Its legacy was supposed to be convenience—its reality may be something far more complicated.
Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. It’s the active ingredient in products like Roundup® and is used in everything from large-scale agriculture to school fields and backyard gardens. But over the last two decades, the scientific landscape around glyphosate has shifted dramatically. What was once marketed as a miracle weedkiller is now the focus of serious global scrutiny.
This page brings together some of the most compelling and credible research on glyphosate—from peer-reviewed animal studies to human exposure data and ecological impact. Whether you’re a concerned citizen, policymaker, or health professional, here you’ll find the foundational evidence that fuels growing calls for change.
What Is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide first introduced in the 1970s by Monsanto. It works by disrupting a key enzyme pathway in plants (the shikimate pathway), leading to plant death. While originally considered non-toxic to humans, this assumption has come under increasing challenge as new research emerges.
Today, glyphosate is found in:
- Commercial farming operations (especially grains, soy, and maize)
- Urban landscaping and roadside maintenance
- Home and school garden products
- Food, water, soil, and even human urine and breast milk
Carcinogenicity & Tumor Development
- In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen (Group 2A). This classification has since been contested by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. EPA and EFSA, who argue that the available evidence does not support a clear cancer link in humans—a divide that continues to fuel international debate.
- A major 2025 Italian rat study by the Ramazzini Institute showed tumors in multiple organs after long-term exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides at doses equal to the EU’s “safe” intake levels (0.5 mg/kg/day).
- The study also found early-onset leukemia in juvenile rats—a rare and serious red flag.
- Critics often dismiss rodent studies, but these models have predicted harm in other chemicals decades before human data emerged (e.g., asbestos, tobacco, BPA).
See article: We’re Not Rats… But Maybe We Should Pay Attention Anyway
Endocrine, Reproductive & Developmental Effects
- Studies have linked glyphosate to hormone disruption, including research by Romano et al. (2012), which found reproductive toxicity in rats, and by Thongprakaisang et al. (2013), which showed glyphosate-induced estrogenic activity in human breast cancer cells, affecting reproductive function in male and female animals.
- Research on zebrafish and rodents shows altered testosterone levels, reduced fertility, and disrupted puberty.
- In vitro studies suggest glyphosate may interfere with estrogen pathways and fetal development.
Environmental & Ecological Harm
- Glyphosate residues persist in soil and waterways, harming beneficial microorganisms and aquatic life.
- Bees and pollinators exposed to glyphosate show impaired navigation, weakened immunity, and higher mortality rates.
- Earthworms and mycorrhizal fungi essential for healthy soil are negatively affected, reducing soil fertility over time.
See article: Where Have All the Pollinators Gone?
Human Exposure: Where It Shows Up
- Glyphosate has been detected in:
- Cereal, bread, oats, flour
- Tap and rainwater
- Tampons and sanitary pads
- Breast milk and baby formula
- Human urine samples around the world
- Chronic, low-dose exposure is increasingly common—and often unnoticed.
- Vulnerable populations include children, pregnant women, spray contractors, and rural residents.
See article: From Gluten-Free to Glyphosate-Free: Is It Time We Changed the Label?
Regulatory Conflicts & Global Pushback
- While some regulators like EFSA (in their 2023 renewal report) and the U.S. EPA (based on their 2020 interim registration review decision) have concluded glyphosate is safe when used as directed, others have raised serious concerns.
- The EU renewed glyphosate’s license in 2023 but banned its use as a pre-harvest desiccant due to public pressure and health concerns.
- In New Zealand, MRL (maximum residue limits) are under review, with proposals to increase allowable glyphosate residues on key food crops.
- Legal cases continue to mount. Bayer (which owns Monsanto) has paid over US$10 billion in settlements related to cancer claims.
See article: Settling to Silence: Why Bayer Prefers Deals
What the Evidence Really Tells Us
Taken together, the scientific record shows a pattern: glyphosate is not the harmless weedkiller it was once promoted to be. Regulatory models often assess safety based on isolated exposures, but they rarely account for the cumulative, chronic, and compounding nature of real-world contact with glyphosate through multiple sources. it was once promoted to be. While regulatory agencies debate the thresholds of harm, people and ecosystems are already being exposed in ways that raise serious ethical and health questions.
This isn’t just about individual studies. It’s about the weight of evidence pointing in one direction: glyphosate poses real risks that deserve real action.
Final Thought
The case against glyphosate isn’t built on fear. It’s built on data. The question now is whether we choose to act on it.
Related Articles:
Glyphosate’s story isn’t told in a single study—it’s told through the growing number of cracks in the safety narrative. Each of the following articles explores a different angle of this herbicide’s hidden cost, from cellular energy disruption to regulatory silence and ecological collapse. Together, they help explain why the evidence can’t be ignored.
We’re Not Rats… But Maybe We Should Pay Attention Anyway
Animal studies are often dismissed as irrelevant to human health—but should they be? This article challenges that assumption through the lens of a major glyphosate study showing tumors and early leukemia in rats at legally “safe” doses.
Link: We’re Not Rats
Glyphosate and Hormone Disruption: What We Know So Far
Glyphosate doesn’t just kill weeds—it may disrupt hormones too. From fertility impacts to estrogen interference, this article explores the growing body of evidence linking glyphosate to endocrine disruption.
Link: Glyphosate and Hormone Disruption
Running on Empty: How Glyphosate May Be Damaging Our Mitochondria
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells—but emerging research suggests glyphosate exposure may quietly disrupt their function. This article explains how a common herbicide could interfere with energy production, oxidative balance, and cell health, raising questions about fatigue, chronic disease, and environmental stress. A compelling read for anyone interested in the unseen costs of chemical exposure.
Link: Running on Empty
From Gluten-Free to Glyphosate-Free: Is It Time We Changed the Label?
What if gluten sensitivity isn’t just about gluten? This article investigates the idea that glyphosate residues in wheat-based foods could be a hidden culprit—and why food labeling needs to catch up.
Link: From Gluten-Free to Glyphosate-Free
MPI’s Missing Data: Why We Can’t Trust the Glyphosate Reassurance
New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries claims glyphosate is safe—but where’s the data? This article uncovers the testing gaps, outdated assumptions, and public accountability questions behind the official narrative.
Link: MPI’s Missing Data
Why Raising MRLs Threatens Public Health
Increasing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for glyphosate may benefit trade—but at what cost to health? This article dives into how higher thresholds allow more glyphosate into our food, water, and homes, and why regulators are ignoring evidence of long-term and cumulative exposure risks. A vital read for anyone concerned about safety standards and chemical regulation.
Link: Why Raising MRLs Threatens Public Health
Where Have All the Pollinators Gone? Glyphosate’s Impact on Bees
Pollinators are essential to our food systems—and they’re disappearing at alarming rates. This article investigates how widespread glyphosate use damages bees, butterflies, and other vital species by disrupting navigation, weakening immune defenses, and degrading their habitats. A timely look at how a single herbicide could ripple through entire ecosystems.
Link: Where Have All the Pollinators Gone?
The more you follow the threads, the clearer the pattern becomes: glyphosate is not just a chemical—it’s a signal. A signal that our systems—scientific, regulatory, ecological—are under stress. Keep questioning. Keep reading. And stay alert to what’s not being said.
Image Source & Attribution
We’re grateful to the talented photographers and designers whose work enhances our content. The feature image on this page, Flowering Buckwheat, is by Makaule.
