When I first became sensitive to msg, Doritos, Lays etc would also set me off. It has nothing to do with Chinese food. A lot of Western junk food also contains msg!
And I promise you, a migraine is not psychosomatic.
P.S. I love Chinese food and have since I was a little kid. I adore all kinds of Asian food. Your just spouting junk science based on an anecdote about a former roommate
No I’m not. I’m saying exactly what you’re saying.
There are no tests to prove it, studies are inconclusive at best if not busting it as untrue.
I believe you’re experiencing symptoms but I don’t believe msg is the cause. Because science
Maybe I’m wrong, I’m not doctor or scientist but no research I read connected a link. So I’m inclined to go with science on it vs anecdotal symptoms by people.
Eh, bodies are weird and unpredictable. I view MSG sensitivity roughly the same way as gluten sensitivity: tons of people think they have it, and they’re mostly wrong. However, a few people do seem to suffer from it.
I know I sound harsh as hell about it right now. But there’s been 30+ years of modern science that hasn’t proven any link for something that can cause the profound side effects people are saying. You’d think someone would find evidence for it.
Those few people have celiacs disease which is an actual inability to process gluten and makes people sick. It CAN be proven and tested for. The rest are just people who read too much bs on the internet like the anti vaccine crowd
Maybe I’m wrong, I’m not doctor or scientist…
You said it. WebMD and MayoClinic are reputable sites that print information based on science and medical observation. If they and other doctors are willing to take it seriously, I’d rather believe them than you.
But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. You don’t suffer, but I do and I’ve managed to live a happy, healthy life by using a little common sense and avoiding triggers that I know, from experience, set me off. Lager is another. But not to worry, there are plenty of other things I can drink:
To your good health.
Exactly. A handful of people out there genuinely react badly to gluten - and MSG. But lots of people think “Oh, I felt like crap yesterday, and it must be because [insert current health scare here].”
But there are some people for whom MSG is an issue, although if I’m reading this correctly it seems to be a side effect of other conditions. Plus this source is talking about not just the powder, but rather all the other foods that have free glutamates, like tomatoes and aged cheeses (source, emphasis added):
As researchers, we don’t yet know what percentage of the population is sensitive to MSG. But we do know enough to confirm that the amino acid glutamate, when in its free form (i.e., when it is not bound to a full protein like meat) causes negative reactions in certain people. An individual’s reaction to MSG is not limited to Chinese Restaurant Syndrome (CRS), which is characterized by symptoms like headache, sweating, rapid heartbeat and tightness in the chest. These symptoms usually occur within minutes of eating the compound, often while the diner is still in the restaurant.
In my research on the effects of MSG in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome and the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia, I observed headache (including migraine), diarrhea, gastrointestinal pain and bloating, extreme fatigue, muscle pain and cognitive dysfunction — all of which improved when subjects were put on a diet low in free glutamate, and which returned with re-introduction of MSG. (This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study). In contrast to CRS, symptoms in fibromyalgia patients tend to begin somewhat later, hours after ingestion, making it more difficult for these people to identify the food-related trigger.
The million-dollar question is: Does everyone react to these additives? No, some people can consume relatively high amounts of free glutamate without any symptoms. However, research shows that a subset of the population is sensitive and can benefit from avoiding MSG (and other sources of free glutamate) in food.
…
If a person is suffering from unexplained symptoms like headache, bowel disturbance, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, or pain that lacks a structural explanation, they may want to try avoiding free glutamate in all its forms. The only way to test for sensitivity is by avoiding excess free glutamate for a period ranging from two weeks to a month. One can do this by eating whole, non-processed foods, using whole herbs and spices, making marinades and salad dressings from scratch, and avoiding foods which naturally have higher amounts of free glutamate, like soy sauce, fish sauces, Parmesan and other aged cheeses, and large amounts of tomato sauce.
Absolutely. Will people please stop posting unless they have something positive to add. Where can one eat without MSG and without cooking from scratch? With no MSG contamination in the kitchen. Otherwise STFU!
That’s why mods are there to split the thread. I don’t see anything wrong with a discussion.
It’s a free forum!!!
Kinda
Thanks for that post. That pretty much sums it up. For me, symptoms are pretty rapid - it begins with an agonizingly itchy tongue that within 20 minutes develops into a migraine, including sensory disorientation and floating colours.
I’m no crusader against msg, but for some people it’s pretty unpleasant. Going back to the original question, it’s best avoided by cooking for yourself, but as they pointed out, with work/study/social life pressures, that’s not always possible.
I find this strange as glutamate is an amino acid found in all living things, idk how it’s possible to avoid it and get enough proteins and nutrients. It’s actually a pretty important amino acid in skeletal muscle development and brain function.
I also find it strange how it doesn’t seem to affect the population in Asia or especially places like japan where it’s used abundantly in food. I want to find out the ethnicity of the patients in the studies, it be interesting to see. It make sense say Asians suffer from lactose intolerance because we didn’t drink cow milk like he Europeans. But MSG wasn’t used until not that long ago in food production. Why is this not a thing in Asia and especially japan?
Also human breast milk contains glutamate…
It’s very strange. Most peculiar. Highly odd.
This is way beyond my level of biology, but perhaps it’s related to glutamate being “in its free form (i.e., when it is not bound to a full protein like meat)”? Does human breast milk count as a full protein?
I’d like to read more research as well - I was a little surprised how much Googling it took me to find a source that said there were reported sensitivities in double-blind trials. Almost everything else basically said “There’s no concrete evidence this is genuinely a problem, and lots of studies have found no evidence, but some people think it’s a problem, so if you think it’s a problem, avoid these foods, and if you no longer feel bad, great!”
On why it’s not a problem in Asia: maybe it is? I’ve met not a few people who basically feel like shit all the time. They may not know it’s related to their food. Or, as you suggested, there may be biological differences that make it less common.
I also still haven’t seen good numbers on amounts of MSG: how much in, say, a typical serving of pasta with home-cooked tomato sauce, versus one in a restaurant, versus how much you could expect in a typical restaurant in Taiwan. Nor have I seen a “threshold” number beyond which sensitivities may kick in.
So you have asked the entire population of every asian country and all asians living abroad? Stop generalizing and spreading false facts.
My wife swells up when she eats msg and guess what…drum roll please…she is 100% Taiwanese. Some of her family members and friends also have reactions to msg and they are all…can you guess? You got it! Taiwanese!
Yeah, I know a few Taiwanese people who have bad reactions to MSG. Doesn’t bother me at all…except too much ruins the flavor.
No, is there a reason you need to sound like a smart ass? I would think people have enough sense to understand generalizations that are largely true. No shit I didn’t ask and sample each person. For how much MSG is used in Asia, doesn’t seem to be a big issue like say in the US, do you need me to spell it out or use effects like imaginary drum rolls
I’m questioning something even the most respected doctors and scientist are divided about. I didn’t do anything to disrespect you why come at me sideways on the internet over a simple discussion on MSG.
I’m a ramen junkie and it’s packed with MSG. It’s all I like to eat in japan because it’s cheap and you can get a lot and be full unlike most restaurants that serve tiny portions. I would hate not being able to eat it because of MSG.
Simple.
You were stating something untrue as fact.
I was calling you out on it.
End of story.
Let’s tone it down please. This isn’t really anything worth getting worked up over, is it?
Well, I quite frankly understand the reaction of people who have MSG sensitivities when someone says no such things exist. People who say there is no such thing as MSG sensitivities/allergies really have no clue what they are talking about.
I have reactions to large amount of MSG in food. I can handle small amounts, but in Taiwan, they use massive amounts in the food. And my reaction is not psychosomatic. I don’t know what’s in the food and I won’t know if it contains MSG until after eating, I start feeling sleepy, dehydrated (even though I’m not) and get a headache.
I didn’t realize this until after I first came to Taiwan and starting feeling like crap every time after eating lunch for several weeks.
So yeah, people can get a bit worked up when someone else tells you that you have no reaction MSG when you do.