by Mila McManus, MD
More than 80,000 chemicals are registered for use today, and hundreds of chemicals are added every year. We do, indeed, live in a toxic world. Chemical exposure is pervasive. Especially concerning is the impact this has on developing brains of children and adolescents. Herbicides, used predominantly in green spaces, homes, and industry are the most common class of chemicals. Exposures to glyphosate and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid [a.k.a. 2,4D] are associated with worse brain function among adolescents according to a study led by researchers at the Erbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at University of California Sand Diego.
When 519 adolescents aged 11 to 17 were tested, glyphosate, a nonselective herbicide used in crops and for residential vegetation control, was detected in 98% of the participants. 2,4D, a broadleaf herbicide used on lawns, aquatic sites, and agriculture, was detected in 66% of the participants. Researchers assessed the participants in five neurobehavioral performance areas including attention, inhibitory control, memory and learning, language, visuospatial processing, and social perception. The higher the amounts of 2.4D, the lower neurobehavioral performance in the domains of attention and inhibitory control, memory and learning, and language. Higher concentrations of glyphosate in participants was associated with lower scores in social perception.
Today, 20% of adolescents and 26% of young adults have diagnosable mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, impulsivity, aggression or learning disorders. We encourage you to buy organic and to think twice about what you use in and around your homes to treat lawns and control insects. There are many more natural, chemical free options than ever before and can be very effective.
Also, we offer a toxicant test that requires a simple urine collection. And we have many options to help detoxify the body from toxins and toxicants.
Be Wise, Be Well.
Ref:
MDLinx (October 11, 2023). Research finds commonly-used herbicide is harmful to adolescent brain function. https://www.mdlinx.com/news.
