A study led by Dr Michael Antoniou of King's College London has linked glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller, to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats. The research, published in a peer-reviewed journal, found that minute quantities of glyphosate caused fatty liver disease when fed to rats over a two-year period.
The study used a dose equivalent to 4 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day, which is 75,000 times below EU permitted levels and 437,500 times below US limits. Dr Antoniou said the findings demonstrate a causative link between long-term consumption of environmentally relevant levels of Roundup and a serious disease, calling on regulators to reconsider safety evaluations of glyphosate-based herbicides.
Glyphosate is the most commonly used weedkiller on British farms and in gardens worldwide. It is also a mainstay of genetically modified farming, particularly in the US, where crops like soya and corn are engineered to resist the chemical. Recent research has shown low levels of weedkiller residues from these crops can end up in human diets through breakfast cereals, corn snacks, and biscuits.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects up to one in three people in the UK in its early stages, and can lead to serious liver damage including cirrhosis. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, and swelling of the legs. The study's findings have prompted some UK councils to reconsider their use of glyphosate in public spaces amid growing health concerns.
