Roundup Exposure Symptoms

If someone is exposed to Roundup or another glyphosate product, act quickly, then get medical or poison‑center advice as needed. Always have the product label handy if you call for help.

When To Call Poison Control vs. Go to the ER

Whether you should call Poison Control or go to the ER often depends on how serious your symptoms are.

Whatever choice you make, make sure to have a clear photo of the label with you. It will help you provide information to Poison Control or medical providers at the ER.

Signs of Roundup exposure commonly include irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. People may experience worsening of asthma symptoms as well. Ingesting moderate amounts of Roundup can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Roundup products contain glyphosate, which can cause immediate symptoms after exposure. These can range from mild to severe. Ingesting large amounts of glyphosate can be fatal.

Skin Contact

Roundup products contain glyphosate, which can cause immediate symptoms after exposure. These can range from mild to severe.

Common skin‑related signs of Roundup exposure include skin irritation and burns in the mouth and throat (if liquid contacts the lips/mouth area during handling).

Eye Exposure

Signs of Roundup exposure can include eye irritation, such as redness and itching.

Inhalation

Signs of Roundup exposure commonly include irritation of the nose, throat and lungs. People may also experience worsening asthma symptoms.

Inhalation and ingestion are the main types of Roundup exposure that cause symptoms. Glyphosate isn’t readily absorbed through skin.

Ingestion

Ingesting moderate amounts of Roundup can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Roundup products contain glyphosate, which can cause immediate symptoms after exposure.

These can range from mild to severe. Ingesting large amounts of glyphosate can be fatal.

Common Roundup exposure symptoms can range from mild irritation to signs of serious poisoning. Severe symptoms or any ingestion that is uncertain should prompt urgent medical help or a call to Poison Control.

Common, Mild Irritation Symptoms

Mild symptoms may go away on their own with proper first aid care, such as eye washing, skin washing or getting fresh air. But if any symptoms worsen or persist, call Poison Control right away, seek urgent care or go to the ER.

Potentially Serious Symptoms

Severe symptoms should be treated as an emergency. This includes any situation where someone may have swallowed more than a small taste, or you are unsure how much was ingested. Call Poison Control right away and seek urgent care or ER evaluation.

What Clinicians May Check

After significant glyphosate exposure, clinicians may focus on checking breathing, circulation and organ function to ensure there are no signs of serious poisoning or complications. 

This overview is not medical advice. If you’ve had a significant Roundup exposure or feel very unwell, seek urgent medical evaluation right away.

Doctors can test for glyphosate in blood or urine, but current tests only show whether you were recently exposed. They don’t measure how much exposure you’ve had over your lifetime or what it means for future health. 

In practical terms, “recent” usually means exposure over the last day or so. According to a 2024 study in Heliyon, glyphosate is eliminated in urine within roughly a day. This occurs in two phases. The first is after six hours of exposure, and the second is after 18 to 33 hours. 

A negative glyphosate test does not rule out past exposure, especially if testing is done days or weeks after contact. Tests are best thought of as a snapshot of very recent exposure, not as long‑term history or a risk forecast.

This information is for general education only and is not medical advice. Decisions about testing and follow‑up should be made with a qualified clinician.

Questions To Ask A Clinician

It’s important that you don’t make assumptions about your health if you are experiencing exposure symptoms. Always seek the advice of a licensed medical provider.

Roundup exposure can happen in several ways. Risk depends on the ways, frequency and intensity of your contact with the spray, mist or residue. This overview is educational only and does not replace personalized medical or legal advice.

Repeated small exposures can add up over time, especially without protective equipment or good hygiene (like hand‑washing and changing clothes after spraying).

Common Exposure Scenarios

People can be exposed to Roundup at home or on the job. We’ve provided some common scenarios to help you better understand how you might be exposed.

People who work with Roundup on the job may have higher cumulative exposure if they frequently handle it, especially without consistent protective equipment or training.

Roundup is more than just glyphosate. It’s a brand family of products, and each product is a formulation. This includes glyphosate (or another active ingredient) plus other chemicals that can affect irritation, toxicity and how easily the spray is absorbed.

Because of this, safety information, first‑aid steps and required protective gear are based on the whole product, not just glyphosate alone.

Because different Roundup products can have different ingredients and warning labels, two “Roundup” bottles may not carry the same risk profile. Bayer now makes lawn and garden formulas (for residential use) that don’t contain glyphosate, but the ingredients can be toxic on their own.

Always Check the Label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Look for the “Active Ingredient(s)” box to see whether your product contains glyphosate and, if so, its concentration. Read the hazard statements (“Caution,” “Warning,” or “Danger”) and first‑aid instructions. These reflect the full formulation’s toxicity, not just glyphosate.

Review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) (often linked via a QR code or on the manufacturer’s website) for more details on ingredients, health effects and recommended protective equipment.

If exposure happens, Poison Control and clinicians will use the specific product label and SDS to guide first‑aid and treatment, so bringing the container or a clear photo is important.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency each issued conflicting statements on Roundup and cancer. IARC classifies glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. The EPA, however, classifies glyphosate as “not likely” to be carcinogenic to humans.

Currently, there is no definitive evidence that says Roundup causes cancer. Regulators and researchers agree that glyphosate‑based products like Roundup have been studied extensively for cancer — particularly NHL — but they weigh the evidence differently and often focus on different questions.

Why Agencies Disagree (IARC vs. EPA)

IARC does hazard classification. They ask, “Can this chemical cause cancer under some conditions, based mainly on mechanistic, animal and human evidence?”

EPA and other regulators perform risk assessment instead. They ask, “Does this use, dose, and exposure pattern pose an unacceptable cancer risk in the real world?”

Other agencies, such as EFSA, ECHA and Health Canada, have also reviewed glyphosate and generally align more closely with EPA’s “not likely” or “unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk at authorized uses.” They also acknowledge ongoing uncertainty and data gaps.

Non‑Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)

Most of the studies on glyphosate and cancer look at its association with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Multiple pooled and meta‑analytic studies report an association between higher glyphosate exposure and increased NHL risk, particularly for certain subtypes. However, some large cohort studies show weaker or null findings. Researchers have questioned the quality of evidence linking NHL to glyphosate.

Key Studies

• Zhang et al. (2019): This meta-analysis examined findings from animal and laboratory studies to link glyphosate to an increased risk of NHL.
• Acquavella (2023): This epidemiological review of studies on NHL and glyphosate found that the evidence was of inconsistent quality. Only one study, the U.S. Agricultural Health Study (AHS), focused on people with frequent glyphosate exposure and accounted for other pesticide exposures. The authors found no association between glyphosate and NHL. 
• Galli et al. (2024): This overview rated the epidemiologic evidence for NHL as limited or suggestive rather than conclusive. It emphasized that studies should test glyphosate alone, rather than in formulation with other ingredients, and use doses that are currently considered safe. 
• Weisenburger (2025): This review looked at evidence available in the last five years. The author concluded that new studies provided consistent, compelling evidence that exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate-based formulations is a cause of NHL in humans.

Studies show associations, not proof, that glyphosate can cause NHL. They are a major reason IARC elevated glyphosate to “probably carcinogenic.”

Glyphosate and Other Cancers

A June 2023 study noted an association between glyphosate in well water and kidney cancer incidence. 

Another study found that 20 or more years of exposure increased thyroid cancer risk. A 2022 study reports increased breast cancer rates in agricultural areas where glyphosate is used.

If You’re Worried About NHL: Symptoms To Discuss With a Doctor

If you’re concerned about non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), it’s reasonable to bring certain persistent or unexplained symptoms to a doctor’s attention. These symptoms are non‑specific and can be caused by many different conditions, so they always need professional evaluation rather than self‑diagnosis.

These symptoms do not mean you have NHL, but if they last more than a couple of weeks, worsen, or affect daily life, they should be discussed with a clinician who can examine you and decide whether tests are needed.

Recent research finds possible associations between Roundup exposure and neurological disorders, including autism and Alzheimer’s disease. Glyphosate has also been shown to disturb healthy bacteria in the gut microbiome, which plays a vital role in regulating healthy brain function.

Glyphosate crosses the blood-brain barrier and causes inflammation. Research indicates this nervous system disruption can negatively impact the regulation of neurological processes and cause neurodegenerative disorders.

In addition to autism and Alzheimer’s, glyphosate-caused genetic damage has also been associated with anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in recent studies. Animal studies suggest that exposure to glyphosate in utero may have adverse effects on human neurological development of unborn children as well.

Is Roundup Associated With Autism or Alzheimer’s?

Evidence linking Roundup and glyphosate to neurologic conditions is still developing. Current data do not establish that these products cause autism or Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Much of what we know comes from animal and lab studies, with more limited and mixed human evidence.

What We Know

Laboratory and animal studies show that glyphosate and some glyphosate‑based herbicides can cross the blood‑brain barrier and trigger neuroinflammation and oxidative stress that could lead to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, according to a 2022 study by Winstone et al. 

In a 2025 review published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, the authors say there is abundant evidence linking glyphosate to ASD. However, they acknowledge that more research is needed to understand the complex relationship. 

Human observational studies have found associations between higher pesticide exposures (including glyphosate) and increased odds of ASD. But others, like a 2025 study in Environmental International, didn’t find that glyphosate affected neurodevelopment in children. 

What We Don’t Know Yet

Whether typical real‑world glyphosate exposures directly cause autism, Alzheimer’s disease or other neurological conditions in humans remains unclear. Existing human studies are limited, often involve multiple pesticides and cannot rule out other explanations.

The doses, timing and formulations used in many animal experiments may not match everyday human exposures, so more research is needed to understand how, and at what levels, these mechanisms might matter for people.

What To Do if You’re Concerned

If you’re concerned about glyphosate and neurologic symptoms (for example, memory changes, mood changes or developmental concerns in a child), share both your symptoms and Roundup history with a clinician so they can decide what evaluation makes sense.

Ask your doctor which symptoms are most important to monitor over time and whether your overall neurologic risk is influenced by other factors (age, family history, cardiovascular health or other exposures).

Glyphosate has been found in surface water sources, such as stormwater runoff that may reach lakes or streams, but it was rarely found in drinking water or swimming pools, according to a 2025 study in Water Research. Many municipalities test regularly for glyphosate in drinking water.

Crops that consistently test high for glyphosate residue are oats, wheat, soybeans and corn. Some crops were developed to be resistant to Roundup. They’re genetically modified to tolerate larger-than-average amounts of the herbicide, allowing farmers to spray more Roundup to kill weeds growing near them. 

Environmental Working Group tests have found high levels of glyphosate in many cereals marketed to children, including Cheerios. However, there is no government data to verify EWG’s findings.

How To Reduce Environmental/Household Exposure

While there isn’t a Roundup ban in the U.S. yet, there are bans in other countries. Some U.S. companies have also opted for Roundup alternatives amid consumer food safety concerns.

To reduce personal exposure if you still use Roundup or other glyphosate products, it helps to combine safe handling, good hygiene and keeping people and pets away from treated areas until they’re dry.

Use mulching, hand‑weeding, mowing or alternative herbicides where they can reasonably replace some Roundup use. Keep especially vulnerable people (young children, pregnant people, older adults and those with asthma/COPD) away from active spraying and recently treated areas whenever you can.

Many who have developed long-term symptoms of glyphosate exposure have filed Roundup lawsuits. Litigation naming injuries such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma has resulted in multimillion-dollar verdicts for plaintiffs.

If you are interested in seeking legal help, Consumer Notice can help. You can fill out a form on our site, and we will connect you with one of our vetted legal partners at no cost or obligation.