Glyphosate Part 1: How Glyphosate Dissolves Tight Junction
Introduction
Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide in the world. Although legal almost everywhere (I was surprised to learn that it is completely banned in Russia (along with GMO crops), and it is not fed to soldiers in China- even though china is the biggest glyphosate producer in the world). In North America and Europe it is totally legal- with that being said the limit is much higher in America than Europe. Also worth pointing out, it is illegal to spray Organic crops with glyphosate in America- however most of them are contaminated with glyphosate residue anyways due to soil runoff from monocrops and travel via wind/air. One out of the major negative effects of Glyphosate is that it dissolves tight junctions.
How Glyphosate Dissolves Tight Junctions
Glyphosate makes epithelial cells produce the protein zonulin (this may be directly, or it may be more indirectly such as changing the microbiome)
This is done by upregulating the CXCR3 receptors-either directly or indirectly- (gluten and gliadin can actually upregulate these as well)
Zonulin loosens tight junctions- which increases gut permeability- tight junctions are what hold enterocytes together and work kind of like velcro to let substances in/out of cells
Leaky gut- this occurs when the tight junctions are open longer than they should be, and substances that should not be entering the bloodstream enter the bloodstream (not fully broken down food, pathogenic bacteria, and microbial toxins).
Partially digested food, pathogenic bacteria, and microbial toxins enter bloodstream
Partially digested food, pathogenic bacteria, and microbial toxin lead to inflammation and an immune response which can lead to oxidation and leaky membranes in other organs (such as brain, liver, and kidney).
Conclussion
The practical takeaway here is to shop organic, filter water, and try to filter air so you have as minimal exposure to glyphosate as possible. Leaky gut is one of the main causes of everything from inflammation, to ADD, to heart disease, really anything you can think of. Minimizing exposure is of paramount exposure
