Glyphosate – Urine

What this laboratory test evaluates

Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used herbicide and the primary toxic chemical in Roundup™, which is utilized by homeowners, municipalities, and farmers to prevent the growth of weeds and grasses. Studies have linked glyphosate exposure to chronic conditions and various types of cancer, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, renal tubule carcinoma, pancreatic islet-cell adenoma, and skin tumors. Glyphosate is also known to disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, reducing the ratio of beneficial to harmful bacteria.

MosaicDX’s Glyphosate Test is a urine-based assay that assesses an individual’s exposure to glyphosate. Additionally, MosaicDX offers testing of water samples to assist in identifying an important potential source of glyphosate exposure from contaminated drinking water.

Why Test for Glyphosate Toxicity?The main ingredient in herbicides is glyphosate, a molecule that prevents plants from making proteins, so they die. Glyphosate kills the broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with crops. More than five billion pounds are sprayed worldwide, which ends up in our air, water, and soil.

Glyphosate can enter the body by direct absorption through the skin, by eating foods treated with glyphosate, or by drinking water contaminated with glyphosate. According to a 2022 CDC study, glyphosate is in 75% of rainfall, 75% of air, and 80% of Americans. The level of glyphosate in our system has grown from trace levels in Europeans to 1.75 milligrams per kilogram of body weight in Americans.

Assessment of glyphosate exposure is critical in understanding total toxic body burden. There is a strong correlation between glyphosate usage and several chronic illnesses. While correlations do not necessarily imply causation, these findings do raise concerns about the widespread use of a chemical that affects all life on Earth. In March 2015, IARC classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A). IARC also concluded that there was “strong” evidence for genotoxicity, both for “pure” glyphosate and for glyphosate formulations. To reach these conclusions, IARC reviewed about 1000 studies. Some of the studies looked at people exposed through their jobs, such as farmers. Others were experimental studies on cancer and cancer-related effects in experimental systems.

Treatment of glyphosate toxicity should be centered on determining the route of introduction and avoiding future exposure. Eating non-GMO (genetically modified organism) foods and drinking reverse osmosis water are two of the best ways to avoid glyphosate.

Additional test information

This is a single-marker test measuring glyphosate. Glyphosate is the world’s most widely produced herbicide and is the primary toxic chemical in Roundup™, as well as in many other herbicides.

Collection and processing

• Sample type: Urine
• Fasting: No
• Estimated laboratory processing: Results should arrive 10 business days after the lab receives samples.

How Sunridge uses laboratory information

Sunridge considers the medical question, symptoms, history, medications, prior results, and whether the finding could change care before recommending testing. A laboratory result is not interpreted in isolation and does not establish a diagnosis by itself.

Before requesting this test

Availability, collection requirements, eligibility, and processing estimates can change. Sunridge reviews each request and, when appropriate, creates the order through Fullscript. Follow the current instructions supplied with the approved order.

Related Sunridge care

Learn how Sunridge approaches Environmental Toxicity and ask whether this test is appropriate for your clinical question.