The movement towards organic foods has been gaining some popularity in recent years, but many don't understand the issue fully or why it's so important. There are so many reasons to avoid non-organic products, so many that I couldn't possibly write about them all, but I'm going to try to summarize.
Farmers around the world have been using pesticides, which include herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, and chemical fertilizers to increase yields and minimize lost food since the start of the Green Revolution in the 1930's. The use of these products has allowed food production to reach the level it's at today, but unfortunately, it comes at a high cost. Chemicals in agriculture are toxic, and often overused. When too much is applied, the chemicals seep into the soil and flow into bodies of water. Obviously, this has detrimental effects, contaminating fresh water that we consume through drinking water or the fish living in it. Soil contamination can harm natural ecosystems, killing or sickening animals and plants, and damage nearby communities, which are often low-income, making the ground unsafe to even touch. Children in these communities are at especially high risk of developing various diseases because they live and play near fields sprayed with pesticides. And of course, pesticides applied to produce are absorbed into the body when eaten, even after washing, cooking, and sometimes even peeling, leading to a variety of adverse health effects.
One of the most commonly used herbicides in the world is glyphosate, which is used in RoundUp's herbicide spray. Glyphosate is applied in most agriculture throughout the world, as well as in homes as a weedkiller. Unfortunately, it's found in most food you eat, from direct exposure in produce, animals consuming the contaminated produce, or processed foods containing contaminated ingredients. Testing has demonstrated that glyphosate is present in 23 out of 37 standard foods,18 out of 26 non-GMO foods, and even 5 out of 23 organic foods because it's so widespread. Glyphosate, as well as paraquat, another herbicide, is linked to many different kidney and liver issues, even with very low exposure levels, including the incorrect expression of liver and kidney genes, meaning the cellular response is not what the DNA actually coded for. Several pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides, including glyphosate, can lead to significant DNA damage, which in turn can lead to cancer as well as other issues, and in addition, most agricultural chemicals are endocrine disruptors, meaning they can harm your hormones, causing problems across your whole body. Glyphosate in particular can lead to unplanned cell death, inflammation, and fertility issues, especially in males. Glyphosate is also heavily linked to various cancers, especially in the lymphatic system, alongside the insecticides tetrachlorvinphos, parathion, diazinon (which is particularly linked to lymphoma and lung cancer), and malathion (which is particularly linked to lymphoma and prostate cancer). Additionally, glyphosate and other farming chemicals like paraquat and rotenone are linked to problems within cells, such as the inhibition of cell parts and disruption of normal activity. Glyphosate has been found to increase the risk of celiac disease, which in turn has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, thyroid and kidney disease, and infertility and birth defects in their children. In addition, glyphosate can lead to increased risk of preterm birth and miscarriage (including when the male was exposed), increased infant mortality rates, blood and other cancers, disrupted metabolism, and decreased uterine development in fetuses. You can learn more about glyphosate and potential alternatives here and here.
Another example of a harmful agricultural chemical is DDT. DDT is an insecticide used in farming after World War II. After its destructive impacts on ecosystems were discovered, for example decreasing bald eagle populations by weakening their eggshells, causing the embryos to collapse within the eggs and die, it was banned in 1972. However, DDT has bioaccumulative properties, which means that it builds up in a body and can then be passed on if that organism is consumed. Because of this, humans, at the top of the food chain, accumulate a high concentration of chemicals, including DDT, because we eat so many animals and plants that already stored the chemicals in their cells. It especially builds up in fat tissue. DDT is linked to a host of issues, including cancer, especially breast cancer, obesity, infertility, especially in males, developmental delays, miscarriages, low birth weight, and damage to the nervous system and liver. DDT also does not easily break down, so it will exist in our bodies and environment for a really long time. Unfortunately, testing soil for DDT is not required to become certified organic in the United States.
Pesticides have been linked to a variety of issues, especially reproductive ones. Semen quality is harmed in many different ways from pesticide exposure. Males who consume produce with pesticides have lower sperm count, ejaculate volume, and sperm motility, and more defects in sperm and its DNA, than males who consume organic produce. Some insecticides can reduce sperm production and function and increase the risk of infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight. Exposure to phthalates, which are found in many pesticides, can lessen male sex hormones' effects, leading to newborn males having smaller genitals and anogenital distances (more similar to females). It is likely that pesticide exposure during various points of life can lead to early puberty. Pesticides have been linked to premature ovarian failure, lower chance of pregnancy, and a decrease in eggs retrieved during IVF. Exposure to these chemicals during pregnancy can lead to reproductive harm in fetuses, especially in males, including many of the issues discussed.
Beyond reproductive problems, agricultural chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health impacts. Pesticides can damage or alter DNA, sometimes even making changes that are passed down to your children. Some types of insecticides can disrupt brain development, IQ, memory, cognition, and behavior and potentially lead to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, autism, and mental health issues. Many different kinds of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides are endocrine disruptors, altering hormone production, signaling, and reception for a wide variety of hormones, including estrogen. Some pesticides can alter fetal development and growth, besides the future reproductive aspects I mentioned previously, or cause birth defects. They can also increase susceptibility for many respiratory conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allergies, and lung dysfunction, as well as cardiovascular issues like hypertension, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease. Pesticides have been found to increase your risk of kidney disease and decreased kidney function. Several studies have illustrated a link between pesticides and sleep issues, like difficulty falling asleep and disrupted sleep duration. Agricultural chemicals are also linked to higher risks of developing diabetes, thyroid disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, obesity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immune system issues, and they can harm your gut microbiome and nervous system.
Cancer is a major problem resulting from exposure to agricultural chemicals. I've already mentioned that glyphosate, an ingredient in many popular herbicides, is a carcinogen. Other herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides aren't much better. Exposure to pesticides can increase your risk of breast cancer, as well as non-cancerous breast disease. Some types of pesticides also increase your risk of prostate cancer, especially in people who are already genetically susceptible from having a family history. Many types of pesticides, including the herbicides metolachlor and pendimethalin and insecticides chlorpyrifos and diazinon, can dramatically increase your risk of lung cancer. Studies have linked pesticides to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (a blood cancer in the lymphatic system) as well as blood cancers in general, including childhood leukemia from pesticide exposure during pregnancy. In addition, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides are linked to brain cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, and stomach cancer. Studies have shown that these cancer risks also increase in the children of exposed parents. When children are exposed, they are most susceptible during pregnancy, especially very early pregnancy, and as newborns, when the nervous, immune, reproductive, and endocrine systems are still developing.
Unfortunately, pesticides are present all around us. Over 80% of adult Americans and 87% of children have glyphosate in their urine, with children having the highest levels, and a multitude of different pesticides have been detected in umbilical cord blood and breast milk. You can almost guarantee that non-organic food contains pesticides. In a test on baby food, for example,16 pesticides were found in the 8 baby foods tested, including 8 likely carcinogens, 8 neurotoxins, and 5 endocrine disruptors. People eating organic produce have significantly lower pesticide levels than those eating non-organic, as demonstrated in a study comparing the pesticide levels in the urine of preschoolers eating organic and conventional diets. Fortunately, eating organic foods and using products with organic ingredients can reduce your body's pesticide levels. USDA-certified organic products cannot include most pesticides, including glyphosate, or hormones or antibiotics, or be genetically modified (which is often used to make plants produce insecticides). The human body is able to lower its pesticide levels once herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides are removed from your diet! One study illustrated this by tracking people's pesticide levels for 6 days before and 6 days after switching from non-organic to organic foods. They detected about 40 pesticides and pesticide residues in all the participants, which included children, teenagers, and adults. After participants began eating organic, their pesticide levels dropped dramatically. Levels of malathion decreased by 95%, chlorpyrifos levels were lower by 61%, organophosphates overall decreased by 70%, neonicotinoids (which are some of the most commonly found pesticides in baby food) dropped by 83%, pyrethroid levels were lower by 50%, levels of glyphosate and its residues decreased by 71-76%, and 2,4-D dropped by 37%. On average, pesticide levels decreased by 60.5% after just 6 days without pesticide exposure!
Although it is nearly impossible to avoid exposure to herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides entirely, choosing organic produce and products is important to reduce the heaviest levels of pesticide exposure. Animal products fed with pesticide-sprayed food can still pass those pesticides into your body, so choosing organic meat is also a good idea. As I mentioned earlier, there are some pesticides that are allowed in organic produce, unfortunately. If you want to fully eliminate that risk, research the farm that your produce is coming from and what pest control methods they use. The USDA organic-approved pesticides that currently may cause issues are gibberellic acid, which can harm sperm, petroleum distillates, potassium silicate, which can be an irritant, soaps (which are allowed as a broad category and specifically used products may be toxic), talc (which can cause various cancers and respiratory issues), and potentially zeolite, but currently there is not enough research to determine its safety. On a side note, it is also important to try not to apply herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides around your home, when possible, especially if you have children who might play in it, are pregnant (one study demonstrated that childhood cancer risks greatly increased when exposed during pregnancy), have pets who might track it into the house, or you wear shoes in the house (because they can be contaminated outside and then leave traces inside). If organic produce is not accessible for you, the second-best option is to thoroughly wash your produce with baking soda and vinegar. Avoiding pesticides is important to reduce your risk of developing a variety of health problems. Choosing organic food and products with organic ingredients is one of the best ways to ensure your body is free of toxic herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides.
Here's where I got some of this info!
IARC Monographs Volume 112: evaluation of five organophosphate insecticides and herbicides (who.int)
Comments