MSG WARNING!!!!!
Suggested reading from Dr. Mercola
Speaking About MSG Intolerance
George R. Schwartz, M.D., is a well-known physician, toxicologist and author. He practices family and emergency medicine in various hospitals in the state of New Mexico and is on the faculty of the Allegheny University of the Health Sciences in Philadelphia. He is the editor-in-chief of a comprehensive textbook in the field of emergency medicine, Principles and Practice of Emergency Medicine. In 1978, he wrote a book, Food Power, which explored the relationship of food chemicals to the state of one’s health. In that book, he stated that MSG (monosodium glutamate) had a direct relationship to problems such as headaches, gastro-intestinal problems, depression, and childhood behavior disorders. In 1988, after examining his case files and gathering all the information on MSG he had from a variety of sources (including reports translated from Japanese), Dr. Schwartz published his first book on MSG, In Bad Taste, The MSG Syndrome. Due to the book’s tremendous response and vast amounts of new studies and research since then, he recently published his new revised edition, In Bad Taste, The Monosodium Glutamate Symptom Complex. 1999
Following are questions and answers given by George R. Schwartz, M.D.
Q. What exactly is MSG?
MSG, monosodium glutamate, is a sodium salt that is produced from the isolated glutamic acid of the amino acids. However, MSG is neither a food nor a food additive but a drug. It’s a neuroactive chemical which is designed to increase the electrical discharge from the taste buds---that is to increase the intensity of the taste of food. In nature, these amino acids are not meant to be isolated or separated. Whenever you get higher levels of any of the individual amino acids they act as chemicals or strong drugs. When taken into the mouth, MSG causes a rapid discharge of the nerve cells of the tastebuds and olfactory nerves and a spreading excitation throughout the brain. The industry calls this the "flavor burst."
Q. Where does it come from?
Originally it was isolated from a seaweed called Kombu in 1908 by the Japanese scientist, Kikunae Ikeda. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Ikeda became a partner in what would become the Aji-no-moto (essence of taste) Company, the largest manufacturer of MSG. Today, MSG is produced from a variety of sources----one is through an extensive chemical processing of protein which isolates monosodium glutamate. Another source is from genetically altered bacteria that produce a lot of glutamic acids.
Q. Why do food manufacturers use MSG?
Well, because of the biochemical nature of the drug. By its action, MSG will increase the intensity of the flavor of foods and it will also allow the manufacturer to use fewer ingredients in their product to achieve the same satisfaction.
Q. Which foods most likely contain MSG? How pervasive is it?
I don’t think you can identify or isolate which foods do or do not contain MSG anymore: It’s found throughout the prepared food industry. In the past, dairy products could be said to have less of it but over the past 5-10 years, the industry has begun using a lot more of the caseinate, which is a milk protein containing MSG that isn’t required to be labeled. Then we discovered a carrageen-caseinate combination which is marketed, so that whenever you see carrageen on the label, it very well may be combined with caseinate to intensify the flavor of dairy products. MSG is found in some form in virtually every prepared food product throughout our country. It is very pervasive in this country due to its intense promotion in the food industry years ago.
Q. How large is the MSG industry?
The industry of monosodium glutamate itself is in the billions of dollars. However, the industries which have relied on MSG are in the multi-billions of dollars because they include more than 2,000-3,000 food items in common use. Included are the frozen dinners, dried soups and gravies, canned foods, gravies, sauces, chips----almost every processed food item. It’s a gigantic billion dollar business. Were these companies not to use MSG, they would then have to rely on better quality and an increased number of ingredients rather than on a drug to market their goods.
Q. Are many people sensitive to MSG?
Since it’s a drug, everyone will experience some sort of reaction depending upon the dose or their own sensitivity. Currently about one-quarter of the population will experience a reaction---some so mild it’s not noticed and some life-threatening. The latest scientific findings now claim that one doesn’t need to ingest MSG to get a reaction in the brain. One can get potent effects with MSG just entering the mouth---the drug directly affects the nerve cells there, causing them to electrically discharge and create a spreading cerebral excitation. That is one of the reasons why some people can experience convulsions or why it worsens epilepsy or why it can create hyperactivity in children. Another phenomenon is the "layering effect" when MSG is ingested. As the solution of MSG goes down the esophagus, it is layered onto the esophageal nerve plexus at the bottom, where it enters the stomach causing the esophageal/stomach valve to relax, thereby resulting in the epidemic of G.E.R.D. (gastro-esophageal reflux disease)-----stomach acid backing up into the esophagus.
Q. What are the symptoms of MSG toxicity? How does MSG affect the body?
In 1995, the government commissioned the Federation of American Society of Experimental Biology (FASEB) to study the effects of MSG. They confirmed that MSG had shown causality in what they termed the "MSG symptom complex." If we follow the chain of the digestive system, some people experiencing the spreading cerebral excitation while MSG is in the mouth might get headaches or convulsions. As the MSG goes down into the stomach, another person might get indigestion, nausea or even vomiting. As it progresses into the intestines, another might experience diarrhea. Then when this drug is absorbed, various cardiac effects such as atrial fibrillation have been noted. After a short lag period, symptoms of asthma and shortness of breath have been noted to occur. Swelling of the extremities, weakness in the limbs, depression, or lethargy are other symptoms which can appear soon after ingestion.
Q. Is monosodium glutamate listed on the labels?
When my book, In Bad Taste, first came out in 1988, the food industry was fairly naive. MSG would generally be listed on the label as monosodium glutamate or hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which contains up to 40 percent MSG, or autolyzed yeast. In the past 10 years, however, the industry became concerned about labeling monosodium glutamate or hydrolyzed vegetable protein because they have been found out. The word got out about MSG being consumer unfriendly. So they wanted a "clean" label where MSG appears under the guise of "natural flavoring." We have also discovered by searching the patents that the industry is hiding monosodium glutamate under proprietary flavoring mixes as "beef or pork or chicken flavoring" or as "spices" or seasonings."
Q. Can the average consumer avoid consuming MSG? Can we rely on the FDA to protect us?
Where eliminating MSG is concerned, the average consumer is in trouble, particularly parents with children who have Attention Deficit Disorder, hyperactivity or asthma. While they have discovered that reducing monosodium glutamate works, they are also discovering how difficult it is to avoid it all together. MSG is now in almost everything they buy commercially, and they can no longer identify it. The best way to avoid consuming MSG is to become an informed consumer. My latest book on MSG lists all the various ways manufacturers can hide the name on the labels and all the foods that most likely contain MSG. The FDA, while established in 1906 to protect the consumer, has in the last decade or two become a revolving door for the food industry. In fact, it was discovered that one member of the FDA was the chairman of an MSG panel while at the same time working for a company that made Accent. The FDA has not been minding the store: Thousands of reported adverse reactions to MSG from doctors around the country have virtually gone unnoticed.
Q. Do you foresee the food industry ever dropping the use of MSG?
Yes, if they are forced to through heavy litigation and consumer demand. If the industry detected that consumer consciousness had reached a point where the bottom line would be adversely affected, they would likely respond. Presently, I think insufficient people know about the problem. Even if reactions to MSG are severe, there are medications now to treat the symptoms. For example, since 1980, we have witnessed the consumption of MSG going up by four to six times along with a tremendous rise in gastro-esophageal reflux disease. However, we now have Tagamet, Pepcid AC, Axid, Zantac, Prilosec to treat the symptoms. This is money in the bank for the pharmaceutical industry.
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