For the first time, scientists have proven the in vivo impact of pesticides absorbed through diet on metabolism. In mice, these substances administered at low doses cause disorders such as weight gain, diabetes, overload of the liver ... Results far from being reassuring for the human being.

Researchers at INRA * in association with INSERM have selected "6 pesticides used to treat French apple and (...) found in apples of the European Union". These have been "incorporated into animal nutrition, at the equivalent of the daily intake acceptable by humans".

Several parameters were studied: "the weight, the glucose tolerance, the analysis of the blood and the urine, the metabolism of the liver".

Overweight, steatosis, oxidative stress ...

For the first time, these analyzes show the in vivo metabolic impact of chronic oral exposure via diet to a cocktail of low-dose pesticides: "the mixture ... induces significant metabolic disorders in all animals (studied here) ". But the impact differs according to sex. "Males have diabetes, an accumulation of fat in the liver (steatosis), and significant overweight. And "the females show hepatic disturbances (oxidative stress) and a change in the activity of the gut microbiota".

How to explain the difference between female and male?

This difference between female and male can be explained by distinct abilities of "detoxification of pesticides specific to each sex". In the liver, the mechanisms involved would not be the same.

These data "support the results obtained in epidemiological studies suggesting a link between exposure to pesticides and the incidence of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes or fatty liver".

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