(NaturalHealth365)  Brain cancer has long been a mystery as researchers look for links that may help people avoid its devastating effects.  One is becoming increasingly prevalent as the scientific community closes in on key links.  A growing body of epidemiologic studies shows a link between pesticide exposure and brain cancer.

Farming and household pesticide exposure have a lengthy history of association with an increased risk of brain cancer.  A new meta-analysis, published in The Nucleus, confirms a strong link between pesticides and brain cancer.

When a human is exposed to pesticides, they can overwhelm the defenses the body’s cells have to guard against them.  This disrupts cell communication within the brain, disrupting the gene function or epigenetic regulation of gene expression.  This creates a prime environment for cancerous cells to emerge.

How pesticides fuel brain cancer

Pesticides have been found to induce oxidative stress, which disrupts brain cell oxygen balance and stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which interfere with energy production and cellular signaling.  This is a strong contributing factor to brain cancer.  ROS causes disruptions in both gap junctions and synapses, two vital neurological communication pathways.

Another concern about pesticides is that they are fat soluble, so they are quickly and easily stored by the body.  The high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain are a viable storage area, allowing the pesticides to accumulate and increasing exposure to brain cells.

Specific pesticides, such as paraquat, cross the blood-brain barrier.  This causes oxidative damage in the hippocampus due to the creation of ROS in the intercellular fluid.  It can also cross the placenta, where it can cause damage to the fetus.

Epigenetic disruptions and cancer risk

Pesticides have also been found to alter gene expression through epigenetic modification.  This can lead to uncontrolled cell growth.

They can cause dysregulation of methylation, which is one of the key processes in cancer generation.  ROS caused by pesticides can cause hypermethylation, which blocks detoxification.  This creates an environment where tumors can form.

The changes that pesticides cause at the cellular level can have generational effects.  This increases long-term impacts.

How to reduce your exposure to toxic pesticides? 

Pesticides are designed to disrupt neurotransmitters in insects.  They affect the pest’s nervous system.  Some are also intended to affect future generations of the pests, such as causing sterility to end infestations.

The problem is that the distinction between an insect’s neurological system and a human’s is not so different that the pesticide will affect one and not the other.  Where the doses of an application will overwhelm an insect’s tiny nervous system, those small amounts can accumulate in the human body and affect the human brain.

Researchers argue for a ban on carcinogenic pesticides and a shift toward safer alternatives, but you can do your part by demanding those safer alternatives in your home.

You can also avoid exposure by buying organic foods, as washing your produce may not remove all pesticides.  The Safer Pest Control Project has a fact sheet with more tips and information on reducing your exposure, as does Beyond Pesticides’ Action of the Week Archive.

In addition, never underestimate the value of shopping at your local farmers market.  Even if the food you buy from a local organic farmer is not “certified” organic, in many cases you’ll find the chemical free food to be of the highest quality.

Most of all, stay informed.  The more you know, the better equipped you are to take better care of your family.

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Sources for this article include:

Link.springer.com
Childrenshealthdefense.org
Beyondpesticides.org
Beyondpesticides.org