In short:
- Prenatal exposure to glyphosate resulted in metabolic disruption — including glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and reduced GLP-1 levels — in two generations of offspring mice.
- Both generations of offspring mice also experienced reduced locomotion, impaired memory, and gut barrier damage.
- Some of these impacts were found at exposure levels equivalent to Americans’ average dietary intake and far below the EPA’s regulatory limits for safe daily exposure.
Key quote:
“The findings of this exploratory study show that prenatal glyphosate exposure, even at doses previously considered safe, induces measurable physiological changes in offspring across generations.”
Why this matters:
Glyphosate-based herbicides, including agricultural Roundup®, are the most commonly-used weed killers worldwide and are readily found in food, water, and dust, indicating widespread exposure. Similar to the findings of this study, previous research has found evidence that glyphosate is linked to serious health risks — including cancer — at exposure levels within the EU’s acceptable daily intake limits. Given that the exposure levels tested in this study are equal to or within the EPA’s “acceptable” daily intake limit, the authors highlight the need for updated regulations on the chemical’s use to better protect human health.
Related EHN coverage:
More resources:
- EHN and palabra: Adrift: Communities on the front lines of pesticide exposure fight for change, a special 3-part series with infographics, available in English and Spanish.
- The New Lede: Bayer settles Missouri Roundup case mid-trial; looks to US Supreme Court
Barnett, J.A. for Science of the Total Environment vol. 1002. Nov. 1, 2025
