Is monosodium glutamate as bad as people think?

[SpeedRacer 1]

As a molecular biologist I've thought it strange that the sodium salt of glutamic acid, which exists in proteins, should cause as many problems as people think.

Here's one article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2005/jul/10/foodanddrink.features3

Asians have been eating this stuff added to their food for centuries, and for at least the last century they've been isolating it as a salt & adding this powder to some of their foods.

Yet since their society hasn't been fed the story about "MSG syndrome", they don't seem to have a problem with it.

Years ago I was at a meeting where one researcher was looking at the effects of Vitamin A supplements in the diets of poor populations in Asia, in which Vitamin A deficiency had been causing problems. They introduced the Vitamin A into the diet by adding it to the MSG, which the locals widely used as a seasoning (MSG is cheap, so even the very poor would use it on their food).

So why doesn't practically everyone in Asia have a headache?

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[pontiacgtp00 0]

Quote

Yet since their society hasn't been fed the story about "MSG syndrome", they don't seem to have a problem with it.

Sounds like a good answer. Placebo effect can be more powerful than modern medicine...someone eats food containing MSG and gets a headache a few hours afterward. Therefore the MSG must be the culprit! Because everyone knows, there are only 3 reasons why headaches occur: trauma, screaming children, and MSG!!!

[BIGUN 1,060]

Speaking directly to your question....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excitotoxicity
http://www.curezone.com/art/read.asp?ID=52&db=6&C0=17

I am not a scientist, but have a theory that the growing incidence of cancer is in our food. Not necessarily contributed to any one thing, but multiple combinations of; preservatives, more preservatives added throughout the food chain, stored in plastics, microwaves, etc. Starting with the food chain, there is not enough regulation or inspection in the food chain (now, this part I do know).

Did you know there is nothing to prevent each organization in the food chain from adding preservatives, so food can literally have more preservatives thrown in during each step. The process is encouraged not by the federal government, but by the insurance companies - because of US. The manufacturers of a litigious society demands protection from their customers and in turn is actually causing them harm; but can show in court they are diligently protecting their customers.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[JSE 1]

I can tell you that for some people MSG is really bad news. I have tried very hard to avoid it for the last 10 years. MSG is probably one of the biggest triggers for Migraine headaches. This is certainly true for me as well as many of the people I've talked to. That is not to say that it is evil and that because it causes problems for some that it is bad for everyone. Lots of foods cause negative reactions for different people. But the insanely high levels of MSG in many common foods are a little disturbing. Also, for some reason that I'm not exactly sure of, free glutamic acid or naturally occurring glutamate does not have quite the same negative effect as MSG.

Chinese food is not the only place it’s found. It’s in everything from Doritos to TV dinners to processed or tenderized meat. Also, I find the notion that it’s just a placebo effect a little insulting. For some people it is a real food allergy. I just wish that product label requirements were stricter so that people like me don't have to play this guessing game about when something has MSG in it. Sometimes it will say, but often it just says, spices or hydrolyzed vegetable protein.

As you stated, glutamate in its natural form is present in the body and a required amino acid for protein synthesis, but glutamate is also the most prevalent excitatory neurotransmitter. Without getting into to much technical detail dumping mass amounts of excitatory neurotransmitters into the body isn't always the best idea. Especially for people who are sensitive to it. I have several theories about the exact mechanism that trigger migraines in certain people and the “Chinese food effect” that is felt by many others.

I think it would be really interesting to compare the genes for calcium channels and/or glutamate receptors in different populations that have historically eaten different amounts of MSG or free glutamate. I bet you find some major difference.

Oh, and I’m not a scientist anymore but I do have a degree in molecular neuroscience.

[SpeedRacer 1]

Quote

I am not a scientist, but have a theory that the growing incidence of cancer is in our food

Which forms of cancer incidence are growing?

Could it also be explained by the fact that when you improve nutrition and hygiene and medicine, thereby eliminating early death through infectious disease & malnutrition, you are more likely to live a little longer & then die of cancer?

Also there is one form of cancer that has gone rapidly and steadily down since the 19th century, in spite of increases in life span. Stomach cancer. ( You also see the same trend today when you move from less developed countries to more developed countries: a decrease in stomach cancer.)

Food in earlier times was far more carcinogenic than it is now. The main source of carcinogens in food come from bacteria toxins. When you improve the cleanliness of food, stomach cancer rates decrease.

Our austrolopithecine ancestors used to eat decaying carcasses on the African savannah. That food source would be LOADED with carcinogens, but as long as you live long enough to reproduce, the species survives. And back then you were more likely to die of something else than to live long enough to contract cancer.

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[kbordson 8]

I like the dreams.

[BIGUN 1,060]

So you're saying I'm wrong?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[1969912 0]

Not nearly as bad as Morgellons Disease caused by jet contrails.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[windcatcher 0]

Hmm, I don't know. My mother in law swears that MSG causes her to get sick, so she has to make sure wherever she is eating that they don't put MSG in anything.

Mother to the cutest little thing in the world...

[monkycndo 0]

An episode of Food Detectives provided volunteers with a free meal. Half the volunteers got a meal laced with MSG and the others non-laced. Prior to the meal, they were asked if they were affected by MSG. After the meal, they were asked if they got the meal with MSG and if they felt any reaction. The results showed some felt an "MSG" headache even though they did not receive an MSG meal. Other who received the MSG and always got the headache, had no reaction.

Their conclusion was that it can affect people, but it isn't the nasty boogieman that old study makes it out to be. I realize this isn't science. But alot of the hubbub about MSG is people attributing a reaction to it because they have been told MSG is a bad thing, so they believe.There is no argument, it does make food have a more "intense" taste.

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[pwln 0]

It's Not bad for me. I go out of my way to find Chinese food places that use MSG. The way I see it if there is NO MSG it's just meat and veggies in water.

If they get ready to ban it or something stupid, I'll have to go out and buy a bunch to keep me going.