Mitochondrial diseases on the rise - Are GMOs, Roundup to blame?

Friday, August 23, 2013 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer
Tags: mitochondria, GMOs, glyphosate

(NaturalNews) The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) estimates that every half hour, a child is born who will develop some type of mitochondrial disease by the time he or she reaches 10 years of age. And based on the symptom profiles typically associated with various mitochondrial diseases, as well as their rapid increase in prevalence throughout the past several decades, it appears as though genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) may be a likely cause or trigger of this chronic disorder that today affects as many as one in 3,000 individuals.

The human body naturally contains a complex network of cellular energy producers known as mitochondria that converts oxygen and other nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a coenzyme substance that many biologists often refer to as the "energy currency of life." Without properly-functioning mitochondria, in other words, the body is unable to produce the energy it needs to develop adequate muscle mass, build strong bones, form a healthy brain, and facilitate proper digestion, among other important functions.

The end result of this deficiency varies among individuals, but often manifests in the form of autism spectrum disorders and other neurological problems, developmental delays and learning disabilities, organ failure, gastrointestinal problems, diabetes, thyroid and adrenal dysfunction, and memory loss, among other conditions. If left unaddressed, mitochondrial diseases can eventually lead to death, as a cascade of cell death eventually occurs, leaving the body wholly unable to sustain itself.

Most mainstream health authorities have declared that mitochondrial disease as a whole is largely genetic, and that children who develop it at a young age basically inherited it from their relatives. We are also told that there is no effective treatment or cure for any mitochondrial disease. But where this explanation ultimately falls short is in clarifying precisely why mitochondrial disease has been on the rise in recent years -- are those with a supposed genetic predisposition to mitochondrial disease reproducing more than other people, or is there some other trigger, either environmental or food-based, that is responsible for this increase?

GMOs, Monsanto's Roundup herbicide both linked to mitochondrial damage

In a 2009 report submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on behalf of the Institute of Science in Society (ISIS), researchers Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Brett Cherry identified how even very low concentrations of Monsanto's Roundup (glyphosate) herbicide are extremely toxic to human cells. Specifically, the research identified how Roundup obstructs both cell respiration and energy production in mitochondria. (http://www.i-sis.org.uk/DMPGR.php)

This finding completely deconstructs the notion that mitochondrial diseases are solely a result of genetic inadequacy. Furthermore, genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) themselves, which are today found in three-quarters or more of the American food supply, have also been linked to causing the very same types of cellular damage that are characteristic of mitochondrial disease. (http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers)

Another obvious elephant in the room is vaccines, and the combination measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) in particular, which Dr. Andrew Wakefield observed was linked to causing mitochondrial dysfunction in some children. Though the mainstream medical system tried to destroy him for this critical discovery, Dr. Wakefield's research, which was corroborated by several of his colleagues, suggests that MMR may be a cause of mitochondrial disease in the form of gastrointestinal damage. (https://www.naturalnews.com/Andrew_Wakefield.html)

Sources for this article include:

http://www.mitoaction.org/mito-faq

http://www.umdf.org