Glyphosate Exposure

Most people think of antibiotics as medications prescribed to fight bacterial infections. But what if one of the most widely used herbicides in the world also acts as an antibiotic inside your body—one you never agreed to take?

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is more than just a weed killer. It’s a patented antibiotic that silently disrupts gut health, altering metabolic function and damaging human health on a massive scale. The consequences of glyphosate exposure extend far beyond agriculture. This chemical is linked to microbiome dysfunction, immune suppression, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders.

Glyphosate: More Than Just a Herbicide

Glyphosate was first patented as an industrial chelator in 1964, originally designed to bind to and break down minerals.^[1] By 1974, it was introduced as an herbicide and became conventional agriculture's most widely used chemical.^[2] Most people don’t realize that in 2010, glyphosate was also patented as an antibiotic.^[3]

How can a weed killer function as an antibiotic? Glyphosate inhibits the shikimate pathway, a vital biological process found in plants, fungi, and bacteria. Humans don’t have this pathway, but the trillions of microbes in our gut do—and they rely on it for survival.

When glyphosate enters the food supply, it doesn’t just kill weeds. It also kills beneficial gut bacteria, disrupting the balance of the microbiome, weakening immune function, and setting the stage for chronic disease.

The Pervasive Presence of Glyphosate in Our Food and Water

The U.S. sprays over 300 million pounds of glyphosate on soil and crops annually. It is used extensively in conventional farming, especially on genetically modified (GMO) crops like corn, soy, and canola, which are engineered to withstand heavy glyphosate applications. Even non-GMO and organic foods can become contaminated due to pesticide drift, water contamination, and persistent soil exposure.[4]

Glyphosate has been detected in:

• Non-organic grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and rice
• Conventionally grown produce, including apples, cherries, grapes, and almonds
• Processed foods containing corn syrup, soybean oil, and canola oil
• Drinking water due to agricultural runoff
• Animal products from livestock raised on glyphosate-contaminated feed

Because glyphosate is water-soluble, it spreads easily throughout the environment, contaminating soil, air, and water. This means that even those who eat a mostly organic diet may still be exposed to environmental sources.

How Glyphosate Destroys Gut Health

The gut microbiome is responsible for digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and even brain health. Glyphosate exposure disrupts this system in several ways.

• Kills beneficial bacteria – Glyphosate selectively eliminates beneficial microbes while allowing harmful bacteria such as Clostridium difficile (C. diff) to thrive. This imbalance increases the risk of gut infections, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction.
• Increases intestinal permeability – Also known as "leaky gut," this condition allows toxins, bacteria, and undigested food particles to pass into the bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation.
• Reduces production of essential nutrients – The gut microbiome helps synthesize vital nutrients, including B vitamins and vitamin K. When disrupted, nutrient deficiencies can occur.
• Weakens the immune system – Since about 70% of immune function is housed in the gut, a compromised microbiome leads to increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmune conditions, and chronic inflammation.

Glyphosate’s Role in Chronic Disease

Because the gut microbiome plays a central role in metabolic health, glyphosate exposure has been linked to numerous chronic conditions.

• Obesity and metabolic syndrome – Disruptions in gut bacteria affect metabolism and insulin sensitivity, contributing to weight gain and diabetes.
• Neurodegenerative diseases – Studies suggest glyphosate exposure may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease due to its neurotoxic and inflammatory effects.
• Hormone disruption – Glyphosate interferes with estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones, affecting fertility, metabolism, and endocrine function.
• Cancer risk – The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. Studies have linked it to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

How to Reduce Your Glyphosate Exposure

Although it’s difficult to avoid glyphosate entirely, there are steps you can take to limit exposure and protect gut health.

• Choose organic foods whenever possible – Organic farming prohibits the use of glyphosate, reducing exposure in produce, grains, and animal products.
• Filter your water – Agricultural runoff contaminates drinking water with glyphosate. A high-quality water filtration system can help remove it.
• Avoid processed foods – Many processed foods contain ingredients derived from glyphosate-contaminated crops such as corn, soy, and wheat.
• Support gut health – Eating probiotic-rich foods like fermented vegetables, kefir, and yogurt can help replenish beneficial bacteria. Prebiotic foods such as onions, garlic, and asparagus feed these beneficial microbes.
• Consider gut-healing supplements – Probiotics, L-glutamine, and activated charcoal may help mitigate glyphosate’s effects and support microbiome balance.

The Bigger Picture: Soil Health and Human Health Are Connected

Glyphosate doesn’t just affect human health—it also destroys the microbial life in soil. Just as a diverse gut microbiome is essential for human health, a thriving soil microbiome is essential for growing nutrient-dense food.

When glyphosate wipes out beneficial soil microbes, it depletes plant nutrition, reduces crop resilience, and increases the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This vicious cycle not only weakens our food supply but also contributes to long-term environmental damage.

Healthy soil creates healthy food, which supports a healthy microbiome—and, ultimately, a healthier you.

Final Thoughts

Glyphosate is more than just a weed killer. It’s a patented antibiotic, endocrine disruptor, and environmental toxin that is quietly degrading human health. Its widespread use is contributing to the rise in chronic disease by destroying the gut microbiome, increasing inflammation, and interfering with key biological processes.

Protecting yourself starts with awareness. By choosing organic, supporting gut health, and demanding better agricultural practices, you can reduce your exposure and take control of your health. The way we treat the earth directly impacts our own well-being—because when we poison the soil, we poison ourselves.

1. Mertens, Martha, et al. “Glyphosate, a Chelating Agent—Relevant for Ecological Risk Assessment?” Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, vol. 25, no. 6, 2018, pp. 5298–317.
2. Meftaul, Islam Md, et al. “Controversies over Human Health and Ecological Impacts of Glyphosate: Is It to Be Banned in Modern Agriculture?” Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex: 1987), vol. 263, no. Pt A, Aug. 2020, p. 114372.
3. Walsh, Lauren, et al. “Impact of Glyphosate (RoundupTM) on the Composition and Functionality of the Gut Microbiome.” Gut Microbes, vol. 15, no. 2, p. 2263935.
4. Benbrook, Charles M. “Trends in Glyphosate Herbicide Use in the United States and Globally.” Environmental Sciences Europe, vol. 28, no. 1, 2016, p. 3.