Archive for the 'Disease/Health Effects' Category
02
Jul
(Beyond Pesticides, July 2, 2025) An article in The New Lede entitled Seeking answers to a cancer crisis in Iowa, researchers question if agriculture is to blame documents case studies of cancer diagnoses linked to chemical-intensive agriculture. Current national cancer rates, according to the American Cancer Society, show that two million new cancer cases are projected to occur during 2025 in the U.S. Additional research predicts 618,120 cancer deaths this year as well, highlighting a crisis of great concern. A wide body of science links increased cancer risks with exposure to agricultural chemicals, including petrochemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Previous coverage from Beyond Pesticides showcases the disproportionate health risks to farmworkers and their families, as well as those living near agricultural fields, associated with exposure to harmful toxicants. Recent research ties pesticide use to cancer diagnoses among farmer populations through a literature review of clinical trials, as well as epidemiologic, case-control, and experimental studies, from not only the U.S. but Brazil, India, France, Egypt, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Italy, and Spain. (See Daily News here.) Additional risks for children, as reported in a study in GeoHealth, are noted in Nebraska as exposure to agricultural mixtures show statistically significant positive associations with […]
Posted in Agriculture, Cancer, Children, Farmworkers, Glyphosate, Iowa, Leukemia, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, PFAS | No Comments »
27
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 27, 2025) An article in The New York Times (NYT), entitled “A Killer Within Easy Reach,” highlights the use of the weed killer paraquat, a widely used herbicide in the U.S. and many other parts of the world despite being banned in over 70 countries, as the cause of numerous suicides. The article references the tiny nation of Suriname, located on the northeastern coast of South America, as they have âone of the highest suicide rates in the world,â with the majority of those deaths involving paraquat. Globally, paraquat is prevalently used in self-harm incidents. The chemical, when absorbed into the body, among other deadly effects, causes pulmonary fibrosis, making lung tissue brittle and causing respiratory failure. While this pesticide is intended and generally used for weed control, it is also highly lethal to humans in small amounts and is often easily accessible in many households. As the NYT article states, âPesticides are among the leading means of suicide in agricultural areas of developing nations, implicated in more than 100,000 deaths annually.â Citing examples from around the world, the article states, âSri Lankaâs crop yields had surged after the introduction of modern fertilizers and pesticides in the […]
Posted in Cancer, Death, Herbicides, Kidney failure, Liver Damage, Oxidative Stress, Paraquat, Parkinson's, Reproductive Health, Respiratory Diseases, Suicide, Syngenta | No Comments »
25
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 25, 2025) A United Kingdom (UK) study, published in May by the Womenâs Environmental Network (Wen) and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK, is reporting levels of the herbicide glyphosateâa probable human carcinogen that is also linked to Parkinsonâs diseaseâin tampons at concentrations 40 times higher than the legal drinking water limit. This finding highlights the serious public health threats that result from under-regulated period products, given that 1.8 billion people worldwide menstruate monthly, according to UNICEF.  The report raises fundamental concerns about the harm to womenâs health associated with toxic chemical exposure. For tampon users, the vaginal route of exposure bypasses detoxification with a significantly higher absorption rate than skin. In addition, health concerns extend to ongoing chronic toxic chemical exposures to women worldwide working in cotton production and living in nearby communities. Methodology To investigate whether menstrual products contain harmful pesticide residues and whether current safety standards adequately control the risk of vaginal exposure, study researchers tested 15 boxes of tampons directly bought from UK supermarkets. These boxes were sent to an external laboratory for testing that looks for the presence of glyphosate and its breakdown product amionomethylphosphoric acid (AMPA) in the cotton material used to […]
Posted in aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), endometriosis, Glyphosate, Herbicides, Reproductive Health, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
24
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 24, 2025) As changes in the executive branch of the federal government upend expectations among environmental stakeholders, the regulation of food safety in the United States is being revealed as a rickety structure built over a century with unpredictable and sometimes contradictory additions, extensions, remodels, and tear-downs. In the short term, clarity is unavailable, but there have been calls for revision and strengthening of regulatory processesârequiring lawmaker and regulator willingness to incorporate the vast body of evidence that pesticides do far more harm than good, and that organic regenerative agriculture is the surest path to human and ecological health. News reports out of Costa Rica in May brought public attention to drafted legislation to ban pesticides in the country that the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined as âextremely or highly hazardous, or those with evidence of causing cancer, genetic mutations, or affecting reproduction, according to the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).â The headline sparked a relook in this Daily News at the current and historical failure of U.S. policy, which allows cancer-causing pesticides in food production and land management, despite the booming success of a cost-effective and productive, certified organic sector for which petrochemical pesticides are not […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Breast Cancer, Cancer, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Immunotoxicity, multi-generational effects, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Pesticide Mixtures, Pesticide Regulation, synergistic effects, Uncategorized, World Health Organization | No Comments »
19
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 19, 2025) Juneteenth, officially recognized as a federal holiday since 2021, commemorates the arrival of Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas, to free enslaved people per the Emancipation Proclamation that was issued two and a half years prior. While June 19, 1865, does not mark the legal end of slavery nationwide, it was a crucial moment in the fight for freedom and continues to highlight the ongoing fight for human rights, equality, and environmental justice.  As Beyond Pesticides has previously shared in the Daily News, this commemorative day is a time for individuals and organizations to acknowledge and reflect on their past and current actions or inactions that perpetuate systemic racism. The father of environmental justice, Robert Bullard, Ph.D., defines environmental racism as any policy or practice that unequally affects or disadvantages individuals, groups, or communities based on their race. Dr. Bullard states that, until the 1980s, environmental conservation and pollution were separate. Many environmental organizations prioritized the preservation of âwildernessâ rather than urban areas, predominantly comprised of POC, who continuously experience the disproportionate impacts of pollution and the effects of environmental racism.  Sharing the Science A recent study regarding the intersections of urban planning, wildlife management, […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Children, Diabetes, Environmental Justice, Farmworkers, Microbiome, Reproductive Health, soil health | No Comments »
17
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 17, 2025) Funding cuts in the current budget bill include drastic cuts in research essential to protect farmers, farmworkers, and their families. There are many federal agencies funding research, but among the most important of those funding research affecting farmers, farmworkers, and their families are the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).  >> Tell Congress to restore funding that protects the health of farmers, farmworkers, and their families. EPA funding for the Bioecological Center for Research on Children’s Health (BeRCH) project was cut after almost two years. This project had the potential to address farmworker children’s health. Farmworker children can face many challenges–including poverty, language barriers, inadequate housing, discrimination, fear of family separation, exposure to agricultural chemicals, food insecurity, and migration. BeRCH was designed to identify, understand, and address the cumulative impacts on the health, development, and growth of farmworker children. The project goals were to examine farmworker children’s exposures to environmental toxins (pesticides, heavy metals, particulate matter) and non-chemical psychosocial stressors (poverty, food insecurity, trauma, discrimination, etc).âŻWorking in collaboration with the Florida State University (FSU) health clinic in Immokalee, the project would have examined threats, implemented strategies to improve health outcomes for farmworker children, and collaboratively established […]
Posted in Agriculture, Children, Congress, Disease/Health Effects, Environmental Justice, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farmworkers, Florida, Occupational Health, Pesticide Drift, State/Local, Take Action, Uncategorized, Women's Health | 2 Comments »
13
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 13, 2025) A report highlights the ongoing stress to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed from pollutants, particularly pesticides. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the contiguous United States, with tributaries shared among six states and the District of Columbia. It receives runoff from nine major river systems traversing a wide mix of land uses, with significant agricultural and urban areas nearest the Bay and forest along the western boundary. Nearly 13 million people get their drinking water from the watershed. The watershed report by the Maryland Pesticide Education Network focuses primarily on the herbicide atrazine, the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam, and per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS). Atrazine needs little introduction, being notorious for disrupting hormones, particularly estrogen, as demonstrated by the pioneering work of Tyrone Hayes and more recent research analyzed by Beyond Pesticides here, here and here. In male fish, it can trigger production of egg proteins, especially vitellogenin, and development of eggs in their testicles. These are manifestations of intersex, in which an organism shows forms of sexual differentiation of both sexes. The Chesapeake watershed report notes that atrazine and metolachlor (also an estrogen/androgen disruptor and suspected human carcinogen) occur together frequently in the Chesapeake […]
Posted in Atrazine, Cancer, Deleware, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Maryland, neonicotinoids, New York, Pennsylvania, PFAS, Uncategorized, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia | 2 Comments »
04
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 4, 2025) A new study published in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology finds that âhigher pesticide exposure was significantly associated with elevated blood pressure and greater risks of hypertension.â More specifically, â[t]he results indicated that exposure to PNP [para-nitrophenol/parathion] and 2,4-D may contribute to an increased risk of hypertension.â According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly half of U.S. adults have hypertension, which can lead to increased risk for stroke and heart disease, two of the top causes of mortality in the nation. Amid worsening public health concerns, with young generations facing an increase in heart failure (see here for the Duke University School of Medicine analysis), advocates continue to call for the transformation of the food system, including increased access and production of whole-based organic food. Background Information and Methodology The authors of this community-based, case-control study are researchers at the Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the School of Public Health at Southern Medical University, both located in Guangzhou, China. The study included 360 participants, consisting of 180 hypertension cases and 180 non-cases (ânormotensive individualsâ) within Chinaâs National Essential Public Health Services Program. All participants were over […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Breakdown Chemicals, Cardiovascular Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chemicals, Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, Disease/Health Effects, fluvalinate, Parathion, Uncategorized | No Comments »
29
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 29, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, âinvestigates genotoxic effects on farmers in ParaĂba, Brazil, analyzing buccal mucosa cells [cells from inside the cheek] for DNA and cellular damage,â the authors write. In comparing data from 33 pesticide-exposed agricultural workers to 29 unexposed people in a control group, the researchers report that the âfindings revealed significantly higher frequencies of cellular alterations and DNA damage among exposed farmers relative to the control group, with no significant impact from factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or family cancer history.â They continue, âThese results underscore the genotoxic risks linked to prolonged pesticide exposure and highlight the necessity for stricter regulatory measures.â As Beyond Pesticides documents in Disproportionate Pesticide Hazards to Farmworkers and People of Color Documented… Again, farmworkers have been excluded from labor and occupational safety protection laws since their inception. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defers all policy on pesticide protections to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has been widely criticized for providing inadequate worker protection standards. This study focuses on workers in Brazil, but represents issues that impact communities worldwide. âThe agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in Brazilâs economy, encompassing […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Abamectin, Agriculture, chlorfenapyr, Cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, Deltamethrin, Diuron, DNA Damage, Farmworkers, Glyphosate, hexazinone, Imidacloprid, Methamidophos, Methomyl, Occupational Health, Oxidative Stress | No Comments »
26
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 23-26, 2025) This Memorial Day, while honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died serving in the United States Armed Forces, Beyond Pesticides recognizes those who are still fighting the long-term impacts of exposure to toxic chemicals as a result of their use in warfare. A recent review in the Open Journal of Soil Science acts as a reminder of the effects that span multiple generations to both the environment and human health following the use of pesticides. The review analyzes the history and impacts of herbicide use during the Vietnam War, as well as emphasizes the importance and relevance for current and future generations. As the authors state, âThe United States (U.S.) and other countries, including Russia and Ukraine, need to learn the historical lessons from the U.S. use of herbicides, containing dioxin TCDD and/or arsenic (As), as chemical weapons during the Vietnam War.â As previously reported by Beyond Pesticides, public attention generally focuses on the ârainbow herbicides,â particularly Agent Orange, used during the Vietnam War; meanwhile, it is the dioxin TCDD (2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzodioxin), a byproduct of Agent Orangeâs manufacturing process, that has caused the most lasting damage within the country. While the breakdown […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Agent Orange, air pollution, arsenic, Cancer, dioxin, DNA Damage, Drinking Water, Gulf War Syndrome, Holidays, multi-generational effects, Occupational Health, Pesticide Mixtures, Reproductive Health, TCDD | No Comments »
22
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 22, 2025) A medical study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds that âliving within 1 mile of a golf course was associated with 126% increased odds of developing PD [Parkinsonâs Disease] compared with individuals living more than 6 miles away from a golf course.â While organic land management offers a simple solution, current pesticide restrictions do not address chronic neurological diseases such as Parkinsonâs Disease, which are linked to pesticide exposure. It has become increasingly clear that viable and cost-effective land management practices, including for golf course management, are critical to the protection of community health. Yet, the federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), do not conduct an alternative practices assessment as part of their review process to determine whether the risks are âreasonableâ (statutory language) or the risk assessments accept an unnecessary hazard. The complexity of pesticide exposure, which includes mixtures of multiple chemicals and undisclosed hazardous âinertâ ingredients, raises broad questions about the threats to public health as well as biodiversity. See a recent Action of the Week, FDA Must Establish Tolerances for Pesticides Used in Mixtures, to see […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Chlorpyrifos, Disease/Health Effects, Drift, Golf, Paraquat, Parkinson's, Pesticide Drift, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
16
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 16, 2025) A Chinese study reports for the first time an association between gestational anemia (GA), pesticide exposure, and the potentially protective effects of gut microbes. While the report is a preprint and has not yet been peer reviewed, it establishes important connections eminently worthy of deeper investigation and suggests that the balance of gut microbes may be a highly effective way to reduce or prevent GA. This is a prospective study of women enrolled in 2017 and 2018 in the Mother and Child Microbiome Cohort, ongoing at a Nanjing hospital. The 731 women were over 18, without diabetes or gestational hypertension (which can affect gestational anemia). The researchers collected blood samples to analyze red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and levels of pesticides. They analyzed stool samples for gut bacteria composition. GA is extremely common. Pregnancy increases maternal blood volume by up to 50 percent, which produces obvious challenges to the mother. There is a strong gradient between the developing and developed countries: According to the World Health Organization, 35.5 percent of pregnant women globally had anemia in 2023. In Mali, 62.1 percent suffered from it. In the United States, about ten percent did. The […]
Posted in Atrazine, Chlorpyrifos, clomazone, gestational anemia, Microbiome, pyrimethanil, Uncategorized | No Comments »
13
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 13, 2025) A study in Environmental Pollution examines ecological and health risks in farmland soil with pesticide contamination. âAlthough agricultural soil pesticide residues have long threatened the environment, a relatively complete system for evaluating their health and ecological risks has not yet been developed,â the authors state. In addressing this research gap, the study finds that âmore than ten pesticides were detected in 98.62% of the soil samples, which changed the soil environmentâ and threatens the health of the soil microbiome. The authors continue, âThis study investigated the correlation between pesticide residue risks and soil ecological security and human health, revealed the response characteristics of soil microbial communities under pesticide stress, and identified microbes strongly related to pesticide ecological risks.â Pesticides, as the authors emphasize, âinevitably pollute agricultural soil, affect the ecological environment, and pose a threat to human health.â (See studies here, here, and here.) With this in mind, they assess 50 selected pesticides in 145 soil samples from agricultural land in Zhejiang Province, China and calculate the associated risks to ecosystems and public health. In describing the importance of this research, the authors explain: âPesticides are prone to leakage and drift in environmental media, turning […]
Posted in Agriculture, Bifenthrin, Biodiversity, Cancer, Chlorpyrifos, Ecosystem Services, Imidacloprid, indoxacarb, Microbiome, Pesticide Mixtures, soil health | No Comments »
08
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 8, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability, assesses the impacts on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with subacute and chronic exposure to thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid insecticide, and finds genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and changes in tissue structure, among other threats to organ function and overall fish health. âThe study focused on biochemical markers, genetic damage, pesticide residue levels in fish flesh, and histopathological changes in fish exposed to different concentrations of thiamethoxam,â the authors state. The threats do not end there; human health is also at risk from the consumption of these contaminated fish. âUnfortunately, neonicotinoids, rapidly washed into surface water from agricultural areas, pose a significant threat to environmental water quality and can harm non-target species, particularly aquatic organisms,â the researchers state. The accumulation of these chemicals leads to âultimately harming both aquatic ecosystems and human health,â they say. In particular, the study highlights that prolonged exposure to high doses of thiamethoxam can cause âsignificant negative effects on fish health,â the authors note. They continue: âThis exposure led to increased levels of urea and ALT [alanine aminotransferase] in the blood, indicating potential damage to the kidneys and liver. Additionally, thiamethoxam caused oxidative stress, as evidenced […]
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, fish, Kidney failure, Liver Damage, neonicotinoids, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Residues, Thiamethoxam, Water | No Comments »
07
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 7, 2025) Researchers at the University of Caxias do Sul (Brazil) identify 29 peer-reviewed scientific studies with statistically significant findings that tie pesticide use to cancer diagnoses. The literature review is published in SaĂşde Debate. This collection of clinical trials, as well as epidemiologic, case-control, and experimental studiesâfrom the United States, Brazil, India, France, Egypt, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Italy, and Spainâadd to the hundreds of peer-reviewed independent analyses connecting synthetic chemical dependency in food production and land management with mounting public health concerns. Advocates continue to call for holistic solutions that move away from toxic inputs that disproportionately harm the communities responsible for the food on dinner tables, and instead cultivate microbial diversity in soil, rather than prophylactically spray for the sake of pest control. Beyond Pesticides values the importance of scientific integrity and open access to data to inform decision makers on how to adopt healthier practices for their communities. Reliable information for good governance is critical, which is a driving factor in the ongoing compilation of thousands of peer-reviewed literature compiled and curated in the Pesticide-Induced Disease Database and Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management. Background and Methodology The main objective of this […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Cancer, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Disease/Health Effects, Uncategorized | No Comments »
02
May
* This article was cross-posted with permission from the Ecological Landscape Alliance, which was originally published on April 30, 2025. A link will be shared once it is made available. (Beyond Pesticides, May 2, 2025) With the current existential health, biodiversity, and climate threats, organic land management is a bright spot for the sustainable future envisioned by Beyond Pesticides. Founded in 1981, Beyond Pesticides began tracking the science of pesticide hazards and questioning dependency on toxic, fossil fuel-based pesticides as unnecessary to achieving effective land management, both in agricultural and nonagricultural contexts. The organization, which grew out of a series of site visits and field hearings to document the limitations of labor standards necessary to protect farmworkers, was created to bring together environmentalists, public health practitioners, farmers, land managers, farmworkers, and consumers. Nearly a decade before its founding and less than 20 years after the publication of Silent Spring, many important laws governing clean air, water, food safety, and pesticides had been adopted. However, these statutesâ focus on mitigating risks of harm to health and the environment has fallen short, according to Beyond Pesticides. Instead, the organization pursues a precautionary approach that is codified in organic standards that grow out of […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Children, Climate, Climate Change, Disease/Health Effects, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Uncategorized | No Comments »
29
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 29, 2025) A study in Environment International finds pesticide-induced alterations in the gut microbiota of a farmland raptor species. In collecting blood and cloacal samples from Montaguâs harrier (Circus pygargus) nestlings, the authors âshed light on an overlooked collateral effect of pesticides, i.e., a general modification of gut bacterial assemblages,â which can lead to an imbalance of microorganisms (dysbiosis) and the promotion of potential pathogens, as well as negatively impact the health of birds of prey. âAdditionally, our findings support the ‘One Health‘ framework, stressing the interconnectedness of wildlife, ecosystem, and human health, particularly in pesticide-affected agricultural areas,â the researchers share. âThe gut microbiota is crucial for host health and can be impacted by various environmental disruptions, yet the effects of multiple pesticide exposures on farmland organismsâ microbiomes remain largely unexplored,â the authors state. In the study, they âassessed microbiota changes in a wild apex predator exposed to multiple pesticides in agricultural landscapes,â which âprovides evidence of pesticide impacts on wildlife gut microbiota, highlighting links between pesticide exposure and changes in microbiota composition,â the researchers note. The Montaguâs harrier, as an apex predator, serves as a âbio-sentinelâ or bioindicator species for assessing ecosystem health. âAs top-level predators […]
Posted in Acetochlor, Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Birds, Chlorpyrifos, Gut Dysbiosis, Microbiome, Pesticide Mixtures, Quinoxyfen, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
25
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 25, 2025) A novel study in Chemosphere finds impacts on male fertility in a bee species (Osmia bicornis) with exposure to sulfoxaflor, a systemic sulfoximine insecticide with similar mechanisms to neonicotinoids. âFor the first time, we demonstrate that short-term chronic, field-realistic exposure to a common pesticide reduced pre-copulatory display (36%) and sounds (27%) [courtship behaviors], increased the number of copulations (+110%) and the mating duration (+166%), while finally reducing sperm quantity (25%) and mating success (43%),â the researchers report. They continue, âOur research raises considerable concern on the impact of field-realistic, low sublethal pesticide levels on the fertility and reproductive success of pollinators.â Mating behaviors and the ability to successfully reproduce determines the survival of species. As the authors state: âMating disorders may therefore contribute to the recent decline in insect and pollinators’ health worldwide. While the impact of pesticides on pollinators is widely considered as a driving factor for reducing pollinators’ health, their effect on mating behaviour and male fertility remains widely overlooked.â The red mason bee (O. bicornis) can âprovide essential pollination service for both crops and wild plants sustaining food production and biodiversity while serving as a bioindicator of environmental health.â The abundance and […]
Posted in Beneficials, Biodiversity, Clothianidin, fenbuconazole, men's health, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Mixtures, Pollinators, Reproductive Health, Sulfoxaflor, Thiamethoxam | No Comments »
23
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 23, 2025) Recent reviews of scientific literature, in both Chemosphere and Reports in Public Health, associate Parkinsonâs disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease globally, with pesticide exposure. âGiven the pervasive nature of pesticide residues in everyday food consumption and inadequate monitoring of their long-term toxicological impacts, the role of pesticide exposure as a modifiable risk factor for neurological disorders, including PD, warrants urgent attention,â the researchers state in the article in Chemosphere. In describing the history of Parkinsonâs and previous research, the authors in Reports in Public Health note that while PD etiology is not fully understood, it is a multifactorial disease. âHereditary factors are present in approximately 10% of diagnosed cases of Parkinsonâs disease, presenting early onset; while the other 90% of cases are categorized as idiopathic or sporadic Parkinsonâs disease, occurring in older individuals and may be associated with exposure to environmental agents,â the researchers say. This disease, first described by English physician James Parkinson, M.D. in 1817, involves neurochemical changes that present as âthe appearance of cardinal motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and rest tremor, which are essential for the clinical diagnosis of the disease,â the researchers note. The […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Atrazine, behavioral and cognitive effects, Brain Effects, Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, Dichlorvos, Dieldrin, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Glyphosate, Malathion, mancozeb, Maneb, Nervous System Effects, Oxidative Stress, Paraquat, Parkinson's, Pesticide Mixtures, Rotenone | No Comments »
18
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 18, 2025) A recent study published in Foods assesses the ability of the fungicide azoxystrobin (AZX) and naturally occurring toxins produced by certain fungi, known as mycotoxins, to display effects of cytotoxicity (cell damage). These effects were evaluated using three common mycotoxins found in food, including ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2 toxin as mixtures with AZX within human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell cultures. In analyzing combinations of these compounds at sublethal concentrations, the authors find modified toxicological behavior and synergistic effects that highlight the complexities of chemical mixtures, and potential threats to liver health through dietary exposure to both toxicants and toxins, that are not adequately regulated for their interactions. While fungicides, like azoxystrobin, are intended to prevent or control fungal diseases, resistance to these pesticides can increase the presence of fungi, and subsequent mycotoxins, on crops. This scenario allows for co-exposure of fungicides and mycotoxins within food products that present a risk to consumers. These chemicals can threaten human health individually, as the researchers confirm in their study, but present a greater threat in combination. The mixture of AZX with all three mycotoxins exhibits the highest toxicity, with synergistic effects at all tested concentration levels. […]
Posted in Agriculture, Azoxystrobin, Chemical Mixtures, European Union, Fungicides, Liver Damage, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Residues, synergistic effects | No Comments »
17
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 17, 2025) A literature review in Reproductive Sciences finds glyphosate (GLY) and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) impact womenâs reproductive health, adding to the long list of documented harm from this widely used weed killer. The authors note, âConsidering the widespread use of GLY, the controversy regarding its endocrine-disrupting potential and reproductive toxicity, and the innumerable lawsuits filed against Bayer and Monsanto by consumers for morbidities related to Roundup™ exposure, the purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature on the potential adverse effects of GLY and GBHs on the female reproductive tract and discuss possible clinical implications on reproductive health outcomes, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and female fertility.â Glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), the primary metabolite (breakdown product) of GLY, are found throughout the environment in soil and water, as well as in samples of blood, urine, seminal plasma, and breast milk. Studies have detected residues in farmworkers, as well as “in the urine of 60â80% of the general public in the USA, including pregnant women and children.â (See studies here, here, and here.) The ubiquitous use of GLY and GBH, and subsequent persistence, threatens the health and well-being of all. Previous studies have […]
Posted in Agriculture, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), Bayer, DNA Damage, Endocrine Disruption, endometriosis, Glyphosate, Herbicides, Infertility, Monsanto, Oxidative Stress, Reproductive Health, Women's Health | No Comments »
08
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 8, 2025) A comprehensive literature review in Environment & Health analyzes evidence from human biomonitoring, epidemiological studies, and toxicological studies that link adverse effects on womenâs reproductive health, specifically impacting the ovary, to pesticide exposure. In examining the scientific literature, consisting of over 200 studies performed in the last 25 years, the authors find pesticide exposure threatens womenâs health through ovarian dysfunction. âEpidemiological studies have shown that pesticide exposures are associated with early/delayed menarche [first occurrence of menstruation], menstrual cycle disorders, early menopause, long time to pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome, primary ovarian insufficiency, infertility, and implantation failure in women,â the researchers state. They continue, âBoth in vivo [in animals] and in vitro [in cells] studies have shown that exposure to pesticides disrupts the estrous cycle, reduces the follicle pool, alters hormone levels, and impairs oocyte [egg] maturation.â These reproductive implications are noted with many different classes of pesticides, such as insecticides, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphates (OPs), pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids, as well as herbicides and fungicides. The authors, however, comment on present research gaps: âMuch of the available epidemiological evidence focuses on legacy insecticides, such as OCPs, and a subset of insecticides that are still in use […]
Posted in acetamiprid, Atrazine, Bifenthrin, Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, DDT, Deltamethrin, Diazinon, fenvalerate, Glyphosate, Imidacloprid, Infertility, lambda-cyhalothrin, Lindane, Malathion, mancozeb, Oxidative Stress, Permethrin, Reproductive Health, Thiamethoxam, vinclozolin, Women's Health | No Comments »
03
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 3, 2025) As highlighted by Beyond Pesticides in recent comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), chlorpyrifos (CPF) has been under scrutiny for decades due to associated adverse health effects, noted particularly in the extensive and consistent scientific evidence of neurotoxic dangers to childrenâs health. The latest research on CPF, published in Environmental Toxicology and Genes & Diseases, reveals additional threats to the immune system and male reproduction that are not captured in current EPA risk assessments of chlorpyrifos and raises serious health questions, given that residues are found throughout the food supply. CPF, a widely used organophosphate insecticide in agriculture, is a cholinesterase inhibitor that binds irreversibly to the active site of an essential enzyme for normal nerve impulse transmission, acetylcholine esterase (AChE), inactivating the enzyme. Many insecticides, including organophosphates and carbamates, target AChE, causing them to be highly toxic to both insects and mammals that have this enzyme as a crucial part of their nervous systems. The history of chlorpyrifos exemplifies the failure of pesticide law and policy, as this chemical, among many others, not only has direct adverse health effects but is contributing to the climate crisis, biodiversity collapse, and disproportionate levels of […]
Posted in Agriculture, Cancer, Chlorpyrifos, Developmental Disorders, DNA Damage, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Immunotoxicity, Infertility, men's health, Oxidative Stress, Reproductive Health | No Comments »