Is Roundup the Cause of 'Gluten Intolerance'?

When I was growing up and even as a young adult, I never heard of gluten intolerance.  It is only logical that the epidemic of gluten intolerance today is linked to some type of environmental variable, or toxin.  The abstract below concludes that that variable is Roundup!  If you look at the numbers, there is a definitive statistical correlation between the increased use of glyphosate (trade name Roundup)  and the ever increasing rates of gluten intolerance and celiac incidence.

This new compelling peer-reviewed report from two U.S. scientists, argues that the increased use of Monsanto’s glyphosate herbicide could be the cause of the epidemic of symptoms labeled as “gluten intolerance.”

Farmers are now using Roundup not only to control weeds, but also to dry down wheat, rice, sugarcane and other crops just before harvest, resulting in higher residues of glyphosate in the foods we eat. The abstract from the paper "Glyphosate, Pathways to Modern Diseases II: Celiac Sprue and Gluten Intolerance" is below. You can see the full report by using the link.

Abstract:
"Celiac disease, and more generally, gluten intolerance, is a growing problem worldwide, but especially in North America and Europe, where an estimated 5 percent of the population now suffers from it. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, macrocytic anemia and depression. It is a multifactorial disease associated with numerous nutritional deficiencies as well as reproductive issues and increased risk to thyroid disease, kidney failure and cancer. Here, we propose that glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide, Roundup, is the most important causal factor of this epidemic. Fish exposed to glyphosate develop digestive problems that are reminiscent of celiac disease. Celiac disease is associated with imbalances of gut bacteria that can be fully explained by the known effects of glyphosate on gut bacteria. Characteristics of celiac disease point to impairment in many cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are involved with detoxifying environmental toxins, activating vitamin D3, catabolizing vitamin A, and maintaining bile acid production and sulfate supplies to the gut. Glyphosate is known to inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes. Deficiencies in iron, cobalt, molybdenum, copper and other rare metals associated with celiac disease can be attributed to glyphosate’s strong ability to chelate these elements. Deficiencies in tryptophan, tyrosine, methionine, and selenomethionine associated with celiac disease match glyphosate’s known depletion of these amino acids. Celiac disease patients have an increased risk to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which has been implicated in glyphosate exposure. Glyphosate residues in wheat and other crops are likely increasing recently due to the growing practice of crop desiccation just prior to harvest. We argue that the practice of “ripening” sugar cane with glyphosate may explain the recent surge in kidney failure among agricultural workers in Central America. We conclude with a plea to governments to reconsider policies regarding the safety of glyphosate residues in foods."

The only way to avoid glyphosate, is to eat organic food.

For more information and to read the whole article:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/gluten-intolerance-from-roundup-herbicide-zw0z1402zkin.aspx