It’s Not Gluten — It’s Glyphosate?

Given this, it’s puzzling that today so many people report digestive issues, autoimmune problems, and other health complaints linked to grains. But as succinctly outlined in Mercola’s March 2025 report on bread, when you look at the bigger picture: how grains are grown, processed, and treated, it begins to make sense.

What if the real issue isn’t the gluten protein itself—but a chemical it’s often coated in?

When Wheat Isn't the Problem, But What’s ON It Is

Meet glyphosate: the active ingredient in the widely-used weedkiller Roundup. It’s sprayed on conventional wheat just before harvest to dry it out faster, a practice called desiccation. It gets into the outer layers of the grain, and from there… into you. Glyphosate isn’t just a farming tool—it’s a biological disruptor. It can damage gut bacteria, impair liver enzymes, trigger immune dysregulation, and interfere with your body’s ability to metabolize essential nutrients like sulfur and manganese.

And while this article focuses on how glyphosate may be masquerading as your gluten sensitivity, it’s worth noting: its effects aren’t limited to digestion. In recent years, thousands of agricultural workers and home gardeners have filed lawsuits linking glyphosate exposure to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other serious conditions. The science is still evolving, but the signals are hard to ignore.

That said, the National Pesticide Information Center maintains glyphosate is “low in toxicity,” unlikely to be carcinogenic, and not shown to harm the nervous or immune systems in long-term studies [^2]. As you can see, their stance was established in 2010 with a brief update in March, of 2019 — yet many important studies have surfaced since then that challenge their long-standing statements. Clearly, regulatory bodies have been slow to respond, and probably won’t change without pressure.

Research continues to expose the truth. A 2021 study in Science of The Total Environment revealed that glyphosate-induced gut microbiota disruption doesn’t just affect digestion—it can drive inflammation in entirely different organ systems. In rats, this dysbiosis activated IL-17A immune signaling that migrated from the gut to the reproductive tract, impairing testicular health and lowering sperm quality [^3]. The study mapped a clear chain of causation: glyphosate exposure → altered gut flora → immune disruption → fertility damage. This is a vivid reminder that glyphosate’s effects aren’t localized—they ripple through the entire body.

So maybe your bloating and brain fog aren't about gluten at all. Maybe it’s not about what’s in the wheat—but what’s been done to it. While we were trained to believe wheat bread is the healthier choice, glyphosate concentrates in the outer layer of the grain, so conventional white bread—with its bran and germ removed—often contains significantly less residue than whole wheat, paradoxically making it the gentler choice for many.

Read on to discover how certain types of conventional white breads go a step further in breaking down residual Roundup that may remain. It’s your money, your health, your gut… choose wisely. And remember: if we want safer food and fair treatment for farmworkers, we need to vote for representatives who demand accountability and buy from companies that truly care about your child's future.

Symptom Showdown: Gluten vs Glyphosate

Here's a simplified table comparing symptoms:

Symptom

Gluten Intolerance v. Glyphosate Exposure

Gut inflammation Yes Yes

Bloating/diarrhea Yes Yes

Fatigue/brain fog Yes Yes

Joint/muscle pain Yes Yes

Skin issues (rashes) Yes Yes

Microbiome disruption Possible Documented

Immune/allergic reactions (Both, see table below...)

You gave up gluten because it made you feel awful—but what if the real issue isn’t gluten, but glyphosate? This herbicide, sprayed on wheat just before harvest, concentrates in the outer layers—making whole wheat more contaminated than refined white flour. That’s why white bread may feel easier on your gut. And perhaps why, when you snuck a bite of sourdough dipped in organic oil and vinegar at that vineyard on vacation that one time, you (gasp) felt fine. Since glyphosate is used on many other crops too, going gluten-free might not fix the problem. We’ll unpack the science and show you how to tell the difference—step by step.

🧬 Immune/Allergic Reactions

Condition

Gluten Intolerance

Glyphosate Exposure

How to Find Out: A Layered Approach

🔬 Get Tested — What These Tests Actually Tell You

Ideally, when you go to your doctor complaining of bloating, gas, brain fog, joint pain, fatigue, food sensitivities, rashes, poor sleep, or the feeling that your digestion is “off” no matter what you eat, they’ll take the time to run a comprehensive round of labs.

The goal? To figure out if you’re dealing with true celiac disease, a classic wheat allergy, or something far less understood — like glyphosate toxicity, which can mimic gluten sensitivity in nearly every way.

Many physicians stop after just a couple of tests. But I’ve learned through my clinical work — and in the years of treating patients who felt like they were literally dying from within — that there’s more to this story. In many cases, these individuals were experiencing internal bleeding, inflammation, and a gut so damaged by pesticides that they could no longer absorb nutrients or even tolerate basic foods.

This 2022 article from AZ Dietitians explores the link between glyphosate and gluten intolerance, noting rising exposure levels and the potential for microbiome disruption [^4]. While they stop short of recommending specific glyphosate testing or pointing to conventional white bread as a gentler option than wheat, let alone differences within white breads (kind of surprising, given they are dietitians), at least they acknowledge that in an ideal world, we’d all be eating organic.

So whether your doctor brushes you off, skips steps or settles too soon on a “gluten” label, feel free to ask for a deeper dive. Below is the full set of labs one may order for celiac-like symptoms; ones that can uncover the real reason behind your pain.

Don’t just guess—investigate. Here's a plan:

1. Get Tested

   • Coeliac panel: anti-tTG IgA, total IgA

   • Wheat-specific IgE for allergies

   • HLA DQ2/DQ8 gene test

   • Glyphosate urine test (specialized labs)

   • Inflammatory and liver markers (CRP, ALT, AST)

2. The Organic Challenge Trial

   • Start with cleansing your diet of any potential allergens for several days, before introducing a small portion of organic wheat once per week only.. observe how your body responds

   • If this test runs successfully with no ill effects, congratulations, you may then choose to incorporate other organic products more often.. you appear to have simply been intolerant of poison.. don't feel alone, we all are.

   • Keep a journal: monitor gut, mood, skin, sleep

3. If All’s Clear, Try White Bread (Occasionally)

   • Stick to organic breads to minimize glyphosate, but when these choices are limited, choose conventional white only, especially sourdough if you can

   • Still monitor—everyone reacts differently

This process helps you distinguish between a gluten response and a glyphosate one, slowly and safely.

There’s good reason your gut may instinctively give conventional sourdough a thumbs up. Here's how it compares to traditionally refined white bread fare when it comes to glyphosate risk—and why sourdough bread may feel extra safe to you:

🍞 Traditional Refined White Bread vs. Sourdough: Glyphosate Risk Breakdown

1. Refined White Bread

• Hull removal is key: A Canadian milling study from 2020 found glyphosate residues in conventional whole wheat drop by ~4× (a reduction of 81%, leaving 19% remaining) in refined white bread after removing the bran and germ during milling[^5].

• Remaining residues: Though much lower, trace glyphosate can still be present—especially in non-organic flour.

2. Sourdough Bread

• Yeast reduces glyphosate: Research shows Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast) degrades ~21% of glyphosate in dough within an hour of fermentation .

• Lactic acid bacteria contribute: Fermented sourdough also hosts Lactobacillus plantarum, which helps further reduce various pesticides, including glyphosate-related chemicals .

• Your gut loves fermentation: Anecdotal and expert sources claim sourdough not only breaks down gluten but also detoxifies other compounds.

Made through natural fermentation with wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, sourdough helps break down gluten, phytic acid, and other hard-to-digest compounds. But there’s more: recent research suggests that fermentation may even help reduce certain pesticide residues, including glyphosate. A 2023 review in Foods found that microbes involved in fermenting foods like yogurt, vegetables, wine—and yes, sourdough—can enzymatically degrade pesticide residues thanks to their unique detoxifying enzymes[^6].

And, ironically coming full circle, a 2022 study published in Microorganisms found that specific strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, originally isolated from sourdough, could be used as natural biocontrol agents against fungal and bacterial crop pathogens on grapes, potentially reducing the need for synthetic pesticides altogether[^7]. It’s a reminder that nature often holds the solutions we’re trying to engineer, if we’re willing to look closely.

🧰 Resources for When the Bread Hits Back

If you’ve been navigating persistent gut issues, fatigue, skin flares, or that vague-but-relentless "off" feeling that no one seems to have an answer for, you don’t have to go it alone. These professionals are trained to look deeper, beyond symptom suppression, and uncover root-level causes like glyphosate exposure.

⚕️ Environmental & Functional Medicine Experts

• American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM)
  aaemonline.org
  A leading organization of physicians trained to recognize and treat diseases triggered by environmental toxins, including pesticides and endocrine disruptors.

• Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)
  ifm.org
  Their directory includes MDs, DOs, DCs, NDs, and L.Acs — all trained in systems biology and whole-body healing, with strong awareness of toxic burden on the gut and immune system.

🌿 Licensed Acupuncturists (L.Ac.): Your Holistic PCP

Many Licensed Acupuncturists (L.Acs) are not only board-certified in acupuncture and herbal medicine, but are also trained in functional lab testing, pathology, pharmacology, and internal medicine — with the credentials to act as primary care providers in many U.S. states.

If you’re looking for someone who can guide you through testing (like glyphosate, micronutrients, gut inflammation markers), interpret the results, and treat holistically, start here.

One incredibly effective modality within their scope? Moxibustion, the use of Chinese Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) burned near the skin to warm, move, and repair the gut. In cases of glyphosate damage (which may include hidden internal bleeding and inflammation), I’ve seen this method restore people who felt completely depleted.

It’s not just anecdotal. In a 2014 study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, researchers demonstrated that moxibustion significantly reduced inflammatory markers in rats with ulcerative colitis—lowering pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8, increasing anti-inflammatory IL-10, and downregulating key inflammatory pathways like TLR9 and NF-κB p65[^8]. In addition to these molecular changes, moxibustion was shown to visibly repair colonic mucosa tissue under microscopy. The results suggest that this traditional technique isn’t just comforting—it’s biologically reparative at a cellular level.

Their transformation was possible and quite often these folks experienced immediate relief from the training we covered in our traditional medicine program. I’ve witnessed people literally come back to life, simply by using Chinese Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) in the traditional method of moxibustion on their inflamed midsection. This wasn’t just symptomatic relief. It was gut repair at the root level: slowing the bleeding, rebalancing digestion, and reconnecting them with their vitality.

Please note, there is both a proper method and direction we use specifically for cases of bleeding in the midsection, so please only see a trained professional for this. Someone who tries to mimic these techniques without a full understanding of qi flow and specialized training could be doing more harm than good.

And yes, if you ask politely, your L.Ac. may agree to even train you how to properly use your moxa sticks at home, so you can support healing between visits. ❤️

⚠️ Moxa Safety Reminder:
Mugwort burns hot and slow. Always have a bowl of salt, sand, or water nearby, and use scissors to clip the burning tip safely into the bowl. Never leave moxa unattended — embers hide in ash!

References

1. Armstrong, A. (2025). The Truth About Bread — Why Your Ancestors Could Digest It (And Why You Might Not). Mercola Media Group. March 18, 2025. https://media.mercola.com/ImageServer/Public/2025/March/PDF/the-truth-about-bread-pdf.pdf

2. Henderson, A. M. et al. Glyphosate General Fact Sheet. National Pesticide Information Center, Oregon State University Extension Services. 2010; updated 2019. http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/glyphogen.html

3. Liu, J.-B., Chen, K., Li, Z.-F., Wang, Z.-Y., & Wang, L. (2022). Glyphosate-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis facilitates male reproductive toxicity in rats. Science of The Total Environment, 805, 150368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150368

4. AZ Dietitians. Gluten and Glyphosate: Everything You Need to Know. Jan 31, 2022. https://azdietitians.com/gluten-and-glyphosate-everything-you-need-to-know

5. Tittlemier SA, Bestvater L, Carlson J, Kletke J, Izydorczyk M, Fu BX. (2021). Fate of glyphosate in wheat during milling and bread production. Cereal Chemistry, 98(1), 100–108. https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.10369

6. Armenova, N., Tsigoriyna, L., Arsov, A., Petrov, K., & Petrova, P. (2023). Microbial Detoxification of Residual Pesticides in Fermented Foods: Current Status and Prospects. Foods, 12(6), 1163. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061163

7. Petkova, M., et al. (2022). Screening of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Strains from Sourdoughs for Biosuppression of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and Botrytis cinerea in Table Grapes. Microorganisms, 10(11), 2094. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10112094

8. Han Y, Ma TM, Lu ML, et al. (2014). Role of moxibustion in inflammatory responses during treatment of rat ulcerative colitis. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 20(32), 11297–11304. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v20.i32.11297

(Click those links to review the research yourself.)

⚠️ Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Dietary changes like gluten reduction or pesticide avoidance should always be done under medical supervision. If you suspect injury from Roundup/glyphosate, seek medical attention and legal counsel.

Mechanism

Immune-mediated, most often involving IgA and sometimes IgE antibodies. In Celiac Disease, the immune system sees gluten (specifically gliadin) as a threat, triggering the production of anti-tTG IgA antibodies, which attack the gut lining. In Wheat Allergy, IgE antibodies are involved, leading to immediate allergic reactions (swelling, itching, hives, even anaphylaxis).

Not a "true allergy," but suspected to cause immune dysregulation. Glyphosate has been shown to damage tight junctions in the gut (leading to "leaky gut"), impair the gut microbiome, and interfere with key immune-modulating enzymes like cytochrome P450. This may result in chronic low-grade inflammation, increased food sensitivities, and autoimmune-like symptoms — without the presence of gluten-specific antibodies. Some studies suggest glyphosate exposure may exacerbate pre-existing allergies or autoimmunity.

🧾 Working With Your PCP

Of course, you may already have a trusted primary care physician you feel supported by, and that’s great. If so, consider simply asking them to authorize a referral to an L.Ac. who is also a licensed herbalist (in California and several other states), for a round of therapeutic sessions.

They may even authorize a course of home-based self-care instruction, where the L.Ac. can train you in how to apply safe moxibustion at home and tailor herbal support. Alternatively, your physician may choose to continue approving herbal or integrative treatments in partnership with the L.Ac. until your symptoms have resolved entirely.

This collaboration model between conventional and integrative care is where real healing lives; combining labs, evidence, tradition, and compassion for a system of care that actually cares.

⚖️ Legal Support for Glyphosate-Related Illness

If you suspect glyphosate exposure has contributed to chronic illness, reproductive harm, or cancer, the following legal groups are experienced in environmental and pesticide-related injury claims:

• Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman – baumhedlundlaw.com

• The Miller Firm – millerfirmllc.com

• Environmental Litigation Group, P.C. – elglaw.com

Final Crumb of Wisdom

You’re not imagining your symptoms. But you might be blaming the wrong culprit. This isn’t a call to rush out and try Panera's new croissant toast sandwich, but to pause, ask better questions, and maybe, just maybe, invite gluten back to the party… on your terms.

Share this article with your doctor before making any dietary changes, and build a care plan that serves you, not corporate farming shortcuts.

Because maybe it was never the wheat. Maybe it was what Big Farming did to it.

You’ve done it—you went to the doctor, explained that your symptoms flare only after eating wheat, prompting the following snarky over-worked response: “Well, if it makes you sick, why do you keep doing it?” accompanied by a (well-meaning) raised brow. Since then, you’ve declined the fresh pasta in Tuscany, refused the brioche at Sunday brunch, and side-eyed every sandwich like it’s a saboteur. Because you were made to believe gluten was the enemy. And maybe it is. But maybe… it’s not that simple.

The image below (borrowed from Mercola.com) illustrates the surprising bread and grain consumption recommendations from the 1880s for servants: men were advised to eat 16 pounds of bread per week, women about 8 pounds—that’s over a pound of bread a day! And grains didn’t stop at bread; beer, also made from grain, was a major part of the weekly intake—seven quarts for men and a full gallon for women [^1].

EcoTreater Comment Policy

Be civil and respectful. Racism and profanity will be deleted.