Glyphosate, Aluminum and Your Genes
There's growing awareness of the increasing environmental exposure of aluminum and glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup. I admire Dr. Stephanie Seneff's work and she was the first to open my eyes to the biological impact of glyphosate. Her recent paper "Aluminum and Glyphosate Can Synergistically Induce Pineal Gland Pathology: Connection to Gut Dysbiosis and Neurological Disease" demonstrates the synergy of aluminum and glyphosate.
Simply put, through several mechanisms glyphosate increases the uptake of aluminum in the gut while blocking the uptake of a variety of needed trace minerals. (Another reason why so many of us are low in trace minerals.) The increased body burden of aluminum damages the pineal gland. Both aluminum and glyphosate disrupt the CYP450 enzymes (cytochrome P450 family that assists in liver detoxification) which have a role in 'melatonin' production. In addition, glyphosate disrupts the production of tryptophan, a precursor to melatonin, by our beneficial bowel microbes. Both toxicants impair the body's production of melatonin. Disrupted melatonin production directly impairs the brain's ability to detoxify.
*Clinical pearl: an excellent way to detoxify the brain of heavy metals and assist in a better night's sleep is by using a liposomal melatonin spray before going to bed. (Caution: only use if you can tolerate liposomal and/or melatonin supplements.)
Aluminum is the most common element of the earth’s crust and is a very common toxicity. Aluminum has been found to be associated with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other forms of dementia, anemia and other blood disorders, colic, fatigue, and kidney and liver dysfunctions.
Aluminum is firmly bound to tissue proteins and very hard to mobilize with any type of challenge test. The majority of us have overwhelmingly elevated aluminum. Aluminum is today the most prevalent toxic metal in our patients – ahead of lead, mercury, nickel, and tin. It is also challenging to demonstrate the body burden of glyphosate; however, Great Plains Labs has an excellent glyphosate urine test I use with my clients.
Sadly, everyone has glyphosate in their urine (GPL test); even if they eat 90-100% organic! How can that be? It's in the air, water and now organic foods, as well. We must constantly nourish our body with supportive nutrients (i.e., 2,000mg glysine, Addex, or RESTORE for Life, now renamed ION Gut Health.) The body pulls in the glyphosate and it upsets the balance of Glycine, which is used to form glutathione along with Cysteine and Glutamine. Thus, glyphosate creates havoc with our Transsulfuration Pathway and much more!
In addition, glyphosate is chelating your trace minerals and upsetting your gut microbiome! Yes, glyphosate kills your 'good bugs,' forever! That's why it is so important to eliminate glyphosate from your diet as much as possible and supplement with high quality, pharmaceutical grade nutrients, minerals, and probiotics.
We also look at PON1 SNP status and exposure history to determine necessity of treatment. We can support PON1 epigenetically with PON1 Assist and/or antioxidants such as açai, pomegranate, vitamin C, selenium, and vitamin E in a powder called 'Deep Purple.' I also like a homeopathic called 'Addex,' for specifically chelating the glyphosate from my body. Call / email me to order any of the above suggested supplements.