Why Is Roundup in 87% of Our Children?

Dr. Eric Berg DC| 00:10:26|Mar 11, 2026
Chapters7
The chapter discusses how Roundup exposure may be widespread, with traces found in many foods and in the urine of a large percentage of people, including children. It questions the safety and sources of exposure observed in everyday life.

Dr. Eric Berg argues glyphosate exposure is widespread, critiques EPA practices, and urges organic choices plus gut-health strategies to counter potential harm.

Summary

Dr. Eric Berg examines glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, and argues it’s slipping into everyday foods and people’s bodies. He cites CDC urine tests claiming 87% of American children and 80% of adults tested positive for glyphosate, and he contrasts EPA safety conclusions with the World Health Organization’s classification of glyphosate as a probable carcinogen. Berg recounts how Roundup Ready crops changed farming since 1994 and claims current residues are highest on foods harvested for drying. He describes a perceived conflict of interest inside the EPA, highlighting court findings that the agency’s safety review was not supported by its own guidelines, and he frames this as evidence of inadequate protection for consumers. The video emphasizes that the formulation of Roundup (glyphosate plus co-formulants) is more toxic than glyphosate alone, and that skin exposure is common among farmers without proper exposure measurements. Berg names several former and current figures linked to Monsanto and EPA roles to imply regulatory capture, and he notes a controversial shift to using new, allegedly more dangerous ingredients in consumer Roundup products since 2023. Practical takeaways focus on buying organic, prioritizing certain breakfast foods, and supporting gut-health through fermented foods while encouraging urine glyphosate testing. He ends by promising further guidance on liver detoxification and linking to additional resources. The overall message is a call to awareness and action to reduce glyphosate exposure for children and families.

Key Takeaways

  • 87% of American children reportedly test positive for glyphosate in urine, according to cited CDC data.
  • EPA review on glyphosate was deemed not supported by substantial evidence by a federal court in 2022, prompting a call to redo the assessment.
  • Formulated Roundup (glyphosate plus co-formulants) is argued to be more toxic than glyphosate alone, with skin exposure being a primary route of entry.
  • Bear/Monsanto-related personnel and former EPA officials are described as having potential conflicts of interest in glyphosate regulation.
  • Since 2023, new home-use Roundup formulations reportedly replace glyphosate with more hazardous chemicals in some products.
  • Organic certification bans glyphosate, and Berg advocates prioritizing organic foods, especially wheat-based products, for children.
  • Gut microbiome protection is emphasized, recommending fermented foods to counteract glyphosate’s impact.

Who Is This For?

Parents, health-conscious consumers, and functional medicine enthusiasts who want to understand glyphosate risks, regulatory controversies, and practical steps to reduce exposure for kids.

Notable Quotes

"87% of these kids tested positive for it in their urine."
Dr. Berg cites CDC urine test figures to establish widespread exposure.
"The court said it was not supported by substantial evidence."
Legal finding used to challenge the EPA’s safety determination.
"Formulation of all the chemicals combined is more toxic than glyphosate alone."
Claims that co-formulants amplify toxicity.
"These people who are supposed to protect you are working for the company selling you the product."
Accusatory framing of regulatory capture and industry influence.
"Bear paid out over 11 billion in Roundup cancer settlements."
Highlighting legal and financial consequences for the company behind Roundup.

Questions This Video Answers

  • How valid are CDC glyphosate urine tests and what do they show about exposure today?
  • What did the 2022 federal court decision say about the EPA's glyphosate safety review?
  • What are glyphosate co-formulants and why might they increase toxicity?
  • Should I switch to organic foods to reduce glyphosate exposure for my kids?
  • How can I test my own glyphosate exposure and interpret the results?
GlyphosateRoundupEPA regulatory reviewGM crops and herbicidesCourt rulings on toxicologyCo-formulants in pesticidesOrganic certificationGut microbiomeBear/Monsanto litigation
Full Transcript
Why is Roundup in 87% of American children? I live in the country. I'm driving on the street. I look over into the field. There's a man with a full hazmat suit, gloves, respirator, head to toe protection, and he's spraying something on the crops. That chemical, which we're going to talk about, ends up in the bread, cereal, oatmeal, baby food, beer, wine. And the CDC has actually tested the urine of children and found something startling. 87% of these kids tested positive for it in their urine. 80% of adults tested positive for it. We're talking about the chemical called glyphosate. The World Health Organization says it probably causes cancer. What does that definition of probably mean? Well, it means likely, but there is conflicting information because the EPA said it's safe. Don't quote me on the time frame, but it was at least three years ago. The federal court looked at the EPA's work and unfortunately right now the government is trying to make sure that you can never sue over that. Roundup Ready has been around since 1974. For 20 years, farmers and landscapers used it to kill weeds. Then in 1994, everything changed. Companies introduced something called genetically modified crops engineered to survive being drenched with this Roundup herbicide. Over 200 million pounds of Roundup is currently being sprayed over American farmland. But here's what people don't know. Roundup is not just sprayed on the crops growing. It's also sprayed on wheat, oats, barley right before they harvest it as a drying agent. So the highest chemical residue is on the food that's about to go into your kitchen. The CDC tested over 2,000 Americans. And like I said before, they found glyphosate in 80% of adults. And these levels in human urine has gone up since 1974 by a factor of 500%. Now, let's get back to the EPA. They said it's not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. Okay, that's their official position. But the World Health Organization's Cancer Research Agency looked at the same science and classified it as a probable carcinogen. It's really bizarre because you have two of the most scientific bodies on planet Earth, the same data, opposite conclusions. So, who is telling the truth? There was a federal court that looked into this and actually answered that question. And I want to explain what they found. In 2022, this federal court looked at the EPA's safety determination on glyphosate. And they didn't just disagree with it. They actually threw it out. The court said it was not supported by substantial evidence. The EPA's own scientists wrote their own cancer review that they could reach no conclusion about whether glyphosate causes the specific cancer that's tied to Roundup. Then in the same document, the EPA stamped out the whole thing as not likely to cause cancer. Now, here's the problem. You can't say that we don't know. And then in the same document say, but overall it's fine because both of those viewpoints conflict. The EPA actually has a rule book for evaluating cancer research. They wrote these rules themselves. So, there's animal studies that show that glyphosate causes tumors, okay? But the EPA basically threw those out. They didn't use them. And so, in the court's own words, they said the EPA's conclusions were divorced from its own guidelines. The court called it disregard of tumor results. But don't worry, it gets worse. Nobody sprays pure glyphosate. People spray Roundup, which is glyphosate and other chemicals. And the research shows that the formulation of all the chemicals combined is more toxic than glyphosate alone. And the EPA was well aware of this. And millions of farmers get Roundup on their skin every single day. Skin contact is the main route of exposure. But the EPA never measured how much gets into the bloodstream through the skin. They skipped that very important piece of the puzzle. The court used words like arbitrary, which means it's based on opinion, not by fact, and also inconsistent reasoning. But regardless, they threw the whole review out and told the EPA to redo it. That was in 2022. It's 2026 right now. Still no cancer warning and we're still being exposed to it. For that information, it helps to understand the people running the review that used to work for the company that they're reviewing. There's a man by the name of Jess Roland, okay? He was a deputy division director at EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs. Roland told Monsanto's regulatory affair manager about blocking a separate AY's glyphosate investigation. And then in a separate email, Roland would be retiring from the EPA soon and could be useful as we moved forward with ongoing glyphosate defense. After leaving the EPA, Roland became a consultant for the Associates of Monsanto. Then we have Marian Copley. Okay. 30-year EPA toxicologist dying of breast cancer. She wrote Roland a letter in 2013 listing 14 mechanisms by which glyphosate causes tumors and stating it is essentially certain that glyphosate causes cancer. Her dying words to him were for once do the right thing and don't make the decision based on how it affects your bonus. Unfortunately, she died January 2014. Roland ignored every word and continued chairing the committee that cleared glyphosate. Then we have Linda Fischer worked as an EPA administrator for pesticides and toxic substances. She moved to Monsanto as vice president of governmental affairs to lobby on their behalf. Then went back to the EPA as deputy administrator. Then we have Mary Manny Busan, former EPA toxicologist. When Monsanto needed help blocking another agency's glyphosate review, they text her. She replied, "Sweetheart, I know lots of people. You can count on me." Then she later returned to the EPA as division director. Court documents also revealed Monsanto employees drafted safety studies that were published under names of supposedly independent researchers. A key 2000 study frequently cited as evidence of glyphosates safety was substantially written by Monsanto scientists. One internal email discussed how to ghost write certain sections of that document. Then we get to Michael Taylor, okay? Monsanto attorney who left for the FDA where the agency created a new position for him, deputy commissioner of policy, who then became the FDA official with the most influence on GM, genetically modified food regulation, then went back to Monsanto as VP of public policy. then return to FDA again as senior adviser to the commissioner. These people who are supposed to protect you are working for the company selling you the product. But here's the part that changes everything because cancer isn't the only problem. For decades, safety arguments were simple. Glyphosate killed plants by blocking a certain pathway that humans don't have. It's called the shikamate pathway. Okay? So they say, well, it's safe because humans don't have that pathway. But here's what they left out. Your gut bacteria do have that pathway. So here we have trillions of microorganisms that run your immune system, that make your neurotransmitters, that protect your gut lining, that help you make vitamins, that help control inflammation, all vulnerable to this chemical, especially the lactobacillus and the bifido bacterium. These are the two categories of microbes that really protect you against the pathogens. And what's really wild about this whole thing is the pathogenic bacteria, the ones that cause disease, tend to be resistant to glyphosate. And what's really bizarre is one of the patents for glyphosate is the application of using it as an antibiotic. Nonhodgekin lymphoma, the cancer that is most tied to Roundup, rose 90% in the United States between 1950 and 1999. Today, 80,000 Americans are diagnosed with it every single year. Bear, the company that bought Monsanto, paid out over 11 billion in Roundup cancer settlements. And then in 2023, Bear quietly pulled glyphosate out of the home version of Roundup. But here's the part that no one's talking about. What did they replace it with? The new home Roundup products contained four replacement ingredients. Dequat dybermide, fluazif pbutil, tricleapir and immisapic are in all the new formulations. This chemical is 200 times more chronically toxic than glyphosate. It is classified as a highly hazardous pesticide. It is banned in the European Union in China. And they have found this new formulation 45 times more toxic to human health. Also more toxic to bees, birds, fish, and earthworms. More likely to leech out in the groundwater. Damages the intestines. Kills beneficial gut bacteria. Interferes with nutrient absorption and triggers chronic inflammation. The packaging is nearly identical to the old version, but there's no language alerting consumers to the higher risks. So, what can you do about this? Well, number one, I would highly recommend you buy organic as much as possible, especially if you eat wheat. I highly recommend you eat it organic. Organic certifications ban glyphosate. And if you can't fully go organic, start with your kids breakfast cereal and oats product. Just feed them eggs and bacon. Another thing that's really important to do is start building up your gut microbiome with fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut. start feeding the bacteria that the glyphosate is killing. I highly also recommend you test your urine to see what your levels of glyphosate are. I'm going to put a link down below of a company that will do that for you. This video is about awareness because if you don't know about certain things, how can you control it? Since we're on the topic of an herbicide, I think the next most important thing for you to learn about is the most important detoxification organ, and that's called your liver. And for vital information on how to strengthen the liver, I put a video up right here that you must watch. Check it out.

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