Most people assume that food must be safe to eat if it is on store shelves. But the truth is, modern agriculture relies on a chemical—Glyphosate’s—that is not only a weed killer but also a patented antibiotic—one that could be silently contributing to gut dysbiosis, immune suppression, metabolic disorders, and even neurodegenerative disease.

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is sprayed on over 300 million pounds of crops yearly in the U.S. alone. It doesn’t just kill weeds—it alters the microbial ecosystems in soil, water, and the human gut. Its widespread use is contributing to an epidemic of chronic illness, yet few people are talking about its real impact on human health.^[4]

Glyphosate’s Antibiotic Properties: A Disruptor to Human Health

Most people think of antibiotics as drugs prescribed to kill harmful bacteria. But glyphosate was patented as an antibiotic in 2010—not because it fights infections, but because it disrupts a key biological pathway known as the shikimate pathway, which is essential for plants, fungi, and bacteria.^[3]

While humans don’t rely on this pathway, the trillions of microbes in our gut do. When glyphosate enters the body through food and water, it disrupts these microbes in the same way it disrupts weeds. The result is a weakened microbiome, which in turn weakens the immune system, alters digestion, and increases the risk of chronic disease.

Where Glyphosate is Hiding in Your Food and Water

Because glyphosate is used so extensively in agriculture, it’s nearly impossible to avoid. Even if you don’t spray weed killer in your own yard, glyphosate is present in:

• Conventional grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and rice which are often sprayed right before harvest to dry them out
• Fruits and vegetables, including apples, cherries, grapes, and almonds, absorb glyphosate from soil and irrigation water
• Processed foods made with corn, soy, and canola, which are heavily sprayed with glyphosate during farming
• Drinking water, as glyphosate runoff from farmland contaminates rivers, lakes, and groundwater
• Meat and dairy, since livestock are fed grains and soybeans that contain glyphosate residues

This means that even if you eat a clean, whole-food diet, you may still be consuming glyphosate through water, animal products, and environmental exposure.

The Impact of Glyphosate on Gut Health

The gut microbiome is responsible for digestion, immune regulation, hormone balance, and even brain function. Glyphosate’s antibiotic effects disrupt this delicate system in multiple ways:

• Destroys beneficial bacteria – Glyphosate selectively kills probiotic bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria while allowing harmful bacteria like Clostridium difficile (C. diff) to thrive. This imbalance can lead to gut infections, chronic inflammation, and poor digestion.
• Increases intestinal permeability – Also known as “leaky gut,” this condition allows toxins, undigested food particles, and bacteria to escape the gut and enter the bloodstream, triggering widespread inflammation.
• Reduces production of essential nutrients – Gut bacteria help produce key nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin K, and serotonin. When the microbiome is disrupted, nutrient absorption and mental health can suffer.
• Weakens immune defenses – About 70% of the immune system is housed in the gut. A compromised microbiome leads to increased susceptibility to infections, allergies, and autoimmune disorders.

Glyphosate’s Role in Chronic Disease

Because gut health influences nearly every system in the body, glyphosate exposure has been linked to a wide range of chronic diseases, including:

• Obesity and metabolic disorders – A disrupted microbiome can alter metabolism, increase fat storage, and reduce insulin sensitivity, raising the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
• Neurodegenerative diseases – Glyphosate exposure is associated with higher rates of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as it contributes to inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired brain function.
• Hormonal imbalances – Glyphosate acts as an endocrine disruptor, interfering with estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones, which play key roles in metabolism, fertility, and mood.
• Increased cancer risk – The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. Studies have linked long-term exposure to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other cancers.

How to Reduce Your Glyphosate Exposure

Completely avoiding glyphosate is nearly impossible, but there are steps you can take to limit your exposure and support gut health:

• Choose organic foods whenever possible – Organic farming prohibits glyphosate use, making organic produce, grains, and animal products a safer option.
• Invest in a high-quality water filter – Many municipal water supplies contain glyphosate residues. A reverse osmosis or activated carbon filter can help remove contaminants.
• Avoid processed and ultra-processed foods – Many contain ingredients derived from glyphosate-contaminated crops like corn, soy, and wheat.
• Eat probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods – Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir can help replenish beneficial gut bacteria, while fiber-rich foods like garlic, onions, and asparagus feed those bacteria.
• Support detox pathways – Certain supplements, including activated charcoal, bentonite clay, and glutathione, may help bind and remove glyphosate from the body.

The Connection Between Soil Health and Human Health

Glyphosate isn’t just harming human health—it’s also destroying the microbial life in soil. Just as the gut microbiome is essential for digestion and immune function, the soil microbiome is essential for growing nutrient-rich food.

When glyphosate kills beneficial soil bacteria and fungi, it:

• Reduces plant nutrient content, leading to food that is lower in essential vitamins and minerals
• Increases dependency on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, creating a cycle of chemical reliance
• Depletes soil fertility, making crops weaker and more susceptible to disease

Healthy soil equals healthy food, which equals a healthy gut and a stronger immune system. Glyphosate is breaking this cycle, contributing to widespread nutrient deficiencies and weakening human resilience.

Final Thoughts

Glyphosate is far more than a weed killer. It is a powerful antibiotic, endocrine disruptor, and environmental toxin that is silently contributing to chronic disease. Its widespread use is damaging the gut microbiome, increasing inflammation, and interfering with the body’s ability to regulate hormones, immune function, and brain health.

Protecting yourself starts with awareness. Choosing organic food, filtering drinking water, and supporting gut health are critical steps toward reducing exposure. But the real solution is demanding change—pushing for better agricultural practices, stricter regulations, and a shift toward regenerative farming prioritizing soil and human health.

The way we treat the earth directly impacts our own health. When we poison the soil, we poison ourselves. By making informed choices today, we can work toward a future where food is grown without toxic chemicals and human health is restored from the inside out.

References:

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.