New study: Exposure to PESTICIDES linked to METABOLIC DISORDERS like diabetes and obesity

10/06/2023 / By Laura Harris

Exposure to various kinds of pesticides is linked to metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity, according to a new study.

The review published September in Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology analyzed 4,051 articles from the PubMed database. It found that even low levels of exposure from pesticides during pregnancy or childhood can lead to metabolic disorders like diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease and hypertension. (Related: Pesticide exposure in expectant mothers causes lower IQ in newborns.)

These toxic chemicals usually affect liver enzymes and lipid profiles. They also disrupt insulin signaling within cells and the body’s response to chemical exposure by means of oxidative stress and inflammation. Moreover, exposure to these chemicals can also cause reproductive, cardiovascular and hormonal issues.

The study also showed that exposure to the pesticide DDT can increase the risk of breast cancer and cardiometabolic disorders in multiple successive generations, due to an inherited risk of obesity. While DDT has been banned in the U.S. for 50 years now, its hazardous byproduct DDE is still present in the environment.

Pesticides threaten human health and natural biodiversity

“Most of the epidemiological evidences on the link of pesticides with [insulin resistance-based] diseases are related to diabetes with 30 records and then obesity with 20 records,” the study authors concluded.

“Taken together, the link of pesticides with [insulin resistance-related] metabolic diseases can be a wide area of research from different aspects – including epidemiological evidence [of] cellular mechanisms weakening insulin signaling and preventing approaches.”

Earlier studies have also highlighted the negative effects of pesticide exposure on human health. One study from 2008 found that almost all pesticides increased the risk of diabetes by more than 50 percent. The authors of the said study expressed skepticism of the use of pesticides in farming and other industries.

Meanwhile, a 2017 study focused on carbamates, a class of insecticides. It found that exposure to carbamates was linked to a higher risk of getting diabetes. According to the researchers behind this study, carbamates can affect important receptors in our bodies that control things like sleep, insulin production and sugar regulation.

In April, the Washington, D.C.-based environmental advocacy group Beyond Pesticides released a report highlighting the alarming and far-reaching consequences of pesticide and fertilizer use on human health. According to the paper, humans of all ages are impacted by these toxic chemicals used in farming.

Exposure to these chemicals can cause motor skill deficiencies, respiratory diseases, ear infections, oxidative stress, DNA damage, cancer, diabetes, developmental delays, early onset puberty and autism in children. Meanwhile, adults are not exempt from these risks, with exposure through the food supply being associated with gut microbiome damage and conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBS) and metabolic distress.

The report warns of links between chemical exposure and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, as well as various forms of cancer and issues related to male infertility and endocrine disruption.

Furthermore, the report by Beyond Pesticides also revealed that the widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers is leading to a dramatic decline in insect populations. Honeybees, birds and aquatic life are suffering, along with their water sources, which are becoming contaminated with the chemicals sprayed on agricultural fields.

Visit Pesticides.news for more stories about the dangers of pesticides.

Watch this video that reveals how much chemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers, are removed from everyday food when washed.

This video is from the Cheri and Timothy McGaffin II channel on Brighteon.com.