Men exposed to even trace amounts of the Monsanto herbicide Roundup are
at a serious risk of sperm damage and reproductive problems, according
to a new study. Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini and his colleagues from
the University of Caen in France found that short-term exposure to
Roundup at levels frequently found in water after agricultural sprayings
causes long-term fertility issues, including damage to hormonal
systems.
Using 15 male rats, the team studied the effects of
acute exposure to glyphosate, the most well known ingredient in Roundup,
in mammals. The 60-day-old rats were given a water solution containing
0.5 percent Roundup, an amount similar to that found in the natural
environment from typical use of the chemical on crops and lawns, for
just eight days.
Following this period, the rats were evaluated
at days 68 (two months), 87 (three months) and 112 (four months) to look
for changes in sperm quality, volume and motility, as well as any
alterations to normal gene expression in sperm cells. The team also
looked at the rats' hormone levels, as Roundup has previously been linked to endocrine disruption in mammals.
Perhaps
not surprisingly, it was discovered that short-term exposure to common
levels of Roundup led to alterations in sperm cell gene expression,
resulting in an imbalance of the sex hormones androgen and estrogen. The
most significant change was an increase in aromatase mRNA, the adrenal
enzyme responsible for initiating the biosynthesis of estrogens inside
the body.
Specifically, at the four-month mark, Prof. Seralini
and his team observed an increase in the expression of GPER1, or G
protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1. GPER1 helps regulate how estrogen
acts in both cells and tissues, effectively mediating hormonal balance.
In other words, Roundup
directly interferes with the body's production and use of sex hormones,
potentially leading to long-term and even permanent health
consequences.
"The authors suggested that repeated exposures to
Roundup at doses lower than those used in agriculture could damage
mammalian reproduction over the long term," explains GMWatch.org.
"People exposed to lower doses repeated over the long term, including
consumers who eat food produced with Roundup and people who happen to be
exposed to others' spraying activities, should also be concerned."
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