Glyphosate-based weedkillers — best known under the brand name Roundup® — are woven into the fabric of modern agriculture.
They’re sprayed on food crops as a pre-harvest drying agent (especially cereals, wheat, and grains) and applied along roadsides and playgrounds. The problem is that glyphosate doesn’t just vanish once the spray settles.
Residues have been found in cereals, bread, honey, oats, even in meat and dairy from animals fed glyphosate-treated grains. In fact, testing shows glyphosate is now one of the most common chemical residues detected in the human body. With the World Health Organization’s cancer research arm classifying it as a probable carcinogen, it’s no wonder people are asking:
Is there a way to detox glyphosate from the body?
That’s the very question Dr. Eric Berg explores in one of his popular health videos. He outlines natural strategies that may help reduce glyphosate load, but the conversation goes far beyond supplements. Here’s a deeper look at what he suggests — and why it matters.
Important: If someone has swallowed or ingested Roundup® or any glyphosate-based weedkiller directly, this is a medical emergency. Seek help immediately and call the National Poisons Centre on 0800 764 766 (in New Zealand) or your local emergency number.
Video: Natural Ways to Reduce Glyphosate – Dr. Eric Berg
Before we dive deeper, it’s worth hearing directly from Dr. Eric Berg himself. In this short video, he explains why glyphosate — the main ingredient in Roundup® — is more than just a weedkiller issue, and what natural supports may help reduce its impact on the body.
Dr. Berg’s approach is clear: while supplements like activated charcoal or fulvic acid can play a role, the real foundation is prevention — choosing organic foods and reducing exposure wherever possible. Let’s unpack his points further and look at the bigger picture of why detox matters.
Why Detox Matters
Glyphosate is often defended by industry as being “safe” because it targets the shikimate pathway, a biochemical process humans don’t have. The argument goes: if we lack this pathway, glyphosate can’t hurt us.
But that’s not the full story. While humans may not have the shikimate pathway, our gut microbes do. And those microbes are essential to our health. They help us digest food, synthesize vitamins, regulate immunity, and even influence brain chemistry.
When glyphosate disrupts microbial pathways, the consequences ripple through the body:
- Weakened immunity: gut microbes are critical for defense against pathogens.
- Nutrient disruption: microbes help us absorb and manufacture essential nutrients.
- Neurotransmitter imbalance: amino acid production, needed for serotonin and dopamine, can be impaired.
Beyond gut disruption, glyphosate is also a chelator — it binds to trace minerals like zinc and manganese, stripping them away from our biological processes. These minerals are needed for hundreds of enzymatic reactions, particularly those that keep our immune system functioning.
Layer in evidence suggesting oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and adrenal strain, and it’s clear why so many are seeking a way to counteract its impact.
Fun fact: Before glyphosate was ever sprayed on crops, it was patented as an industrial chelator — essentially a chemical pipe cleaner used to strip minerals out of clogged pipes and boilers. When you realize it has the same mineral-binding effect inside the human body, the connection becomes harder to ignore.
What Dr. Berg Recommends
In his video, Dr. Berg emphasizes that no single supplement is a magic bullet. The foundation, he says, is choosing organic foods whenever possible to limit future exposure. But for those already carrying a glyphosate load, he highlights several natural aids:
- Dandelion greens & burdock root
Known for supporting liver and kidney detox pathways. They’re fibrous, slightly bitter plants that can be added to salads or taken as supplements. - Activated charcoal & bentonite clay
Natural binders that may attach to toxins in the gut and carry them out. Important to take on an empty stomach to avoid binding beneficial nutrients. - Humic & fulvic acids
Soil-derived compounds shown to enhance nutrient absorption and act as gentle chelators, helping escort glyphosate residues and heavy metals out of the system. - Barberry
Traditionally used to support digestion and liver health.
Each of these supports the body’s natural detox systems rather than “flushing out” glyphosate directly. Think of them as helpers that lighten the toxic load so the liver, kidneys, and gut can do their jobs more effectively.
The Limits of Detox
It’s worth pausing here. While supplements and plant-based aids can help, no pill or powder can completely erase glyphosate exposure. Detox should be viewed as a support strategy, not a cure.
The bigger picture is about prevention and systemic change. Dr. Berg’s message — and one echoed by many health advocates — is that detox begins not in the supplement aisle, but in the grocery aisle. Choosing organic, questioning chemical agriculture, and supporting local food systems are steps with ripple effects far beyond personal health.
Glyphosate vs. Roundup: Why the Distinction Matters
Another important point: it’s not just glyphosate itself that’s the concern. Commercial weedkillers like Roundup® are formulations — meaning glyphosate is mixed with other ingredients (surfactants, solvents, adjuvants). These additives often make the product more toxic than glyphosate alone.
For example, surfactants are designed to help glyphosate stick to plant leaves and penetrate tissues. But if they enhance penetration in plants, it raises uncomfortable questions: what happens when they come into contact with human skin, lungs, or gut lining?
That’s why detox conversations shouldn’t focus solely on glyphosate as a molecule, but on the entire class of glyphosate-based weedkillers.
Practical Steps You Can Take
If you’re concerned about glyphosate and Roundup residues, here are some practical ways to start lowering your risk:
- Prioritize organic foods — especially grains, legumes, and oats, which are often heavily sprayed before harvest.
- Eat more detox-supporting greens — like dandelion, arugula, and cruciferous vegetables.
- Consider natural binders — such as activated charcoal or bentonite clay (taken away from meals and supplements).
- Support your gut — with probiotics, prebiotic fiber, and fermented foods that help restore microbial balance.
- Stay hydrated — water helps kidneys process and flush toxins.
- Reduce processed foods — which often contain hidden glyphosate residues.
These steps won’t eliminate exposure entirely, but they stack up over time to lower the body’s burden.
Beyond Detox
Detox is not a one-off cleanse. It’s a lifestyle shift — toward eating closer to nature, minimizing chemical exposures, and giving your body the tools it needs to repair itself.
Dr. Berg’s video is one voice in a larger conversation. His suggestions — from dandelion greens to fulvic acid — are part of a growing movement that sees food and natural compounds not just as fuel, but as medicine.
The deeper question, though, is societal: should we really have to “detox” from chemicals that never should have been in our food supply in the first place?
Until that question is answered by regulators and policymakers, the responsibility falls back on us — to stay informed, make conscious choices, and share what we learn.
A Word of Caution
If someone accidentally swallows or ingests Roundup® or any glyphosate-based weedkiller directly, this is a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical help and call the National Poisons Centre on 0800 764 766 (in New Zealand) or your local emergency number.
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