The biotech industry says, “Trust us, GMO are perfectly safe!” But let’s look at the evidence:
- Most studies on GMOs have been conducted by the same biotech companies selling them.
- It’s difficult to get the actual raw data for independent testing, since most biotech companies aggressively block independent studies. The few independent studies that do exist indicate potential allergenic and carcinogenic effects. Other independent studies come under immediate attack if they reach conclusions that biotech companies don’t like. A great example is the now infamous Seralini study which demonstrated the danger of Roundup. This study was retracted after publication when the publication came under attack by the media and many scientists. It has since been republished.
- GMO corn is implanted with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), which can be poisonous to mammals. Since the introduction of GMO corn, Bt toxin has been found in the blood of 93% of pregnant mothers and in 80% of umbilical cord blood.
- The health effects of GMOs are exacerbated by the negative health effects of increased herbicide use as a direct result of GMO herbicide-resistant plants.
Most of the independent studies so far have been on laboratory animals:
- A recent animal study found that glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup, Monsanto’s widely used pesticide) often leaves a residue on Roundup Ready crops—and this can affect testosterone levels and sperm counts.
- Scientists are seeing birth defects, high infant mortality rates, fertility problems, and sterility in hamsters, rats, mice, and livestock fed GMO soy and corn, and some hamster pups even began growing hair inside their mouths.
- Studies indicate other serious health risks as well: immune system dysregulation, which points to an allergenic and inflammatory response to GMOs; increased aging (especially in the liver); and changes in animals’ liver, kidney, spleen, and gastrointestinal systems.
While there have been no long-term studies on the effect of GMOs on humans, initial studies show that GE foods can cause an allergenic response. Allergies have already skyrocketed in the US, and with the introduction of GE soy in the UK, soy-related allergies rose to 50%.
Mammals that ingest Bt toxin develop liver and kidney toxicity; they also produce a potent immune response, and their immune response to other substances is heightened.
