Weed killer warning: People exposed to common pesticides have signs of CANCER in their urine, a government-funded study suggests
- Scientists from the NIH and the CDC analyzed the urine of farmers and non-farmers
- Urinary pesticides have been associated with elevated levels of oxidative stress biomarkers
- Oxidative stress damages DNA and is considered a key feature of carcinogens
People who use weed killers have signs of cancer in their urine, according to a study.
The government-funded research took samples from farmers in Iowa and North Carolina and found high levels of biomarkers linked to the development of the disease.
It comes after a separate study found “screamingly high levels” of extremely persistent toxic chemicals present in most pesticides used in the US that can cause birth defects and kidney disease if ingested.
In addition to farmers working with the pesticide, people can be exposed to the herbicide through eating contaminated food or drinking water
The latest study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, measured levels of glyphosate – the world’s most commonly used herbicide – used in the urine of 268 male farmers and 100 other men of the same age and geographic origin.
They found that farmers with recent, high glyphosate consumption in the past 12 months or high lifetime glyphosate consumption had increased levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in their urine compared to non-farmers.
Oxidative stress damages DNA and is considered a key characteristic of carcinogens – substances that can cause cancer.
The authors, including 10 scientists from the National Institutes of Health and two from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said they “make a contribution[s] the weight of evidence supporting an association between glyphosate exposure and oxidative stress in humans.
Oxidative stress can cause certain cancers such as lymphoma, myeloma, and leukemia.
People can be exposed to the weed killer by eating contaminated food or drinking water.
Although the study focused on farmers who work with glyphosate, the scientists observed similar results among “non-farmers”.
Phil Landrigan, a pediatrician and epidemiologist who previously worked at the CDC and the Environmental Protection Agency, told The Guardian the study should be reviewed by regulators.
He said: “This is a quality team of investigators and an extremely credible study for regulators to watch out for.”
The most widely used glyphosate product is Roundup, a weed killer manufactured by Monsanto.
Bayer, the owner of the chemical’s maker, has long claimed that exposure to the weed killer has no adverse effects on human health.
A statement said: “The increased oxidative stress found in the study could have been caused by any number of factors unrelated to glyphosate, or a combination thereof, and the study does not support the conclusion that glyphosate is the cause .”
Meanwhile, Bayer and Monsanto face court cases involving tens of thousands of cancer patients who claim their exposure to Roundup caused their cancer.
The new federally funded study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.