Pesticides, the substances used for killing ‘harmful’ organisms, continue to contaminate our food. Discover how to deal with these toxic compounds on a day-to-day basis.
The consequences of pesticide use are dramatic: each year, billions of euros are spent in Europe on making our increasingly contaminated water fit for drinking (1). Pesticides build up in the water table and disrupt every stage of the life cycle (2), significantly contributing to the sixth mass extinction currently affecting the planet. Our waterways still contain concentrations of atrazine, a molecule that has been banned since 2003, and it’s thought we’ll have to wait another 50 years before all traces of it have disappeared (3)...
Equally dramatic are the consequences for our health, which bears the full brunt of the effects of pesticide use. For some time, it was thought that chronic exposure to pesticides through the food we eat and the water we drink had no effect, but good sense has now prevailed.
No study has yet been able to categorically identify the impact of such long-term exposure on our health, still less the potential synergistic effects of all the pesticides to which we are exposed.
This is firstly because there is a long latency period between exposure to these substances and the onset of problems (4), as was the case with smoking and asbestos. Secondly, these studies are expensive to run and no company stands to profit from them. We are also seeing influencing strategies by agri-business lobbyists(5) which though nothing new, are unfortunately still effective …
We therefore have to rely on a multiplicity of shorter-term studies to try and predict the long-term effects. Indeed, it is this approach that has enabled the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer - alerted by the growing number of health issues among farmers - to classify a number of herbicides and insecticides widely used in Europe and the US (6) as probable (group 2A) or possible carcinogens (group 2B).
Once in the body, pesticides appear to increase the production of reactive species (7) which are able to denature cell DNA, while impairing the antioxidant system that helps neutralize them (8). This imbalance is thought to be responsible for a multitude of health problems (9-13).
We should stress that these harmful effects are by no means limited to farmers! They also occur when pesticides are ingested via contaminated foods. Here again, several studies have shown that this is not a myth: in both Europe and the US, worrying levels of glyphosate and some of its metabolites have been found in the urine of individuals who do not as a rule handle this product (14). In comparing 1996 and 2016 levels of this pesticide, researchers observed an increase of around 1200% in 20 years, from 0.024 μg/L to 0.314 μg/L (15).
Animal studies have also shown that chronic exposure to very low levels of glyphosate can lead to significant liver damage (16). Little is known, however, about the effects of long-term skin exposure which primarily affects those who live close to spraying sites. But again, the story looks very similar to that of asbestos (17)…
Of course certain much-criticised pesticides may well be banned in the coming years (the use of glyphosate, for example, is being debated in Europe), but some could well be replaced by other products, the dangers of which will again have to be demonstrated …
Sadly, the typical path of a pesticide is a familiar one:
All the evidence suggests we need to act quickly before an ecological or health crisis forces us to do so.
At a societal level, we urgently need to start making more principled choices. We too have the power to change things.If we choose to buy organically-grown products, it will persuade arable and livestock farmers to abandon a system that’s toxic and senseless, and instead switch to methods of production that are healthy and sustainable. And this is clearly the best way of minimising the amount of pesticides we ingest (even if some authorized pesticides are sometimes found in organic products – though at much lower levels).
At an individual level, we also need to adopt certain practices:
In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that antioxidant nutrients can help protect cells against damage caused by pesticide-induced reactive species. These nutrients provide genuine support when oxidative stress is abnormally high (18), which generally happens with chronic pesticide exposure (19), as well as in cases of constant stress, poor diet or insufficient sleep. We have selected several antioxidant supplements which have shown good results in studies looking specifically at environmental pollutant-related oxidative stress:
Each of these helps protect cells against oxidative stress. Some formulations such as AntiOxidant Synergy have been specially developed to combine excellent natural compounds that have antioxidant properties: curcumin, bilberry extract, grape seed extract, etc.
According to Paul Mills, a scientist investigating glyphosate levels in the body, “We are increasingly exposed to pesticides and most people do not even realise they are absorbing them in their food”. He can be reassured that our readers, at least, are now aware …
References
Keywords
1 Days
fairly quick service. Decent prices
Vyril A
2 Days
Product always arrives timely and in good shape. Company is easy to work with. Website is user-friendly.
Diane
3 Days
The h pylori supplement has helped my digestive issues. I was diagnosed with h pylori more than once. Also was hospitalized with h pylori several times. Even after taking prescription meds for this condition I still had ongoing digestive issues. So I decided to give this product a try. It has helped with the bloating and inflammation in my stomach and chest. So I gave it a 4 star rating. It helps to calm the pain in my stomach and also acid reflux pains. It is a good product and I would recommend.
Sandra
6 Days
Have purchased from this company many times. A package arrived damaged and with an 1 email to customer service it was fixed. Thank you for great products and great customer service
jd
10 Days
Above and beyond customer service! Bravo. Love SuperSmart.
Isabella Jimenez
14 Days
Still great! I have given my opinion on this several times and it remains the same.
WRIGHT Connie
17 Days
I have been very happy with all my supplements from supersmart
kirstin Torres
17 Days
Quality supplements
Edward P
24 Days
Good products at a good price.
HELLAND Edward
27 Days
Any will be taken care of by SuperSmart staff.
DOMINIC
29 Days
Quality 3rd party tested products without fillers
Edward P
30 Days
great products and prices..
Marie
38 Days
product delivered on time and in good shape
Jack
43 Days
Great supplements at great prices
cynthia b
50 Days
It was easy and timely,
GEORGE Verne