Posted by Ueli (194.230.234.217) on October 30, 1999 at 11:50:52:
In Reply to: msg triger..... posted by doug l on October 30, 1999 at 09:25:53:
Jack,
Glutamatic acid is part of any protein, and in this form completely harmless.
Free glutamatic acid, or its salt, Sodium glutamate occurs naturally in many foods, as shown in your list, but in such low concentrations that hardly affect anybody. In fact, I can eat a tin of tuna and two (raw) tomatoes for dinner without adverse effect.
When it comes to cooking some of these foods, a lot more free glutamatic acid is produced hydrolyzation. A classic example is ketchup, which takes a lot of tomatoes and a lot of cooking. I once tried to 'improve' a somewhat unsuccessful dinner with some shots of ketchup and wham, the biggest trigger in the last 10 month.
Now, MSG and its relatives are added as taste enhancers in such huge quantities, that many people, not only CHeads, are affected (some speak of 35% oft the population).
If you want some really horrible horror stories for halloween, visit the site about MSG.
Below I quote a few excerpts form that site.
Re: your "But triggering clusters - consider me respectfully skeptical" I can only add my own experience:
My 'regular' CH attacks are only after falling asleep. When I get an attack shortly after dinner, I usually find MSG declared on the package. I've learned the hard way to avoid such food, but it surely has reduced the variety of my meals.
PS: I never had any adverse effects from MSG during remission.
Consider yourself lucky if you are not triggers by MSG. PFNAD's
Ueli
From THE TOXICITY/SAFETY OF PROCESSED FREE GLUTAMIC ACID (MSG):
Today scientists know that MSG kills brain cells and causes neuroendocrine disorders in laboratory animals; and that it causes adverse reactions in humans. Scientists know that the blood brain barrier, once thought to prevent glutamate that comes from exogenous sources (eating included) from entering the brain, is not fully developed until puberty; is easily damaged by such conditions as high fever, a blow to the head, and the normal course of aging; and, in the area of the circumventricular organs, is leaky at best at any stage of life. Scientists know that a diverse number of disease conditions such as ALS, Alzheimer's disease, seizures, and stroke are associated with the glutamate cascade.
From Basic Facts About Processed Free Glutamic Acid (MSG):
MSG-sensitivity is a sensitivity to free glutamic acid that occurs in food as a consequence of manufacture. All protein contains glutamic acid bound in it, but only when glutamic acid has been freed from protein before it is eaten do people have MSG-sensitivity reactions, provided that they ingest amounts that exceed their individual tolerance levels. Some unadulterated protein may have minute amounts of free glutamic acid associated with it, but MSG-sensitive people do not generally report adverse reactions following ingestion of unadulterated protein. Any free glutamic acid freed from protein during processing can cause MSG reactions.
The name "monosodium glutamate" is reserved for the ingredient that is a 99% pure combination of glutamic acid and sodium. The names of most other MSG-containing ingredients won't give consumers even a clue to the fact that the ingredients contain MSG. "Monosodium glutamate," "monopotassium glutamate," "autolyzed yeast," "hydrolyzed soy protein," and "sodium caseinate," are examples of ingredients that always contain MSG.