A study done in 2021 supported the theory that glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and lactation was likely linked to Autism Spectrum Disorder behavior abnormalities. Firstly, Glyphosate is a chemical herbicide used in Roundup, and various pesticides. It's dominated in the agricultural world and in the past 3 decades has been used religiously on corn, wheat and soybeans. Glyphosate is shown to stop the production of amino acids in these plants when administered during their growth, and research shown that these crops damage animals gut microbiota. Because glyphosate stays on the crop well after harvest, the chemical has already been found in various studies to increase risk for gastrointestinal disorders like celiacs disease, and leaky gut syndrome.
[1]The study monitored the behavior of male juvenile mice after administration of glyphosate in their water, compared to a control group receiving pure water. The results showed the glyphosate exposed mice experienced social interaction deficits, and abnormal repetitive behaviors.
A different study [2] connected ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) symptoms with [5] gut microbiota dysbiosis, which refers to dysfunction in the process of communication between the gut and the brain by the vagus nerve. They hypothesize that 60% of ASD cases are linked to chemical and environmental factors while 35-40% is linked to genetic factors. Research suggests pesticides, and the herbicide glyphosate can alter the gut microbiota, connecting to neurological disorders. The study states that children whose mothers were exposed to high amounts of glyphosate experienced altered and dysfunctional gut microbiota. The specific imbalance of flora and fauna in the gut reflected as cognitive deficit and repetitive stereotyped behaviors (this is their definition of ASD symptoms).
I researched the counterargument as well, and the source [3] "The Genetic Literacy Project" claiming to debunk this research continuously put down studies as "bogus" rather than playing the part of a respectable academic source and giving their own evidence [4]. They gave no studies disproving the findings correlating glyphosate exposure to behavioral dysfunctions but rather claimed they were done by raving conspiracy theorists.
Though there isn't enough evidence to say glyphosate is causing autism at a high rate, many studies have been done linking the two to each other. It's an individuals choice to read the studies, and their references, or read a single article that claims to discredit them and frame them as uneducated while providing no evidence themselves other than their own trustworthiness.
[1]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8316667/#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20the%20herbicide%20glyphosate,like%20behaviors%20in%20juvenile%20offspring.
[2]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651323005833#bib69
[3]https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2025/01/31/autism-increase-mystery-solved-no-its-not-vaccines-gmos-glyphosate-or-organic-foods/
[4]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749119368265?via%3Dihub
[5]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9692419/#:~:text=Dysbiosis%20can%20result%20in%20neuroinflammation,(ALS)%20%5B163%5D.
