(NaturalHealth365)  An epidemic has been growing around the world, yet it remains largely unacknowledged in the United States.  This epidemic is chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu).  Countless individuals from South America to Asia have been affected, with many tragically losing their lives to this so-called “mysterious” disease.  In El Salvador, CKDu has become a leading cause of death among men, surpassing other serious illnesses like leukemia, AIDS, HIV, and diabetes combined.

Recently, a study published in Science of the Total Environment highlighted a concerning connection between glyphosate exposure and kidney injury, particularly in children living near farming areas.  This raises important questions about the environmental factors contributing to CKDu and what we need to understand about this troubling health crisis.

Western medicine fails to properly address chronic kidney disease

Little has been done in the U.S. to combat the sudden surge of this deadly disease – which has only appeared in the past couple of decades.  In fact, many American doctors still question whether it’s such a “big deal” or not.  But, for the many people who have lost their loved ones to CKDu – the disease is very real.

One man from Sri Lanka – Dr. Channa Jayasumana – worked with two colleagues to investigate the source of CKDu in his country.  To start, the team recognized that CKDu is affiliated with kidney tubule damage, which is not normally found in patients with chronic kidney disease brought on by diet or conditions like hypertension.

They also assumed that because the disease first appeared in the mid-1990s, a toxic agent must have been introduced to the country sometime within the previous 30 years to have led to kidney damage.  Finally, the substance had to protect heavy metals in groundwater and safely transport them through the liver and into the kidneys.

Their research led them to glyphosate, an herbicide that meets all the criteria for the offending agent and is used widely throughout Sri Lanka.  First developed to remove mineral build-up in boiler pipes, glyphosate was never intended to be used in farming.

It was only a matter of time before one company – Monsanto (acquired by Bayer) – discovered glyphosate’s “benefits” as a weed killer.

Glyphosate has an ugly and destructive history

Monsanto was quick to patent glyphosate as an herbicide in the 1970s.  For decades, the company owned exclusive rights and sold it as a product called Roundup, now the most popular herbicide globally.

Though widely touted as a “safe” herbicide, weeds have developed in recent years that are resistant to Roundup and, thus, require greater and more toxic amounts of herbicide.  So, Monsanto created glyphosate-resistant GMO seeds that are resistant to the herbicide.

Now, farmers can use extravagant amounts of this herbicide, destroying weeds without damaging the crops.  Unfortunately, the farmers themselves seem to have suffered the repercussions of glyphosate toxicity, losing their lives to a disease that may have been prevented.

Farmers are paying the ultimate price for ignorance

Glyphosate is a substance that binds with metals in soils, such as arsenic.  In the body, glyphosate is believed to protect metals from being metabolized by the liver, allowing them to become toxic within the kidneys.

While genetically modified seeds resist glyphosate, there is no protection for the farmers who become ill after exposure to this substance as it binds with heavy metals.  Unfortunately, dialysis and organ transplants aren’t as accessible in parts of the world most affected by CKDu, meaning most farmers with the disease caused by glyphosate toxicity will lose their lives to it.

Editor’s note:  If you’re looking for the science that proves how toxic glyphosate is, own the Fatty Liver Docu-Class, created by NaturalHealth365 Programs and watch the presentation with Jonathan Landsman and Stephanie Seneff, PhD.

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
Sciencedaily.com
Truth-out.org