U.S. Geological Survey researchers reported that weed killer was found in most of the water samples they tested in nine Midwestern states. The scientists measured levels of glyphosate (commonly known as RoundUp) and another substance called AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid) – one of the byproducts that remains as glyphosate breaks down. While glyphosate was found in 36% of the water samples, AMPA was found in 69% of them.
There’s also further evidence that this toxic, weed-killing chemical is making its way into our drinking water. For example, localized testing in a few water facilities in Florida and Louisiana uncovered higher-than-expected levels of glyphosate, some even higher than the EPA’s official Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL).
On top of that, independent testing commissioned by Moms Across America (MAA) (a nonprofit group dedicated to raising awareness about GMOs and environmental toxins) found that 70% of households in the U.S. had detectable levels of glyphosate in their drinking water! Their research also found that Americans had 10 times more glyphosate in their urine than Europeans.
Now, all of this research (from the U.S. Geological Society, state facilities, and MAA) found very low levels of glyphosate and AMPA in the water. But when you add up all the water you drink, mix into food, and cook food in…that can start to add up.
What’s more, glyphosate has been found in many foods that we eat. And when you put that all together, it’s almost certain you’re regularly ingesting glyphosate.
Glyphosate is almost certainly present in your food and drinking water, albeit in minuscule amounts. Still, that means you’ve been ingesting it every day for years – so it’s not too surprising that the constant presence of weed killer (a toxic chemical) could damage your digestive tract.
To make matters worse, glyphosate has been formulated to contain proven, patented antibiotic properties, which means it can kill off beneficial bacteria – like probiotics – in your gut, but it doesn’t kill off harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella, which have developed antibiotic resistance. That throws your microbiome out of balance, causing the bad bacteria to outnumber the good bacteria, which causes all sorts of uncomfortable occasional GI issues, such as:
Diarrhea
Constipation
Gas
Bloating
Indigestion
Abdominal pain
Leaky gut
Thankfully, supplementing with a high quality probiotic like the many probiotic options we offer at Whitaker’s can recondition the health of your microbiome and help to restore healthy populations of good bacteria, which will keep your microbiome in healthy balance. Using a water filtration system like the Santevia (we carry a countertop system, pitchers, and water bottle sticks) can help reduce your ongoing exposure to chemicals.
