Paraquat Poisoning: What You Don’t Know "Can" Hurt You

We live in a world where most of us have no idea how the food on our table is made.

And that’s by design.

Because if we really understood how our vegetables were grown, how our wheat was processed, how our produce was sprayed, many of us would never take another bite.

This isn’t about creating fear or food anxiety. It’s about conscious consumption. Because the truth is: our food system isn’t built to nourish us, it’s built to profit off us.

A peer-reviewed study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that 91% of Canadian children had traces of organophosphate pesticides in their urine, and an alarming 97% tested positive for pyrethroid insecticides. These compounds, commonly used in agriculture, have been linked to behavioral problems and potential long-term neurological risks. And one of the worst offenders?

Paraquat.

• A weed killer so deadly that over 70 countries have banned it.

• A chemical linked not just to acute illness, but long-term brain damage and death.

• Yet still allowed (still sprayed) across millions of acres of U.S. farmland.

It’s time to stop pretending our food is safe just because it looks clean. Because if what’s on your plate isn’t building your health, it’s tearing it down.

What Is Herbicide Poisoning?

Herbicide poisoning occurs when toxic weed-killing chemicals, like paraquat, enter the human body. This can happen through:

• Direct exposure (spraying, mixing, applying)

• Indirect exposure (drift, water, air, contaminated food)

• Accidental or intentional ingestion

Paraquat isn’t just another chemical. It's a Category I toxicant, meaning it’s among the most acutely lethal pesticides in existence.

How Does Paraquat Work?

You don’t need to be a chemist to understand this: paraquat is designed to kill.

Paraquat destroys plant cells by disrupting the electron transport chain, leading to an explosion of oxidative stress that damages DNA, mitochondria, and vital cellular functions. That same oxidative chain reaction happens inside human cells, especially in the lungs, liver, and kidneys.

Wondering what paraquat smells like? It has a sharp, acrid odor. But by the time you can smell it, the damage may already be done.

And that damage can last forever.

Paraquat Poisoning Symptoms

Paraquat poisoning symptoms can show up within hours, or take days to fully reveal their damage. Common symptoms include:

• Burning in the mouth and throat

• Vomiting (possibly bloody)

• Abdominal pain and cramping

• Bloody diarrhea

• Respiratory distress

• Rapid heart rate

• Muscle weakness

• Seizures

• Coma

Many survivors of paraquat injury are left with irreversible lung scarring, damaged kidneys, or severe neurological impairment.

Paraquat Side Effects & Long-Term Complications

Even small, chronic exposures to paraquat can lead to:

• Pulmonary fibrosis (lung scarring)

• Esophageal narrowing (difficulty swallowing)

• Liver failure

• Chronic kidney disease

• Permanent brain damage

• Neurological decline

• Increased risk of Parkinson’s disease

In fact, paraquat is so neurologically destructive that scientists use it to induce Parkinson’s in lab animals. That’s not a theory. That’s a fact.

And it’s not just accidental poisoning. There are documented cases of paraquat murders; where victims were unknowingly poisoned with a few drops of this nearly invisible, tasteless toxin.

Herbicide Poisoning Treatment: What Happens After Exposure?

There’s no antidote for paraquat poisoning.

Treatment is limited to supportive care and damage control:

• Activated charcoal or Fuller’s earth to bind remaining toxins

• Gastric suction (if ingestion was recent)

• IV fluids, ventilator support, dialysis

• Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents to slow down oxidative destruction

But here's the problem: once paraquat has made its way into the lungs or bloodstream, the damage is almost always permanent.

Awareness Isn’t Enough, Action Is Everything

You’ve made it this far. You’re aware. But awareness is just the beginning.

If we’re going to reclaim control over our health, we have to stop supporting systems that poison us in the name of efficiency.

That starts with food. That continues with what we put into our bodies every day, including our supplements.

Because the supplement industry isn’t immune to the same corruption. In fact, it’s often worse: cheap fillers, undisclosed ingredients, zero transparency.

At Formulation Factory, we chose a different path.

What Formulation Factory Got Right

We didn’t create supplements just to hop on a trend. We created them because we refuse to accept the way most health products are made.

Our products are:

• Science-backed, not hype-based

• Third-party tested, not self-certified

• Formulated with integrity, not shortcuts

• Sourced from the best farms and labs, not the cheapest suppliers

Because we care what goes into your body. And because we use our own products, too.

Eat With Purpose. Supplement With Precision.

You are not a lab rat.

You are not disposable.

And you damn sure shouldn’t be ingesting chemicals that were banned in over 70 countries but somehow still sprayed across American soil.

The same way we demand clean food, we must demand clean supplements, because what you put in your body becomes your body.

Your Challenge:

• Read every label

• Ask the hard questions

• Support companies that fight with you, not against you

• And if your supplement brand can’t tell you where their ingredients come from?
  Fire them.

Welcome to FORMULATION FACTORY

We’re not just a brand. We’re a movement built on truth, transparency, and total-body vitality.

Join us in demanding better. For our food, our health, and our future. Because if it’s not helping you live stronger, it’s not worth putting in your body. Let’s build something better, together.