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Could MSG Sensitivity Affect You?

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The powerful link between food and mood can either help or hurt our efforts to live a healthy, anxiety-free life. Many anxiety sufferers have experienced first-hand how ingredients like caffeine or aspartame (NutraSweet (R)) can trigger or worsen their physical symptoms.

MSG is another ingredient that may trigger symptoms in some people. Most Americans consume MSG daily, due to the fact that it is present in thousands of processed foods.

MSG is another ingredient that may trigger symptoms in some people. Most Americans consume MSG daily, due to the fact that it is present in thousands of processed foods.

What Is MSG?

MSG is shorthand for monosodium glutamate. It is a manufactured flavor enhancer that is commonly added to many of the foods Americans eat every day, such as soups, processed meats, Asian cuisine, and frozen dinners.

Glutamate is found in two forms. "Bound" glutamate is linked to other amino acids, forming a protein molecule. "Free" glutamate is not linked.

MSG is processed, "free" glutamate. MSG is created by separating, or "freeing" bound glutamate from its links to protein molecules. This manufactured separation process adds an extra "punch" to the flavor of food.

MSG Sensitivity

When a person has an adverse reaction after recent ingestion of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and/or any other ingredient that contains processed, free glutamic acid, we call them MSG-sensitive.

Note: The food industry uses the term "MSG" to refer to monosodium glutamate only. In reality, consumers use the term "MSG" when referring to any form of processed free glutamic acid that causes adverse reactions.

Here are a few examples of adverse reactions that have been reported after ingesting MSG. Keep in mind that these are only a few examples, not a complete list of the adverse reactions that have been reported.

-- Anxiety -- Depression -- Migraine headaches -- Skin rash -- Mood swings -- Nausea -- Cramps -- Chest tension -- Dizziness -- Confusion -- Heart palpitations or rapid heart rate -- Flushing -- Burning sensations -- Sweating -- Numbness -- Excessive thirst -- Difficulty concentrating -- Lethargy or sleepiness -- Seizures -- Hyperactivity -- Swelling -- Changes in blood pressure

Do you experience any of these symptoms? If you notice that symptoms are triggered or aggravated within an hour or two after eating, then you may be MSG-sensitive.

Just as people have different symptoms to neurological drugs, people seem to have different reactions to MSG. Some people are affected by MSG and others are not. It's unclear as to why some people have adverse reactions and others do not.

MSG Symptom Complex

According to the FDA, two groups of people can experience short-term reactions, which are referred to as MSG Symptom Complex, as a result of ingesting MSG.

The first group of people are those that eat large does of MSG (three grams or more), especially on an empty stomach. The second group of people are those with severe or poorly controlled asthma who consume MSG.

A few MSG Symptom Complex symptoms include nausea, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.

The FDA states that a typical serving of food containing MSG contains less than 0.5 grams of MSG. With that said, I know from personal experience and by talking to others with MSG sensitivity, in certain individuals even small amounts of MSG can trigger or worsen symptoms.

Debate Over the Safety of MSG

In 1959, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified MSG as a "generally recognized as safe" food ingredient under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Hundreds of scientific studies confirm the safety of MSG.

However, the use of MSG in food has remained controversial. Several independent reports have questioned studies as seriously flawed for a variety of reasons.

Here are a few of the reasons that bring some research confirming the safety of MSG into question:

-- Several pivotal MSG investigations used monkeys instead of mice (mice more closely approximate human reactions); -- Placebos used included MSG-related products that could make the placebo and non-placebo results indistinguishable; -- Studies included a narrow range of symptoms that participants could select from when describing their reactions; -- People with MSG sensitivities were not accepted into study participation.

Despite the FDA approval, many consumers remain skeptical because several independent studies have shown adverse reactions as a result of ingesting MSG.

Another concern is the fact that FDA approval is based on data provided by studies that have been in some way financed by groups with a vested interest in MSG's success.

How Is MSG Different from the Glutamic Acid that Is Present Naturally In our Bodies and Foods?

Glutamic acid, the main component of MSG, is one of the amino acids that make up proteins. While some proponents of MSG imply that it is naturally occurring glutamic acid, it is not. The MSG that is found in processed foods is NOT identical to the glutamic acid that is present in our bodies and foods naturally.

The difference is that the glutamate that occurs naturally in most foods, such as meat, vegetables, and milk is "bound" to protein and peptides. Because it is bound, it is not toxic.

MSG is created by "freeing" the glutamic acid from food, such as corn and wheat through manufacturing processes. Manufactured "free" glutamic acid is broken down rapidly in the body because it lacks the links to other amino acids. The sudden increase in glutamic acid can cause adverse reactions.

Naturally-occurring free glutamic acid present in some foods, such as tomatoes and mushrooms, has not been shown to cause adverse reactions. Only manufactured free glutamic acid triggers symptoms.

Hidden Sources of MSG

Few people realize how prevalent MSG is. Fewer still realize that there are many different names for processed free glutamic acid. MSG is often combined with other substances and renamed, or created by the manufacturing process.

These ingredients ALWAYS contain MSG:

-- Monosodium glutamate -- Calcium caseinate -- Textured protein -- Monopotassium glutamate -- Glutamate -- Glutamic acid -- Gelatin -- Sodium caseinate -- Yeast nutrient -- Autolyzed yeast -- Hydrolyzed corn gluten -- Hydrolyzed soy protein -- Hydrolyzed wheat protein -- Hydrolyzed protein such as vegetable protein (the word "hydrolyzed" on the label is a good tip-off)

If a product label says it contains some form of "hydrolyzed" protein, it contains MSG.

These ingredients OFTEN contain MSG (or MSG is created during processing):

-- Maltodextrin -- Malt extract -- Carrageenan -- Soy protein isolate -- Natural pork flavoring -- Citric acid -- Malt flavoring -- Barley malt -- Soy sauce stock or soy sauce extract -- Soy protein or soy protein concentrate -- Bouillon and broth -- Natural chicken flavoring -- Natural beef flavoring -- Ultra-pasteurized -- Whey protein concentrate -- Pectin -- Protease -- Whey protein -- Whey protein isolate -- Protein fortified

Note: Even if a product label says "MSG free," it may still contain processed free glutamic acid concealed under one of its other names. Read the label to be sure.

During a recent trip to the grocery store I found several items containing MSG, including:

-- Potato chips -- Soup -- Broth -- Infant formula -- Packaged stuffing -- Taco seasoning -- Packaged box dinners -- Salad dressing -- Soy sauce -- Frozen dinners -- Shampoo -- Cosmetics -- Canned vegetables -- Processed meats

That's what I found in only ten minutes! Just think how many items you'll find on a more thorough check!

My Personal Experience with MSG

I first learned about MSG through my own adverse reactions several years ago when I noticed that my anxiety symptoms seemed to worsen soon after I ate certain types of foods. To test this hypothesis, I kept a food diary for a few months and tracked symptoms that occurred within two hours of eating.

Much to my surprise, I found that MSG was present in most of the foods that triggered my symptoms! I also noticed that my body could handle a small amount of foods containing MSG without symptoms, yet if I ate more than a small amount, my body reached a trigger point and symptoms occurred.

Upon discovering this revelation, I decided to remove the trigger foods containing MSG and tracked the results. I quickly noticed a dramatic improvement in how I felt!

What You Can Do

Each person is unique. While many people experience adverse reactions after ingesting MSG, you may not. The amount of MSG you can eat without experiencing symptoms varies with the individual too.

If you suspect you are sensitive to MSG, keep a food diary for a few weeks. Track the foods you eat, note any symptoms that occur within two hours of eating, and whether or not these foods contain MSG. This process will help you determine if MSG may be a factor in triggering or aggravating your symptoms.

Try removing foods containing MSG from your diet for a few weeks and see how you feel. Print out this article and bring it with you to the grocery store to help you recognize which foods contain MSG.

I think many of you will find, as I did, that your symptoms improve after reducing the amount of MSG in your diet.

Keep in mind that removing MSG from your diet is not a quick fix or magic solution to overcoming anxiety. An anxiety disorder is more than just physical symptoms. Anxiety-promoting thought patterns and behaviors also play a key role.

However, you may find that reducing your consumption of MSG reduces or eliminates many physical symptoms. When your symptoms are reduced, it becomes easier to focus on changing anxious thought patterns and behaviors -- which are key to overcoming an anxiety disorder.