GMOs (genetically modified organisms) have genes from another species transplanted into their DNA. This is done to increase production or yield or add some other previously nonexistent quality to the organism.
These experimental organisms have so far been mostly plants, but animals are also being modified.
This is not the same as hybridizing. Hybrids are created through breeding. Genetic modification is actual transferral of DNA material from one species into another in order to achieve some desired characteristic.
To be able to insert the foreign DNA into the recipient plant or animal DNA, either a virus or bacteria must be used as a sort of carrier.
As bizarre as the genetic transfer may seem, perhaps the bigger problem is the use of these viral and bacterial carriers. We’ll come back to that in a minute.
Glyphosate-based herbicides, such as Roundup, target the shikimate pathway enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase, the functionality of which is absolutely required for the survival of plants. Roundup Ready plants carry the gene coding for a glyphosate-insensitive form of this enzyme. Thus, Roundup kills the plants that carry the glyphosate sensitive form of this pathway which is basically all plants that are not genetically modified to be “roundup ready”. Even though humans do not have this enzyme pathway, many of the bacteria in our guts DO have the glyphosate sensitive form of this pathway and thus, are killed off by the exposure to glyphosate on the foods that we consume.
Glyphosate acts like a highly targeted antibiotic in the guts of animals and people. Unfortunately, it targets only our beneficial bacteria—the microbes that help with digestion, detoxification, hormonal balance, immune system and more. It has no effect on pathogenic bacteria like clostridia and other organisms like candida. This throws off the delicate balance of friendly and unfriendly flora, which will become a big problem sooner or later.
Another characteristic that has been added to GM corn is the genetic insertion of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) a pesticide that occurs naturally as a soil microbe. It has been sprayed on crops for decades by organic farmers to deter insect damage.
Now the middleman has been eliminated by inserting the pesticide directly into the plant. It wasn’t supposed to affect animals, only insects. It kills pests by creating holes in the cell walls in their digestive tracts.
That’s also what it does to cows that are fed GM corn, and to humans, too. Destroying the integrity of the cells naturally leads to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and all that it entails.
There is also evidence that there has been unforeseen effects on the biome of bees as well.
The gut biomes of bees and humans are closely related. It has been theorized that there may also be unforeseen effects on the human digestive tracts as well.
Until more is known about the effects of GMO’s, it may be best to make a conscious effort to avoid these foods until further studies are done on it’s effects on the human species.
