Glyphosate and Roundup damage the gut microbiome even at doses hitherto believed to be safe and allowed in the EU. A new scientific study explains why. Le
Big 4
meanwhile are calling for a renewal of the permit in Europe after former Consumer Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis asserted its safety.
Glyphosate and the microbiome, the harm
A recent clinical study showed the ability of glyphosate to interfere with the mammalian endocrine system and gut microbiome. (1) Namely, the microbial community that plays a key role in modulating a number of functions in the body, starting with immune and metabolic functions. (2)
This finding has opened new perspectives in the assessment of public health risks associated with glyphosate. Previous studies had in fact evaluated its carcinogenicity-which was also established by the IARC(International Agency for Research on Cancer), in 2015-and other toxic effects. Also impacting reproductive system, fetal health and congenital malformations.
Damage to the microbiota, why?
Glyphosate-based herbicides kill plants by inhibiting an enzyme, EPSPS, that activates a biochemical pathway known as the shikimate pathway. The shikimate pathway is responsible for the synthesis of certain aromatic amino acids that are vital for the production of proteins, the building blocks of life. Therefore, when the synthesis of aromatic amino acids is blocked by glyphosate inhibition of EPSPS, the plant dies.
Humans and animals do not have the shikimate path. On this assumption, industry and risk assessment authorities have so far claimed that glyphosate is not toxic to humans. However, neglecting the circumstance that both bees and some strains of gut bacteria have the shikimate pathway. (3) Glyphosate and Roundup (the most famous Monsanto-branded herbicide containing it) can therefore affect the gut microbiome.
Damage to the microbiome, the proof
The latest experimental clinical study-to which several British, Dutch and Italian researchers contributed, (4) as well as some French students of Professor Séralini (5)-provides further evidence of the damage caused by glyphosate-based herbicides to the mammalian gut microbiome. Precisely through inhibition of the EPSPS enzyme and the shikimate pathway in intestinal bacteria. (6)
All doses of glyphosate and Roundup (in the MON 52276 formulation, approved in Europe) considered safe by EU and US regulators have caused alterations in gut bacterial populations and adverse effects. (7) The researchers then further analyzed the gut microbiome to see to what extent glyphosate might affect the health of rats. (8)
‘Through this comprehensive multi-omicsanalysis , we have obtained definitive results demonstrating the impact of glyphosate and Roundup on both the bacterial population and the biochemistry of the gut microbiome‘ (Dr. Michael Antoniou, King’s College, London, study coordinator referred to in footnote 4).
The new study thus proposes a mechanism-additional to those considered by IARC (oxidative stress and mutagenesis)-through which exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides may cause cancer. Elevated levels of shikimic acid in the intestines of animals given herbicides alone may in fact have several biological effects, from oxidative stress to cancer promotion. Previous studies have also indicated adverse effects on the liver (hepatic steatosis, liver cell death) and kidneys. (9)
EU, permit renewal application and reassurances from former commissioner
Meanwhile, the application for renewal of glyphosate use authorization in the EU has been submitted by industries that produce or market herbicides containing it (the so-called Glyphosate Renewal Group). The application was submitted to the member states in charge of the evaluation (France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Hungary) and to Efsa(European Food Safety Authority). As well as to the new European Commission and other member states.
The dossier is to be completed by the applicants by June 2020, then reviewed by the national agencies of the 4 mentioned member countries and Efsa, with a Commission decision expected in 2022. Pursuant to the new reg. EU 2019/1381.
The Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen could actually express more concern for public and environmental health. So it is hoped, as a result of the recent presentation of the
European Green Deal
and F2F(Farm to Fork) strategy, where attention to agrotoxin risks was declared.
Former Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, meanwhile, tried to reassure the European Parliament about the safety of glyphosate at the doses still allowed in the EU. In his response to a question from MEP Ignazio Corrao (M5S), Andriukaitis went so far as to allege that the IARC, the international research agency of the WHO, would have erred in its assessment of carcinogenesis and mutagenesis risk. Relying instead on the various assessments from theEuropean Chemical Agency (ECHA). Which, we add for the sake of the record, instead considered studies revealed to be false by the Monsanto Papers investigation. Next up, ‘Glyphosate-Free.
#Égalité!
Dario Dongo and Fabrizio Adorni
Notes
(1) F. Manservisi, C. Lesseur, S. Panzacchi, D. Mandrioli, L. Falcioni, L. Bua, M. Manservigi, M. Spinaci, G. Galeati, A. Mantovani, S. Lorenzetti, R. Miglio, A.M. Andrade, D. Møbjerg Kristensen, M.J. Perry, S.H. Swan, J. Chen, F. Belpoggi (2019). The Ramazzini Institute 13-week pilot study glyphosate-based herbicides administered at human-equivalent dose to Sprague Dawley rats: effects on development and endocrine system. Environmental Health. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-019-0453-y
(2) The damage of glyphosate to microbiota and DNA was previously so far established on bees. V. E. V. S. Motta et al. (2018). Glyphosate perturbs the gut microbiota of honey bees. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA. doi: 10.1073/pnas. 1803880115
(3) See previous article https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/sicurezza/microbioma-e-glifosate-nuovi-studi
(4) Robin Mesnage, Maxime Teixeira, Daniele Mandrioli, Laura Falcioni, Quinten Raymond Ducarmon, Romy Daniëlle Zwittink, Caroline Amiel, Jean-Michel Panoff, Fiorella Belpoggi, Michael N. Antoniou (2019). Shotgun metagenomics and metabolomics reveal glyphosate alters the gut microbiome of Sprague-Dawley rats by inhibiting the shikimate pathway. BioRxiv. doi.org/10.1101/870105
(5) Professor Gilles-Éric Séralini’s research is cited in thefree ebook ‘GMOs, the Big Scam,
(6) The study shows that Roundup herbicide and glyphosate cause a significant increase in the gut levels of two substances, shikimic acid and 3-dehydroxyisomic acid, which is symptomatic of severe inhibition of the EPSPS enzyme and the shikimic acid pathway
(7) Herbicides were diluted in drinking water and administered to female rats to measure the effects of daily glyphosate intakes of 0.5 mg, 50 mg and 175 mg/kg body weight. Which represent, respectively, the acceptable daily intake in EU (ADI), the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) in EU and the NOAEL in US
(8) The microbiome of the rats under study was subjected to:
1) metagenomic analysis, to examine the totality of DNA in the gut and identify all organisms present,
2) metabolomics analysis, to assess alterations in the biochemistry of the gut microbial environment
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
