Consumption of MSG causes numerous side effects, including headaches, migraines, muscle spasms, nausea, rashes, anaphylaxis, seizures, depression and heart irregularities. MSG is known to cause damage to the nervous system.
In fact, there are whole classes of chemicals that can produce similar damage because they all share one important property, neurotoxins. When neurons are exposed to these substances, they become very excited and rapidly fire impulses until they reach a state of extreme exhaustion. Several hours later these neurons suddenly die, as if they were excited to death. As a result, neuroscientists have dubbed this class of chemicals "excitotoxins".
For years it was believed the blood-brain barrier would prevent harmful substances from entering the interior of the brain. However, it is now recognized that many conditions can cause the blood-brain barrier to provide insufficient protection. Health conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, autism, brain injury, brain tumors, heatstroke, hypertension, infections, Lyme disease, stroke, medications, multiple sclerosis and aging can result in impairment of the blood-brain barrier.
Consuming foods that are chemically altered also endangers the body balance for the blood-brain barrier to work effectively. By consuming foods with MSG, blood glutamate levels are higher than they should be, and if the levels remain high, the glutamate will seep into the brain, creating or contributing to numerous health problems.
Avoiding MSG
As people become aware of the negative effects of MSG, the food industry bombards us with new name changes for the chemicals we are trying to avoid. The simplest way to avoid MSG is to eat organic foods, avoid all processed foods and read labels.
Common Names for MSG:
Below is a partial list of the most common names for disguised MSG. Also remember that powerful excitotoxins aspartate and L-cysteine are frequently added to foods and according to FDA rules require no labeling at all.
Additives that always contain MSG
Autolyzed yeast
Calcium caseinate
Dry milk powder
Dry milk protein
Gelatin
Glutamate
Glutamic acid
Hydrolyzed corn gluten
Hydrolyzed soy protein
Hydrolyzed wheat protein
Hydrolyzed oat flour
Hydrolyzed protein
Hydrolyzed plant protein
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Monopotassium glutamate
Monosodium glutamate
Natrium glutamate
Plant protein extract
Sodium caseinate
Textured protein
Yeast extract
Yeast food
Yeast nutrient
Additives that frequently contain MSG
Barley malt
Bouillon
Broth
Carrageenan
Citric acid
Corn Starch
Corn Syrup
Enzymes
Flavors/Flavoring
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Maltodextrin
Malt extract
Malted Barley
Malt flavoring
Natural chicken flavoring
Natural beef flavoring
Natural flavors/flavor/flavoring
Natural pork flavoring
Pectin
Protein fortified food
Seasonings
Soy protein isolate
Soy protein or soy protein concentrate
Soy sauce
Spices
Stock
Ultra-pasteurized
Whey
Whey protein
Whey protein concentrate
Whey protein isolate
