농약잔류가 인체에 미치는 영향
2016. 11. 29. 19:31
최근 비영리 환경연구단체 ‘EWG’ (Environmental Working Group)가 2016년잔류농약이 많은 과일 채소 12가지와 농약이 덜 검출된 클린 과일 채소 15가지(clean ifteen)를 발표해 화제다.
잔류농약이 가장 많이 검출된 것은 바로 딸기로 지난 5년간 1위를 차지했던사과를 제쳤다. 미 농무부(USDA)가 879종의 딸기 샘플을 조사한 결과 98%나 잔류 농약이 검출됐다.
샘플의 40%에서 농약의 가짓수는 10가지로 나타났으며, 무려 17가지 잔류농약이 검출된 사례도 나왔다.
농약 성분 중에는 암 발병, 불임 영향, 태아 발달, 호르몬 교란, 신경 손상 문제등과 관련된 것들도 있어 문제로 지적된다. EWG 웹사이트(ewg.org)에서정리한 농산물과 농약 관련으로 자주 묻는 질문들을 간략히 정리했다.
#농약이 걱정되는 과일과 채소, 그래도 많이 먹어야 할까?
그렇다. 연방 질병통제예방센터(CDC)에서는 성인과 어린이는 매일 적어도 2서빙의 과일과 3서빙의채소를 섭취해야 한다고 권고하고 있다. 그러나 CDC의 2009년 보고서에 따르면 이같은 과일 채소 권장 섭취량을 지키는 성인은 3분의 1 미만으로 제대로 지켜지지 않고 있다. 고등학생의 경우 과일을 충분히 섭취하는 비율은 3명 중 1명꼴, 채소를 권장량만큼 섭취하는 비율은 5명중 1명꼴이었다.
전문가들은 과일과 채소를 충분히 먹는 식단이 주는 건강 장점이 잔류농약 노출 위험을 훨씬 능가한다고 지적하고 있다. 농약을 사용한 과일이나 채소를 먹더라도 안 먹는 것보다는 훨씬 낫다는 것.
#농약 왜 문제일까?
해충이나 곰팡이 등을 제거하기 위해 고안된 농약은 인간에게 해가 될 수 있다. 특히 성장기 어린이의경우 성장단계에 있는 뇌와 신경계에 악영향을 끼칠 수 있어 문제다.
지난 2010년 캐나다 몬트리올 대학 연구팀에 따르면 잔류농약 노출도가 높았던 아이들은 그렇지 않았던 아이들보다 ADHD(주의력결핍 과잉행동장애) 진단을 받을 확률이 55%나 높은 것으로 나타났다.
또한 임신 중 노출은 태아의 두뇌 성장과 발달에도 영향을 끼칠 수 있다는 지적이다.
2011년‘ 환경건강전망 연구’ (Environmental Health Perspectives)에실린 세 가지 연구들은 임신 중 엄마가 농약에 노출되는 것은 자녀가 성장할 때 6~9세까지도 영향을 줄수 있다는 점을 시사했다.
컬럼비아 대학 연구팀은 임신 중 농약 노출이 높았던 산모의 자녀는 7세 때 IQ와 기억력 점수가 7점 더떨어졌다는 연구결과를 발표했다.
마운트 사이나이 메디칼센터 연구팀은 임신 중 농약 노출은 자녀의 인지 추리력과 비언어적 문제해결 능력이 떨어진다고 지적했다.
또한 UC 버클리 연구팀에 따르면 라티노 농장 일꾼 커뮤니티에서 태어난 7세 어린이는 농약 노출이적은 엄마에게서 태어난 같은 나이 아이보다 인지능력 점수가 낮았던 것으로 나타났다.
#유기농으로 먹으면 잔류 농약 노출을 줄일 수 있나?
그렇다. 에모리 대학 연구팀에 따르면 초등학교 학생들을 대상으로한 연구 조사 결과, 모든 식재료를유기농으로 섭취하게 했더니 5일 만에 잔류 농약 검출이 거의 없는 것으로 나타났다.
CDC에 따르면 소변, 혈액을 통한 검사에서 미국인의 체내에서 28종의 농약이 검출된 바 있다. 또한2009년 연구조사에 따르면 5,000명 이상의 6세 이상 미국인의 96%에서 소변과 혈액에서 농약이 검출됐던 것으로 밝혀졌다.
#과일과 채소를 씻거나 껍질을 벗겨 먹으면 어떤가?
씻거나 껍질을 벗겨내더라도 잔류농약은 남아 있다.
연구 조사 자체가 씻거나 껍질을 벗겨서 하게 되는데, 바나나의 경우 껍질을 벗겨서 잔류농약 성분을 검사하며, 블루베리나 복숭아는 씻어서 한다. 또 식물 자체가 농약을 시스템적으로 흡수하는 경우도 있다.
물론 농약을 사용한 채소나 과일을 전혀 씻지 않고 먹게 되면 잔류농약 검출도는 연구조사에 나타난 데이터보다 훨씬 더 높아질 수 있다. 농약을 사용한 일반적 재배로수확된 과일과 채소를 잘 씻어 먹는 것도 잔류농약을 좀더 최소화하는 길이다.
모든 농산물을 비싼 유기농으로 바꿀 수는 없지만, 잔류농약이 많은 과일과 채소는 되도록 유기농으로 구입하고, 물에 잘 씻어서 먹도록 한다.
Pesticides-and-our-Health.pdf10 Ways Pesticides Are Destroying Your Body
Pesticides are designed to kill, although the mode of action they use to put the stranglehold on pests varies.
Whether it's nerve gas–like neurological disruption, the unbalancing of key hormones, or the stunting of a plant's ability to absorb life-sustaining trace minerals from the soil, none of the chemical interventions seems all that appetizing, especially considering that chemical residues routinely wind up on and even inside of the food we eat everyday.
Pesticides are also blamed for diminishing mineral levels in foods. Agrochemical supporters tend to fall back on a "the dose makes the poison" theory, assuming that small exposures aren't harmful.
Whether it's nerve gas–like neurological disruption, the unbalancing of key hormones, or the stunting of a plant's ability to absorb life-sustaining trace minerals from the soil, none of the chemical interventions seems all that appetizing, especially considering that chemical residues routinely wind up on and even inside of the food we eat everyday.
Pesticides are also blamed for diminishing mineral levels in foods. Agrochemical supporters tend to fall back on a "the dose makes the poison" theory, assuming that small exposures aren't harmful.
Increasingly, though, independent scientists are debunking that belief, even proving that incredibly tiny doses could set a person up for health problems later in life. Luckily, eating organic, less processed foods can cut back on your pesticide exposure.
#1: Food Allergies
In one of the strangest links to pesticides to date, researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City found an association between food allergiesand the levels of a pesticide breakdown product in urine.
People with high levels of dichlorophenol, a breakdown product of the herbicide 2,4-D and of chlorine used to disinfect tap water, were more likely to suffer allergies to milk, eggs, seafood, and peanuts.
It's not clear what could be happening, says Elina Jerschow, MD, MSc, lead author of the study, but she says it may have something to do with the "hygiene hypothesis." Dichlorophenol acts like an antimicrobial and could interfere with healthy bacterial levels in the gut, which, in turn, could upset the body's natural immune reactions to certain allergens in food.
Prevent it: Go GMO free. The USDA is about to approve a genetically modified (GMO) corn resistant to 2,4-D, one of the main sources of dichlorophenol in our food supply.
If approved, the nonprofit Center for Food Safety estimates that the use of 2,4-D would quadruple, exposing millions more people to potentially food-allergy-inducing pesticide by-products. Buy certified-organic foods and download the True Food Shoppers Guide to avoid nonorganic foods that might contain GMOs.
#2: Memory Loss
Another review from University College London recently concluded that low levels of pesticides, such as those considered safe for farmworkers who are exposed on a daily basis, cause significant damage to cognitive function — your memory, the speed at which you process information, and your ability to plan for the long term.
The review used data from 14 different studies and looked at organophosphate pesticides, which are some of the most harmful chemicals used in agriculture.
Prevent it: Opt for organic produce. Not only will you be avoiding memory-killing pesticides, but also eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables will ward off memory loss, according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
#3: Diabetes
Scientists have been noticing a link between pesticides and diabetes for years. The latest evidence comes out of the Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting, where Robert Sargis, MD, PhD, released the results of a study that suggest tolyfluanid, a fungicide used on farm crops, creates insulin resistance in fat cells.
A 2011 study published in Diabetes Care found that overweight people with higher levels of organochlorine pesticides in their bodies also faced a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Prevent it: To save money on organic fare raised without pesticides, cook with organic dried beans. In the home, avoid using chemical air fresheners and artificially scented products — these things are also blamed for inducing type 2 diabetes.
#4: Cancer
More than 260 studies link pesticides to various cancers, including lymphoma, leukemia, soft tissue sarcoma, and brain, breast, prostate, bone, bladder, thyroid, colon, liver, and lung cancers, among others.
Prevent it: The President's Cancer Panel suggests eating organic and avoiding plastic to lower your risk of environmentally triggered cancers.
#5: Autism & Other Developmental Diseases
How do you get autism? The world's leading autism researchers believe the condition develops from a mix of genes and the pollutants encountered in the mother's womb and early in life.
Many insecticides effectively kill bugs by throwing off normal neurological functioning. That same thing appears to be happening in some children. A 2010 Harvard study found that children with organophosphate pesticide breakdown materials in their urine were far more likely to live with ADHD than kids without the trace pesticide residues.
Prevent it: Switching to an organic diet rapidly eliminates pesticide residues in the body.
#6: Obesity
Some agrochemical pesticides act as hormone disruptors, meaning they act like a fake version of a naturally occurring hormone in your body, they block important hormone communication pathways in the body, or they interfere with your body's ability to regulate the healthy release of hormones.
More than 50 pesticides are classified as hormone disruptors, and some of them promote metabolic syndrome and obesity as they accumulate in your cells, according to 2012 study appearing in Environmental Health Perspectives.
Prevent it: Food isn't the only place where these obesogenic chemicals could be lurking. Avoid canned foods and other foods packaged in plastic. Studies have shown that chemicals, such as BPA and phthalates, in food packaging could play a role in obesity as well.
#7: Parkinson's Disease
More than 60 studies show a connection between pesticides and the neurological disease Parkinson's, a condition characterized by uncontrolled trembling.
The association is strongest for weed- and bug-killing chemical exposures over a long period of time, meaning it's important to keep these toxic compounds out of your household routine.
Prevent it: Don't turn to chemical interventions to kill bugs in your home or garden. Instead, use natural pest control measures.
#8: Infertility
Pesticides spell trouble in the baby-making department, thanks to their bad habit of not staying put. For instance, atrazine, a common chemical weed killer used heavily in the Midwest, on Southern sugar cane farms, and on golf courses, has been detected in tap water.
Doctors and scientists point to published evidence tying atrazine to increased miscarriage and infertility rates. Other pesticides cause a plunge in male testosterone levels.
A 2006 study found chlorpyrifos, a chemical used in nonorganic apple and sweet pepper farming, and carbaryl, a go-to pesticide in strawberry fields and peach orchards, caused abnormally low testosterone levels.
Prevent it: Avoid the worst produce, the kinds most likely to be laced with toxic pesticides. Instead, choose organic grapes, strawberries, and imported plums.
#9: Birth Defects
Babies conceived during the spring and summer months — a time of year when pesticide use is in full swing — face the highest risk of birth defects.
During these months, higher pesticide levels turn up in surface waters, increasing a mother's risk of exposure. Spina bifida, cleft lip, clubfoot, and Down syndrome rates are higher when moms become pregnant during high season for pesticides.
Prevent it: To protect yourself, use a water filter that is certified by NSF International to meet American National Standards Institute Standard 53 for VOC (volatile organic compound) reduction. This will significantly reduce levels of atrazine and other pesticides in your tap water.
#10: Alzheimer's Disease
A recent study published in the journal JAMA Neurology found a link between pesticides and alzheimer's.
Researchers specifically found that higher levels of the breakdown product of the nasty insecticide DDT (DDE) in the blood of people seemed to fuel the disease. People with higher levels in their bodies were more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's compared to older people with lower levels.
This research by no means uncovered a definitive cause of Alzheimer's, but it's a groundbreaking study that could inspire more research into the possible environmental factors — specifically chemical pesticides — that trigger Alzheimer's, a brain disease that currently affects about 5 million people in the United States.
If the findings pan out through further research, it could mean that testing for DDE levels in the body could lead to earlier diagnosis, which has been shown to help ease symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Prevent It: Eat organic as much as possible. Although banned in the U.S., DDT could still contaminate some imported foods. And to keep your brain strong, exercise regularly and avoid processed foods as much as possible.
#1: Food Allergies
In one of the strangest links to pesticides to date, researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City found an association between food allergiesand the levels of a pesticide breakdown product in urine.
People with high levels of dichlorophenol, a breakdown product of the herbicide 2,4-D and of chlorine used to disinfect tap water, were more likely to suffer allergies to milk, eggs, seafood, and peanuts.
It's not clear what could be happening, says Elina Jerschow, MD, MSc, lead author of the study, but she says it may have something to do with the "hygiene hypothesis." Dichlorophenol acts like an antimicrobial and could interfere with healthy bacterial levels in the gut, which, in turn, could upset the body's natural immune reactions to certain allergens in food.
Prevent it: Go GMO free. The USDA is about to approve a genetically modified (GMO) corn resistant to 2,4-D, one of the main sources of dichlorophenol in our food supply.
If approved, the nonprofit Center for Food Safety estimates that the use of 2,4-D would quadruple, exposing millions more people to potentially food-allergy-inducing pesticide by-products. Buy certified-organic foods and download the True Food Shoppers Guide to avoid nonorganic foods that might contain GMOs.
#2: Memory Loss
Another review from University College London recently concluded that low levels of pesticides, such as those considered safe for farmworkers who are exposed on a daily basis, cause significant damage to cognitive function — your memory, the speed at which you process information, and your ability to plan for the long term.
The review used data from 14 different studies and looked at organophosphate pesticides, which are some of the most harmful chemicals used in agriculture.
Prevent it: Opt for organic produce. Not only will you be avoiding memory-killing pesticides, but also eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables will ward off memory loss, according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
#3: Diabetes
Scientists have been noticing a link between pesticides and diabetes for years. The latest evidence comes out of the Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting, where Robert Sargis, MD, PhD, released the results of a study that suggest tolyfluanid, a fungicide used on farm crops, creates insulin resistance in fat cells.
A 2011 study published in Diabetes Care found that overweight people with higher levels of organochlorine pesticides in their bodies also faced a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Prevent it: To save money on organic fare raised without pesticides, cook with organic dried beans. In the home, avoid using chemical air fresheners and artificially scented products — these things are also blamed for inducing type 2 diabetes.
#4: Cancer
More than 260 studies link pesticides to various cancers, including lymphoma, leukemia, soft tissue sarcoma, and brain, breast, prostate, bone, bladder, thyroid, colon, liver, and lung cancers, among others.
Prevent it: The President's Cancer Panel suggests eating organic and avoiding plastic to lower your risk of environmentally triggered cancers.
#5: Autism & Other Developmental Diseases
How do you get autism? The world's leading autism researchers believe the condition develops from a mix of genes and the pollutants encountered in the mother's womb and early in life.
Many insecticides effectively kill bugs by throwing off normal neurological functioning. That same thing appears to be happening in some children. A 2010 Harvard study found that children with organophosphate pesticide breakdown materials in their urine were far more likely to live with ADHD than kids without the trace pesticide residues.
Prevent it: Switching to an organic diet rapidly eliminates pesticide residues in the body.
#6: Obesity
Some agrochemical pesticides act as hormone disruptors, meaning they act like a fake version of a naturally occurring hormone in your body, they block important hormone communication pathways in the body, or they interfere with your body's ability to regulate the healthy release of hormones.
More than 50 pesticides are classified as hormone disruptors, and some of them promote metabolic syndrome and obesity as they accumulate in your cells, according to 2012 study appearing in Environmental Health Perspectives.
Prevent it: Food isn't the only place where these obesogenic chemicals could be lurking. Avoid canned foods and other foods packaged in plastic. Studies have shown that chemicals, such as BPA and phthalates, in food packaging could play a role in obesity as well.
#7: Parkinson's Disease
More than 60 studies show a connection between pesticides and the neurological disease Parkinson's, a condition characterized by uncontrolled trembling.
The association is strongest for weed- and bug-killing chemical exposures over a long period of time, meaning it's important to keep these toxic compounds out of your household routine.
Prevent it: Don't turn to chemical interventions to kill bugs in your home or garden. Instead, use natural pest control measures.
#8: Infertility
Pesticides spell trouble in the baby-making department, thanks to their bad habit of not staying put. For instance, atrazine, a common chemical weed killer used heavily in the Midwest, on Southern sugar cane farms, and on golf courses, has been detected in tap water.
Doctors and scientists point to published evidence tying atrazine to increased miscarriage and infertility rates. Other pesticides cause a plunge in male testosterone levels.
A 2006 study found chlorpyrifos, a chemical used in nonorganic apple and sweet pepper farming, and carbaryl, a go-to pesticide in strawberry fields and peach orchards, caused abnormally low testosterone levels.
Prevent it: Avoid the worst produce, the kinds most likely to be laced with toxic pesticides. Instead, choose organic grapes, strawberries, and imported plums.
#9: Birth Defects
Babies conceived during the spring and summer months — a time of year when pesticide use is in full swing — face the highest risk of birth defects.
During these months, higher pesticide levels turn up in surface waters, increasing a mother's risk of exposure. Spina bifida, cleft lip, clubfoot, and Down syndrome rates are higher when moms become pregnant during high season for pesticides.
Prevent it: To protect yourself, use a water filter that is certified by NSF International to meet American National Standards Institute Standard 53 for VOC (volatile organic compound) reduction. This will significantly reduce levels of atrazine and other pesticides in your tap water.
#10: Alzheimer's Disease
A recent study published in the journal JAMA Neurology found a link between pesticides and alzheimer's.
Researchers specifically found that higher levels of the breakdown product of the nasty insecticide DDT (DDE) in the blood of people seemed to fuel the disease. People with higher levels in their bodies were more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's compared to older people with lower levels.
This research by no means uncovered a definitive cause of Alzheimer's, but it's a groundbreaking study that could inspire more research into the possible environmental factors — specifically chemical pesticides — that trigger Alzheimer's, a brain disease that currently affects about 5 million people in the United States.
If the findings pan out through further research, it could mean that testing for DDE levels in the body could lead to earlier diagnosis, which has been shown to help ease symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Prevent It: Eat organic as much as possible. Although banned in the U.S., DDT could still contaminate some imported foods. And to keep your brain strong, exercise regularly and avoid processed foods as much as possible.
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