Glyphosat: the pathway in the body · Biomarker & Urine Analysis

Glyphosat is part of the pathway “Glyphosat”. This page shows the whole pathway; the station of Glyphosat is highlighted.

Where this laboratory value sits: Glyphosate — a derivative of glycine. Glyphosate is N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, a derivative of the amino acid glycine. It is used in agriculture as a herbicide. Small amounts reach humans with food. Source 1, 2

In brief

Glyphosate is a herbicide and a derivative of the amino acid glycine. In plants and bacteria it occupies the PEP site of EPSP synthase in the shikimate pathway, which human cells do not have. In humans it is barely converted and is excreted unchanged in the urine.

The pathway step by step

Each station states what the compound does there. Three signs: ↑ supplies — builds up or makes available · ↓ depletes — inhibits, consumes or withholds · ↕ both, depending on amount. Behind it stands what the statement rests on: established physiology, observed in studies, or contested. The signs do not grade; they name the direction.

1. Glyphosate → AMPA soil bacteria Bacteria in soil and in plants cleave the glycine part off glyphosate. This yields AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid), which breaks down more slowly. AMPA persists for longer. Source 6, 4↓ depletes Breakdown to AMPA uses up glyphosate in soil and plants; AMPA itself persists for longer and also reaches food and urine in small amounts. established physiology Source 6, 4
   ⚖ When the balance tips

   too much — If a lot of glyphosate is broken down, more AMPA forms, which stays in the soil longer because it breaks down more slowly.

   too little — If little is broken down, more glyphosate itself remains, and little AMPA forms.

   established physiology · Source 6, 4

2. Glyphosate → Uptake in the gut After swallowing, the gut absorbs only a small part. The remainder stays in the gut contents and leaves the body with the stool. What stays in the gut meets the bacteria there. Source 3, 4↑ supplies The gut wall lets only a small part of the glyphosate into the blood; most of it stays in the gut contents and leaves the body with the stool. observed in studies Source 3, 4, 5
   ⚖ When the balance tips

   too much — If more glyphosate reaches the gut, more also enters the blood; the absorbed share nevertheless stays small.

   too little — If little arrives, hardly any reaches the blood, and the rest leaves with the stool.

   observed in studies · Source 3, 5

3. Uptake in the gut → In the blood The absorbed part is distributed with the blood. The body barely converts glyphosate; it stays almost entirely unchanged. Whether it has effects of its own in humans is assessed inconsistently. Source 3↑ supplies In the blood glyphosate stays almost unchanged and reaches the kidney. Whether it has effects of its own in the human body is assessed inconsistently in research. contested Source 3, 4
   ⚖ When the balance tips

   too much — If there is more glyphosate in the blood, in animal models it is likewise excreted unchanged by the kidney; what larger amounts mean in humans is assessed inconsistently.

   too little — If there is little in the blood, it leaves the body unchanged in the same way, only in smaller amounts.

   contested · Source 3, 4

4. In the blood → Excretion in urine Glyphosate is excreted by the kidneys and appears unchanged in the urine. After a single intake it is detectable there only for a short time. The amount there follows the intake of the last few days. Source 3, 5↓ depletes The kidneys remove glyphosate from the blood promptly and unchanged; the amount in the urine therefore mainly follows the intake of the last few days. established physiology Source 3, 5
   ⚖ When the balance tips

   too much — After a larger intake, glyphosate in the urine rises quickly and falls again within a few days.

   too little — If intake is low, the amount in the urine is often so small that it is barely detectable.

   established physiology · Source 5

5. Shikimate-3-phosphate → EPSP EPSP synthase · PEP EPSP synthase transfers an enolpyruvyl group from PEP onto shikimate-3-phosphate, forming EPSP. Without EPSP no chorismate forms. Source 1, 2↑ supplies EPSP supplies the route to chorismate; without its formation, plants and bacteria make no aromatic amino acids. established physiology Source 1, 2
   ⚖ When the balance tips

   too much — If plenty of EPSP forms, the route to the aromatic amino acids continues unhindered.

   too little — If little EPSP forms because glyphosate occupies the enzyme, plants and susceptible bacteria make hardly any chorismate.

   established physiology · Source 1, 2

6. EPSP → Chorismate EPSP is converted into chorismate. It is the branch point from which the routes to the aromatic amino acids lead away. Without chorismate, plants and bacteria make no aromatic amino acids. Source 2↑ supplies Chorismate supplies the starting material for phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan; in plants and bacteria further routes also branch off from it. established physiology Source 2
   ⚖ When the balance tips

   too much — If plenty of chorismate is present, it is shared among the routes to the three aromatic amino acids.

   too little — If little chorismate is present, plants and bacteria make fewer aromatic amino acids.

   established physiology · Source 2

7. Chorismate → Aromatic amino acids Via chorismate, plants and bacteria form phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. Humans obtain these amino acids from food. Human cells do not make them via this pathway. Source 2↑ supplies Plants and bacteria supply phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan; human cells do not make them via this pathway and obtain them from food. established physiology Source 2
   ⚖ When the balance tips

   too much — If plenty of aromatic amino acids are made, they reach humans with food; human cells use them without having the shikimate pathway themselves.

   too little — If susceptible bacteria make less of them because glyphosate occupies their EPSP synthase, this may also concern gut bacteria; whether this has an effect in humans is assessed inconsistently.

   contested · Source 2, 4

Further stations

• Glyphosate — a derivative of glycine Glyphosate is N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, a derivative of the amino acid glycine. It is used in agriculture as a herbicide. Small amounts reach humans with food. Source 1, 2↑ supplies In plants glyphosate occupies EPSP synthase; residues on crops supply the small amounts that reach humans with food. established physiology Source 1, 4
  ⚖ When the balance tips

  too much — If more glyphosate enters the body with food or at work, the amount in the urine rises accordingly.

  too little — If little arrives, the amount in the urine stays low; glyphosate has no role in the body.

  established physiology · Source 4, 5

• Glyphosate at the enzyme — at the PEP binding site In EPSP synthase, glyphosate occupies the site where phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) otherwise binds. The enzyme can then not carry out the transfer. The shikimate pathway then comes to a halt. Source 1, 2↓ depletes Glyphosate occupies the PEP binding site and halts EPSP synthase in plants and susceptible bacteria; the shikimate pathway there comes to a standstill. established physiology Source 1, 2
  ⚖ When the balance tips

  too much — If a lot of glyphosate is at EPSP synthase, the shikimate pathway in the plant comes to a halt, and aromatic amino acids are no longer made.

  too little — If little glyphosate is present, PEP finds the binding site free more often; some bacteria also carry a form of the enzyme to which glyphosate barely binds.

  established physiology · Source 1, 2

• Shikimate-3-phosphate — step of the shikimate pathway Plants, fungi and many bacteria use the shikimate pathway to convert sugars into shikimate-3-phosphate. Human and animal cells do not have this pathway. If EPSP synthase is occupied, it builds up. Source 2↑ supplies Shikimate-3-phosphate supplies the first substrate of EPSP synthase. Human cells do not make it; plants and many bacteria need it for their aromatic amino acids. established physiology Source 2, 1
  ⚖ When the balance tips

  too much — If shikimate-3-phosphate builds up because glyphosate occupies EPSP synthase, plants accumulate a lot of shikimate.

  too little — If little shikimate-3-phosphate is present, little EPSP forms, regardless of glyphosate.

  established physiology · Source 1, 2

Cofactors in this pathway

• Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) — Second substrate of EPSP synthase; glyphosate occupies its binding site in the enzyme; the enzyme then stops Source 1, 2
• Shikimate-3-phosphate — First substrate of EPSP synthase in the shikimate pathway; builds up when glyphosate binds Source 2
• Tryptophan — Aromatic amino acid at the end of the shikimate pathway in plants and bacteria; humans obtain it from food Source 2In the ORY catalogue as a laboratory value: Tryptophan
• Tyrosine — Aromatic amino acid formed from the shikimate pathway via chorismate; in humans also made from phenylalanine Source 2In the ORY catalogue as a laboratory value: Tyrosin
• Phenylalanine — Aromatic amino acid formed from the shikimate pathway via chorismate; humans obtain it from food Source 2In the ORY catalogue as a laboratory value: Phenylalanin
• Glycine — Amino acid whose backbone glyphosate carries as N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine Source 1In the ORY catalogue as a laboratory value: Glycin

Sources

1. Steinrücken HC, Amrhein N. The herbicide glyphosate is a potent inhibitor of 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimic acid-3-phosphate synthase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1980 · PubMed 7396959
2. Pollegioni L, Schonbrunn E et al. Molecular basis of glyphosate resistance-different approaches through protein engineering. FEBS J 2011 · PubMed 21668647
3. Anadón A, Martínez-Larrañaga MR et al. Toxicokinetics of glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethyl phosphonic acid in rats. Toxicol Lett 2009 · PubMed 19607892
4. Connolly A, Coggins MA et al. Human Biomonitoring of Glyphosate Exposures: State-of-the-Art and Future Research Challenges. Toxics 2020 · PubMed 32824707
5. Zoller O, Rhyn P et al. Urine glyphosate level as a quantitative biomarker of oral exposure. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2020 · PubMed 32305862
6. Duke SO. Glyphosate degradation in glyphosate-resistant and -susceptible crops and weeds. J Agric Food Chem 2011 · PubMed 20919737

Whole pathway: Glyphosat

As of 2026-09-18. Draft, written by Claude to schema v2; sources checked in PubMed; expert approval pending
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