health. (3, 4)

Many modern chemicals commonly used for agriculture and other purposes are negatively impacting soil health. We not only are losing bees from the wilderness and agriculture, we have lost earthworms from the soil. (25)

Glyphosate in biofuel & rates of severe Covid-19 illness.

Severe Covid-19 illness has had many odd symptoms that are not like other respiratory illnesses. The use of glyphosate herbicides for food and biofuel production in the US and in some other nations has greatly increased in the last decade or two. (16) SARS-CoV-1 was a smaller outbreak and it occurred in 2003. “Two-thirds of the total volume of glyphosate applied in the U.S. from 1974 to 2014 has been sprayed in just the last 10 years.” (16)

Use of glyphosate herbicides has also increased significantly due to use as a desiccant in the final ripening stages of other crops such as small grains, edible beans, and other crops. The herbicide is added in the last few days before harvest to defoliate the plant and increase harvest yield. It also may greatly increase residue on the harvested food.

The average rate per crop year [US]—the single most important indicator of the intensity of glyphosate use—rose even more dramatically, from 0.47 kg/hectare in 1993 to 2.08 kg/hectare in 2012 (4.4-fold).” (16)

Initially application of the herbicide for genetically modified crops (GMO) was once or twice per growing season but there was an increase in weeds that mutated to be able to resist glyphosate and then more of the herbicide and other herbicides were needed – and this losing race against mutations in weeds is continuing. (16, 32) The method to make genetically modified crops leads to an increased risk for similar mutations as the genes involved are added to the crop plant in a mobile gene containing plasmid – likely then fairly mobile for moving into a nearby weed species. (17)

As use of glyphosate herbicides has increased in the US and residue has increased the Environmental Protection Agency has increased the amount of residue allowed to be present on the harvested product. (16)

Still, a growing body of literature points to possible, adverse environmental, ecological, and human health consequences following exposure to glyphosate and/or AMPA, both alone [54] and in combination with ingestion of GE proteins (e.g., EPSPS, Bt endotoxins) [55]. Environmental studies encompass possible glyphosate impacts on soil microbial communities and earthworms [5658], monarch butterflies [59], crustaceans [60], and honeybees [61].

(Benbrook, 2016, 16)

Studies assessing possible risks to vertebrates and humans include evidence of rising residue levels in soybeans [6263], cancer risk [64], and risk of a variety of other potential adverse impacts on development, the liver or kidney, or metabolic processes [54556580].”

(Benbrook, 2016, 16)

The patent for glyphosate herbicides ended in the year 2000 and has reduced price and increased the number of producers. Chinese producers now make about 40% of the world supply of glyphosate herbicides but primarily export it rather than it being used in China on crops there as the genetically modified seeds resistant to glyphosate are not generally grown there. (16)

It is easier to pollute than it is to clean up pollution. Lead gasoline exhaust harmed health and was eventually regulated to be prevented from being added to gasoline. Urban areas still have lead contaminated soil around highways and industrial areas. Lead exposure may have added to an increase in a variety of health and social issues.

Glyphosate may be present in biofuel made from plant material that was grown with Roundup or other glyphosate containing herbicides or biomatter that was exposed to glyphosate containing herbicides from it spreading to the nearby environment. It does runoff into water and collects in soil. It may be used as an herbicide for aquatic plants but it is not ideal for that use as aquatic species are even more at risk to be harmed by the combination of the glyphosate and other ingredients that can carry it through mucus membranes more easily.

Removing glyphosate residue from the biofuel produced with glyphosate containing plant material might be possible – but ending use of glyphosate herbicides for all of our agricultural crops and other environmental uses might be better for long term health of soil microbes, aquatic species, and other species, such as humans.

Graphic showing rates of COVID19 by city/county in the state of Massachusetts – April 27 2020. The rate for Chelsea, Massachusetts is the worst for the state at that point in time (6) – what might be different there? – they have a biodiesel production plant. More recent graphic showing the U.S. rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths: (18), this is not contained.

If biofuel production and its use, due to exhaust containing glyphosate residue, is part of the severe Covid19 risk – then US and Brazil are by and far leaders in production of biofuel, (14) , and US crops use a lot of Roundup. (14) I’m not sure about Brazil Roundup use prior to 2018 but at that time the nation suspended use, pending further safety studies of glyphosate containing herbicides, and then the ban was over-ruled by a higher level court, citing risk to the Brazilian economy as soy growers depend on glyphosate herbicides. (15)

The death rate in Brazil since the start of Covid19 epidemic to present – seasonality may also play a role was less severe than in the U.S.. Vitamin D/sunshine is protective against an excess inflammatory response. Brazil’s Covid rate has been increasing with a current rate of 25153 cases per million population, 7.5% are being treated, and 0.2% are in Intensive Care Units (ICU): (coronatracker/Brazil) The United States Covid rate has also been increasing with a rate of 26582 cases per million population, 32.3% are being treated, and 0.2% are in ICU: (coronatracker/United-States). Data accessed on Oct. 24, 2020, coronatracker.

China, for comparison, a country mentioned earlier that doesn’t use much glyphosate herbicides has only 60 cases per million population currently. (coronatracker/China). Data accessed on Oct. 25, 2020. Less glyphosate is also used in European countries than in the United States. (31)

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma has been linked to Roundup use, and some nations have banned, or plan a phaseout and eventual ban of the use of glyphosate herbicides within a few years. A list of cities, states, and nations with some regulations or ban of the use of glyphosate containing herbicides is available here: (carlsonattorneys). A list of nations with a ban or planned ban is available here: (sustainablepulse). The herbicide has also been linked to bee colony collapse (death of agricultural and wild bee colonies) along with a few other pesticides/herbicides.

aside/ burning plant material that could be composted as used as fertilizer is still removing phosphorus from the growth renewable cycle that was traditional and worked. Biofuel also somewhat energy intensive to make. Humans need to burn less, not just switch what we are burning

Possible aid in urban areas – Pomegranate

Pomegranate juice and nutrients in the peel of pomegranate may help the body remove air pollution nanoparticles by promoting clumping of the tiny particles into a cluster large enough for the white blood cells of our normal body defense system to be able remove, and also helps reduce oxidative stress – inflammatory chemicals. Glutathione, an antioxidant mentioned earlier, is one of our body’s ways of reducing oxidative stress chemicals. “even very low amounts of pomegranate juice…protects the generated nitric oxide (NO) against its oxidative destruction (via an inhibition of a superoxide anion-mediated disappearance of NO, leading to..[more].. bioavailability of NO) (29)

Some background info on glyphosate theory regarding chronic illness risk

Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance – Samsel & Seneff (27)

More on this topic is in the tabbed document.

Different ‘hyperinflammatory’ explanation for COVID-19, and summary points about glyphosate/CoV theory:

A potential explanation for the hyperinflammatory (like toxic shock/septic shock) syndrome in severe COVID19 and MIS-C in children in a small percentage may be due to a genetic susceptibility. More positively T-cell immunity from exposure to over coronavirus may be protective. (28)

Use of anti-inflammatories is suggested as a possible solution for the hyperinflammatory reaction, (28), – which is what high dose Intravenous Vitamin C Infusion proponents have been using and recommending all along. (March 26, 2020 post) Just taking very large doses of vitamin C would not be the same, it goes straight through if taken in excess by mouth. Liposomal forms of vitamins are encased in a fat soluble carrier which can increase absorption more. However – if excessive glyphosate residue is part of the hyper-inflammatory cycle, with the defective heme oxygenase-1 enzyme instead of being anti-inflammatory and instead acting as an inflammatory peroxidase, then standard anti-inflammatory treatment may not help as much as expected and some may even be adding to the problem by inducing more production of the defective heme-oxygenase-1 enzyme.

Take home point for severe – COVID-19 patients:

  • Consider testing the urine output for presences of glyphosate residue, test kits can be ordered by clinicians or through a health company, example (greatplains.mymedlab.com/great-plains-tests/glyphosate–2) ;
  • and if it is present in excess consider adding a heme-oxygenase-1 inhibitor to their care: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inhibitors include metalloporphyrins (Mps) and imidazole dioxolane derivatives, (13);
  • in addition to following some of the other tips for helping reduce intake of more glyphosate and providing extra methylation support and di-methyl glycine.
  • This post got long so I’m copying the section of possible aids if excessive glyphosate is a concern: Curcumin, Garlic (source of sulfur containing phytonutrients), Vitamin C, Probiotics (fermented foods, yogurt, live active culture pickles), Methyl tetrahydrofolate – (this is the bioactive form of folic acid), Cobalamin – methyl B12, Glutathione (GSH) (an antioxidant that we make for ourselves when healthy, NAC, N-acetyl-cysteine is a precursor, or liposomal glutathione can be better absorbed. Glutathione is typically broken down in the intestines otherwise. Alpha lipoic acid and Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are additional antioxidant support for the body. (26)), Taurine (another amino acid), Epsom salt baths, source of magnesium and sulfate., Manganese containing foods, Eat organically grown foods when possible. (9)
  • Those tips were collected prior to COVID-19 and the theory of heme-oxygenase-1 potentially being defective and acting as an inflammatory peroxidase instead. The garlic, and sulforaphane containing produce can act as Nrf2 promoters which might also lead to increased heme-oxygenase-1 which in normal function acts as an anti-inflammatory enzyme. The citrus and pomegranate polyphenols might also increase Nrf2 and heme-oxygenase-1 production. >>> test urine for glyphosate seems like an essential first step before proceeding with other standard anti-inflammatory treatments other than vitamin C and quercetin – both of which can help reduce an overexpression of Nrf2 (which occurs in a few types of cancer). (30)

Your liver may thank you for thinking about the risks of glyphosate to human health, and to the other species we share the planet with. Humans created a fake amino acid – which can be incorporated into protein as if it was an amino acid, but which functions far differently within the protein structure.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

Reference List

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  8. Glyphosate in Childhood Vaccines: Moms & Scientists Demand FDA & CDC Test Vaccines for Glyphosate. Moms across America, https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/glyphosate_in_childhood_vaccines
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  10. Citrus flavonoids suppress IL-5 and ROS through distinct pathways in PMA/ionomycin-induced EL-4 cells https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31932824/ 
  11. Nayak AP, Shah SD, Michael JV, Deshpande DA. Bitter Taste Receptors for Asthma Therapeutics. Front Physiol. 2019;10:884. Published 2019 Jul 16. doi:10.3389/fphys.2019.00884 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6647873/ 
  12. Martin D, Rojo AI, Salinas M, et al., Regulation of Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression through the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway and the Nrf2 Transcription Factor in Response to the Antioxidant Phytochemical Carnosol*. J Bio Chem. 2004;279:10, pp. 8919–8929, 2004 https://jbc.org/content/279/10/8919.full.pdf
  13. Pittalà V, Salerno L, Romeo G, Modica MN, Siracusa MA. A focus on heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inhibitors. Curr Med Chem. 2013;20(30):3711-32. doi: 10.2174/0929867311320300003. PMID: 23746277. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23746277/
  14. Leading countries based on biofuel production in 2019 (in petajoules)*, statista.com https://statista.com/statistics/274168/biofuel-production-in-leading-countries-in-oil-equivalent/
  15. Reuters staff, Brazil court overturns ban on weed-killer glyphosate. Sept. 3, 2018, reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-agriculture/brazil-court-overturns-ban-on-weed-killer-glyphosate-idUSKCN1LJ1D7
  16. Benbrook CM, Trends in glyphosate herbicide use in the United States and globally. Environ Sci Eur 28, 3 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-016-0070-0
    https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-016-0070-0
  17. Gene Transfer, Genetic Engineering of Plants: Agricultural Research Opportunities and Policy Concerns. National Research Council (US) Board on Agriculture. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1984. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK216398/
  18. Graphic showing the US rate of cases and deaths due to COVID-19. https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1320142330611941376?s=20
  19. Debra Kamin, It’s in the Weeds: Herbicide Linked to Human Liver Disease. May 14, 2019, U.C. San Diego, https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2019-05-14-herbicide-linked-to-human-liver-disease.aspx
  20. Mills PJ, Caussy C, Loomba R., Glyphosate Excretion is Associated With Steatohepatitis and Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Patients With Fatty Liver Disease. Clin Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2020;18:3 March 2020, Pages 741-743 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1542356519303611
  21. The Progression of Liver Disease, liverfoundation.org, https://liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/the-progression-of-liver-disease/#1503432878616-a25d5b59-3a75
  22. Laura Joszt, NASH Has Gone Under the Radar, but It Is the “Elephant in the Room,” Panelists Say. Nov 1, 2019 https://www.ajmc.com/view/nash-has-gone-under-the-radar-but-it-is-the-elephant-in-the-room-panelists-say
  23. Ping Lei, Lan Zhang, Ping Han, et al., Liver injury in patients with COVID-19: clinical profiles, CT findings, the correlation of the severity with liver injury. Hepatol Int14, 733–742 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-020-10087-1 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12072-020-10087-1
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  25. Prof. Dr. Ralf Otterpohl Healing the Soil, klinghardtinstitute.com, https://klinghardtinstitute.com/environment/healing-the-soil/
  26. Samuel Yanuck, Module 2, video 1, Hypoxia and Inflammatory Cytokines, cogenceimmunology.com https://cogenceimmunology.com/
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  28. Superantigenic character of an insert unique to SARS-CoV-2 spike supported by skewed TCR repertoire in patients with hyperinflammation Mary Hongying Cheng, She Zhang, Rebecca A. Porritt, Magali Noval Rivas, Lisa Paschold, Edith Willscher, Mascha Binder, Moshe Arditi, Ivet Bahar Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Oct 2020, 117 (41) 25254-25262; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2010722117 https://www.pnas.org/content/117/41/25254 via Tweet with graphics https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1310667448278945792?s=20
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  31. Antier C, Kudsk P, Reboud X, et al., Glyphosate Use in the European Agricultural Sector and a Framework for Its Further Monitoring. Sustainability, 15 July 2020 https://www.dropbox.com/s/q5ooe291m7d6inj/sustainability-12-05682-v3.pdf?dl=0
  32. Brunharo CACG, Morran S, Martin K, Moretti ML, Hanson BD. EPSPS duplication and mutation involved in glyphosate resistance in the allotetraploid weed species Poa annua L. Pest Manag Sci. 2019 Jun;75(6):1663-1670. doi: 10.1002/ps.5284. Epub 2019 Jan 28. PMID: 30506940. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30506940/ 


Sumac tea was a lemony drink used by Native Americans

Sumac is  a shrubby tree that grows easily in many areas of the U.S. and other countries. Types with reddish berries/seed clusters are safe for tea or use as a ground spice while a type with whitish berries is not safe. As a plant it is considered an invasive species because it grows so easily it can be difficult to remove from an area. It grows wild in patches along highways in some areas such as Iowa for example:

Sumac growing wild along U.S. Highway I-80 in Iowa during the winter season. when no leaves are present but last years seed clusters can still be observed on the top branches

Why care about Sumac? I bought a jar at a Middle Eastern grocery store of the plant prepared as a ground dried spice to sprinkle on foods during cooking or at the table. The jar I bought was imported from Lebanon. I paid $3.99 for a little less than a half pound size container so it isn’t a high profit margin spice but on the other hand I would be happy to by Sumac that was harvested in Iowa or Oklahoma or Michigan – all places where it grows wild.

One species that is safe for use is known to grow in all 48 contiguous states. Early in the spring the newly sprouted shoots can be eaten as a salad like vegetable. the lemony flavored tea can also be made into a jelly or candy: (http://www.eattheweeds.com/sumac-more-than-just-native-lemonade/)

Research performed with the plant in other nations regarding its medicinal benefits have found the spice or extracts to have a wide range of benefits.  More information about medicinal benefits are in an earlier post on the topic and are also listed with summertime images of the red seed clusters in an article Sumac: Nutritional Properties: https://iowaherbalist.com/tag/sumac-nutritional-properties/ and one about Sumac Tea: https://allnaturalideas.com/sumac-tea/.

The spice or tea can have significant diuretic properties similar to drinking coffee or alcoholic beverages so having smaller amounts earlier in the day along with plenty of water throughout the day can help the body cleanse toxins early in the day without waking you in the middle of the night. Overly acidic urine may cause an extreme urge to urinate but then produce only a small amount – which means the body is working hard to remove acidity without adequate water to dilute it – so drink plenty of water and acidity and toxins will be readily removed in the more dilute urine. Diuretic medications are often given to patients who are retaining excess water with a goal to help the body remove the excess water and salt from edematous areas between organs and outside of blood vessels. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/tips-for-taking-diuretic-medications  They are different but similar in effect to a diuretic beverage such as coffee or alcoholic beverages.

The acidic and antimicrobial properties of sumac have also been studied in food preparation of raw chicken to reduce the risk of salmonella and other food pathogens: The Effect of Water Extract of Sumac (Rhus coriariaL.) and Lactic Acid on Decontamination and Shelf Life of Raw Broiler Wings,  https://academic.oup.com/ps/article/85/8/1466/1524938

Gallotannins are one of the phytonutrients in sumac with medicinal benefits and is concentrated enough that the plant can be a source for extracting the substance, gallotannins and sumac. While the active phytonutrients in pomegranate peel extract and sumac extract are slightly different they both exhibit antifungal properties that may be beneficial for commercial, agricultural use: Chemical Characterization of Different Sumac and Pomegranate Extracts Effective against Botrytis cinerea Rots http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/20/7/11941/htm

To connect the dots for those who don’t see the bigger picture in the same way that I do – one easy to grow crop that grows across the nation could be used to flavor anything lemon flavored for possibly less cost that lemons cost.  The lemon flavor is from the terpene content, it contains the same type as lemon and limes: limonene. Sumac could be used for a variety of products for direct use by humans and might also be useful as a medication for humans or for animals. It also might have industrial and agricultural uses for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. One negative side effect that has become more apparent in agriculture is that pathogenic fungal strains seem more prevalent in soil that has had a buildup of Roundup/glyphosate. Hard to treat fungal illnesses in humans may also becoming more common. A lemony drink or food that treats hard to treat diseases in humans or farm animals and which can be grown very inexpensively could be useful if it was recognized as useful instead of simply an invasive weed.

The seed clusters left over from last fall could likely be harvested now, before spring growth occurs, and used for agricultural experiments this season, instead of waiting for the next new crop of seed clusters that would be ripe at the end of next summer, approximately in August.

The pomegranate peel leftover from making pomegranate juice is currently also being wasted when it might be useful as a medicine or food substance or even as an agricultural antifungal treatment.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

Caring about others may mean caring about our food supply too

I care about others and that is why I worked in a very demanding job for a reasonable but not large salary for my profession and credentials, and why I shared health information online after resigning my demanding job. Good news I thought, about health being obtainable with some attention to neglected nutrients, however it was met with more difficulty than I expected or could ever have imagined, but also with an outpouring of love and support, that was more than I could ever have imagined. I realized that we are a very divided nation, and so I’ve continued to try to share the good news that health can be obtained – with a lot of effort and a very restricted diet in the current food climate.

Whether standard or “health” foods our modern food supply has too many negative chemicals and not as many nutrients as food would have contained prior to about 1950-1985. Modern humans are no longer built out of the same ingredients that we once were. Toxins have been found in most people and types of body fluids that have been sampled in some areas/some research. Many things are not tested for however and that lack of testing is not shared.

In 1983 there was concern that the rate of infertility in women of childbearing age had increased significantly from 6% to 9%. A type of birth control that was used at the time was thought to have been involved in the increased rate. http://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/10/garden/infertility-increases-in-young-women.html

Today 12% of women aged 15-44 (the range considered of childbearing age) have sought fertility services – 7.3 million women. Of the 15-44 year old group of women 6.7% are considered infertile and 12.1% are considered to have impaired fecundity (–> dictionary “fecundity” ~ the ability of females to produce great numbers of offspring – or ideas – or for the planet’s level of fruitfulness and fertility). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/infertility.htm

The average rate of childbirth has dropped fairly rapidly and in most areas of the U.S.. Other nations are also seeing a reduction in childbirth rates and have had some success with changes in policy to be more supportive of childbearing but even those have had limited success in increasing average rate of childbirth. https://medium.com/migration-issues/the-great-baby-bust-of-2017-2f63907402fc

Pesticide residue in produce has been linked to a reduced likelihood of becoming pregnant when using fertility treatments and a 26% lower liklihood of delivering a live birth. The study compared women who ate 2 to 6 servings of commercially grown produce with low pesticide residue produce. Increased risk was associated with increasing number of servings of the commercially grown produce. Organic produce may be a safer source of nutrients for prenatal health. https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/infertility/68977

An overview of a theory regarding glyphosate, is available here: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/glyphosate-in-collagen/. Glyphosate is an artificially produced amino acid analogue that is being used as an herbicide on many crops. It is chemically so similar to the amino acid glycine that it may be incorporated directly into protein structures in plants, animals and humans.

I share information because I’m concerned about individual and planetary fecundity. As a health professional I trusted that my recommendations were based on adequate research, however once I resigned and I had more time to look into the background information I was very dismayed to find out that much of the nutrient guidelines are based on very old research or research that seems skewed by corporate or political goals or lack of common sense. Medical research in the for-profit industry is skewed towards finding a way to hijack a step in physiology and substitute a pharmaceutical medication that modifies a symptom or lab test slightly more than a placebo.

The worse news is that the placebo isn’t necessarily no treatment but may be a comparison of the ingredients of the test substance that are considered inert/inactive, however they may not be safe either. A better comparison would be the test substance or treatment compared to no treatment or just whatever dietary and lifestyle recommendations that are part of the standard treatment for the experimental condition.

Roundup is an herbicide that contains glyphosate but it also contains other ingredients that are considered inactive/inert and safety tests are primarily only done and only required to have been performed on the glyphosate. Studies have not been required to continue for an entire animal’s lifespan in the U.S. or for a few generations. I recently learned that generational research was performed elsewhere.

“A Russian study found that feeding hamsters GMO soy resulted in complete sterility after 2 or 3 generations.”  page 35 http://farmwars.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Glyphosate-Destructor-of-Human-Health-and-Biodiversity-2.pdf

The combination of the ingredients in Roundup may be even more harmful than the glyphosate alone and may particularly affect aquatic species, particularly amphibians. http://stopthespraybc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Literature-Review-of-Impacts-of-Glyphosate-Herbicide1.pdf

The rate of infertility and spontaneous abortions has increased in a variety of animal species in the wild and raised domestically for the food industry. A new infectious pathogen has also been identified that is more prevalent in animals raised with more Roundup Ready GMO foods in their diet. “The pathogen is also found in the fungal causative agent of SDS (Fusarium solani fsp glycines).”  http://farmandranchfreedom.org/letter-dr-huber-roundup-animal-miscarriage-infertility/ However that research claim has not been followed up by more substantiated work in peer reviewed journals. He mentions a specific pathogen that includes the word glycines – more recent research suggests a risk that glyphosate is being incorporated into proteins in place of glycine. That is a wild card scenario that nature never experienced in such quantity. We as humans are unlikely to have any idea what differences might occur in a pathogen that is formed with glyphosate in the place of glycine within proteins.

Tests to detect the DNA of a pathogen based on it containing glycine might not detect the pathogen if it is present but made with glyphosate in the place of glycine. The following article discusses testing for the presence of the Fusarium solani fsp glycines pathogen and failing to do so when preliminary tests suggesting that it would be found were positive. See the discussion section regarding the PCR assay that was developed for the study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-3059.2003.00797.x/full

In later articles online that aim to disprove his (unpublished in peer reviewed journals) work he is asked about genetic sequencing of the organism that was discovered and he didn’t provide samples and said it didn’t have DNA and was more like a prion (a protein that can replicate like a virus but which contains no nucleus with DNA). https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/10/13/robyn-obrien-defends-anti-gmo-crusader-don-huber-whistleblower-or-crank/#.VDvzVVfLnVk.google_plusone_share

Prions are an infectious protein that does not contain DNA or RNA but which can infect humans and animals and be replicated by the infected cells. Brain damage can be a long term result that causes physical symptoms of loss of muscle control. An active section of the prion does contain several molecules of glycine. https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/recent-research-advances-in-the-glycinexxxglycine-motif-of-mammalian-prion-proteins-2167-0501.1000e151.php?aid=24132 So in an environment/food supply where glycine was in limited supply and glyphosate was prevalent it is possible that prions might occur that are different in structure and activity because they were built with the similarly shaped molecules of glyphosate instead of glycine.

An earlier concern about unknown prion production from the GMO process as a long term potential human health hazard was expressed by a scientist who actually was working with Monsanto during development phases and who quit because of ethical concerns. http://responsibletechnology.org/allfraud/monsanto-whistleblower-says-genetically-engineered-crops-may-cause-disease/

If pathogens exist that are actually other types of pathogens but which were formed with glyphosate instead of glycine, we don’t know what they might be capable of doing because they would be brand new. Canadian research suggested there is an increased risk for Fusarium infection in glyphosate crops.  https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/ge/monsanto121503.php

If we impair the base of the food chain than all species who eat those smaller species will also be at risk of lack of food if not also being at risk of impaired health and fecundity due to the toxins in the environment. If we raise our domesticated animals who are used directly for human food on crops that contain increased amounts of a toxin than we are also increasing our own intake of the potential toxin.

Humans are intelligent but are we also wise?

/Guidance that might be helpful to avoid negative effects of glyphosate – supplemental vitamin D3, coQ10, and trace minerals may help and bathing or soaking in magnesium sulfate salt (Epsom salt) for about 20 minutes every few days. The skin’s ability to make bioactive sulfate and vitamin D may be impaired by glyphosate. To avoid the glyphosate itself – choose as much organically grown ingredients as you can afford. Organic foods used in dietary change research has shown a reduction in the body’s load of toxins before the dietary switch was made. – a summary, use at your own risk as the standard recommendation is that standard food is fine for promoting health for everyone.

/Disclosure: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./

 

A U.S. Congressman is concerned about safety of glyphosate

“New questions about the safety of Monsanto weed killer Roundup are deeply troubling. I worked on the glyphosate issue last term and I believe consumers should immediately stop using Roundup, whose core ingredient glyphosate has been labeled a likely carcinogen and has been linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. We need to find out if Monsanto or the Environmental Protection Agency misled the public.”

-U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu,  “US Congressman Calls for DOJ Investigation into EPA-Monsanto Glyphosate Collusion” Mar 17 2017 – by Sustainable Pulse,

http://sustainablepulse.com/2017/03/17/us-congressman-calls-for-doj-investigation-into-epa-monsanto-glyphosate-collusion/#.WMv1yjvytPb

An employee of the EPA may have colluded with Monsanto to suppress investigation of the safety of glyphosate and the herbicide Roundup.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.