MSG and Your Body: More Detrimental to Your Health Than You Ever Thought

The effects of Monosodium Glutamate on the Human body go far beyond its known allergic reactions — it may also damage the body’s immune system and key functions.

MSG affects blood pressure by creating a taurine deficiency, which causes calcium channels to remain open, thereby causing high blood pressure and also, counteracting calcium channel blocking medication.

MSG also affects the blood vessels. Glutamate is vasoactive – it changes the diameter of the blood vessels – one reason why it is linked to headaches.

There have been a number of studies on MSG and its effect on the brain, endocrine and digestive systems. In the brain, MSG may cross the blood brain barrier and damage brain cells by excitatory neurotoxicity. It also effects the pancreas and creates hypoglycemia.

MSG may bring down the brain’s barriers, creating its own personal, private pathway to the brain. In the endocrine system, GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) is created by feedback mechanism from MSG. GABA may be addictive, and is related to the date-rape drug GHB. GABA stimulates the pituitary gland to produce growth hormone.

Research has shown that MSG can also overstimulate prolactin production by the pituitary and cause sterility in female animals. In the digestive system, MSG may create taurine deficiency due to its effect on cysteine. Cysteine competes with glutamate for absorption by the body.  Cysteine is used to make taurine, and taurine is used to make bile.  Bile, which is made by the liver and stored in the gall bladder is used to break up fats into managable pieces for digestion.  If bile formation is compromised – diarrhea and “gall bladder attacks” may occur.

The effects of MSG on the hypothalamus are alarming. The hypothalamus is the part of the brain most susceptible to attack because it is the “sensor” of the brain. It is not protected by the blood brain barrier because it needs to monitor levels of hormones in the blood. This part of the brain directs the action of the pituitary gland which directs the action of the entire endocrine system.

Many MSG sensitive persons become diagnosed with thyroid disfunction and are put on synthetic hormone due to hypothyroidism. MSG is also linked to irregular heartbeat and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). MSG’s stimulation of the pancreas decreases blood glucose, making hypoglycemia worse. MSG is also linked to asthma, due to how it stimulates the lungs. MSG stimulates nerves in the tongue and elsewhere directly (that’s why food companies and restaurants use it). Glutamate in excess can overstimulate nerve cells until they die.

And finally, MSG also affects vision. There are glutamate receptors in the retina.  Laboratory studies on animals have shown the retina to be damaged by MSG.

Knowledge is power. Being aware of the effects of MSG on the body goes much deeper than taking notice of the allergic reactions attributed to it.

Staying in tune with your body is extremely important if you have an MSG allergy. You may, like me, discover after decades that you are experiencing adverse reactions to something that’s been in your diet for years, and then be forced to make drastic changes in the foods you eat.

NEXT: Eliminating MSG from your diet completely. Is it possible?