What Are the side effects from eating foods with M.S.G.? Have You Ever Experienced Any?

Answer 1

Here is part of medical studies on the adverse effects of msg. The short answer is that it can cause everything from headaches and nausea to deadly asthma attacks in people and even brain damage in mice. Hope this is what you wanted!

What is the MSG Symptom Complex?
The MSC is a group of symptoms that can occur in many people after the consumption of fairly large amounts of MSG. In susceptible individuals the MSC is most likely to occur about 15 to 25 minutes after the consumption of at least 2-3g of MSG without solid food and on an empty stomach. Typical symptoms such as a burning or heat sensation in the face, neck and upper torso may be accompanied by a feeling of tightness or stiffness in the chest, arms and/or back. There may also be a feeling of weakness, heart palpitations, and diffuse pain in the chest area. These symptoms typically begin to subside within 20 to 30 minutes after they start. Typically the MSC is gone completely within an hour and never last as long as two hours.[3]

Some studies have reported a small increased risk of headaches with very high doses of MSG. However, a recent double-blind placebo controlled trial found no difference in headaches in subjects given either 1.5 or 3 g of MSG or a placebo (lactose) in capsules.[4] If headaches are part of the MSC they are certainly an uncommon reaction and if they occur at all as a result of MSG intake it is only when unusually large amounts are consumed on an empty stomach. There are, of course, many anecdotal reports of different symptoms and much longer lasting symptoms associated with the intake of even small amounts of MSG. However, there is no credible research from any well-designed studies that have found other symptoms that result from the ingestion of MSG.

Is the MSC Associated with Any Physical Symptoms?
The MSC usually occurs when a fairly large amount of MSG is consumed on an empty stomach in a broth or soup at an Oriental restaurant. Typically at least 3-5g of MSG must be consumed within short period of time to trigger the MSC. However, even in people who react consistently to MSG in a liquid the same amount of MSG consumed with solid food does not usually elicit the same reaction or any reaction at all in most cases.[5] Under controlled conditions no objective changes in blood chemistry (except for a transient rise in GLU levels), blood pressure, skin temperature, etc. have been observed while people are experiencing these symptoms.[6] So while the symptoms of MSC are clearly felt by many people there are no accompanying physical changes in the body that can be measured objectively to verify the presence of such symptoms.

The MSC can be triggered in perhaps 30% of Americans who consumed at least one to two tsp. (3-6g) of MSG in a broth-type soup or other liquid on an empty stomach. Even under these circumstances the consumption of less than 2-3g of MSG is usually insufficient to create MSC symptoms in nearly all people who report having experienced the MSC in the past. It should be noted that more than 1g of MSG per serving in tomato juice or soup does not usually improve overall palatability. Therefore, the amount of MSG needed to maximally enhance flavor and sensory pleasure is well below the threshold for triggering the MSC in nearly all people. The consumption of a high carbohydrate food before or with the MSG usually blocks the MSC in susceptible individuals. If MSG is used in moderation and consumed with some carbohydrate-rich food then it seems unlikely that MSG will cause any physiological or psychological changes in the body.

MSG and Food Terrorism
Despite the relatively transient and benign nature of the MSC there are several groups of people and many individuals who claim MSG is responsible for far more serious health problems than the relatively benign and transient MSC. For example, the website for the National Organization to Stop Glutamate has claimed that MSG caused “Headaches, migraines, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma attacks, shortness of breath, anxiety or panic attacks, heart palpitation, partial paralysis, ‘heart-attack-like symptoms’, balance difficulties, mental confusion, mood swings, neurological disorders (Parkinson’s, MS, ALS, Alzheimer’s), behavior disorders (especially in children and teens), allergy-type symptoms, skin rashes, runny nose, bags under the eyes, flushing, mouth lesions, depression, and more.”[7] However, the vast majority of these symptoms and all of the more serious health problems listed on this website have not been shown to be related to the consumption of MSG in well-designed scientific studies.

Promoters of nutrition quackery claim that a particular supplement and/or diet is a miraculous cure for a variety of health problems. Promoting fad diets and supplements as being effective for the treatment or prevention of disease in the absence of credible scientific evidence is quackery. Food terrorism is the flip side of nutrition quackery. A food terrorist claims that some component of food is responsible for causing disease in the absence of credible scientific evidence to support such a claim. Those who claim MSG causes serious health problems have the burden of supporting their claims. However, because the food terrorism surrounding the use and safety of MSG has become so great there has been a fair amount of research designed to establish the true impact of consuming MSG on the body.

Does MSG Cause Allergic Reactions and Asthma?
It has been reported that MSG triggers asthmatic attacks in people with asthma.[8] However, in studies that reported that some people responded with bronchospasm to MSG were flawed. In these studies the subjects were removed from their asthma medication(s) a day or two before the MSG challenge and there was no placebo group. Removal of medication was probably the reason for the increase in symptoms on the following day rather than the exposure to MSG. Six subsequent studies which were better designed and utilized a control group have failed to find any difference in asthmatic symptoms with MSG compared with a placebo. This was the case even though some of subjects in these studies had believed MSG triggered bronchospasm in them prior to double blind testing. A recent review found no evidence linking MSG use to asthma.[9]

Another study found no evidence of hives being triggered by MSG in patients with chronic hives (urticaria). [10] It is very unlikely that MSG is ever the cause of allergic reactions. Indeed it seems obvious that one cannot be truly allergic to an amino acid that is found in every living plant and animal. People who have experienced food related bronchospasms in an oriental restaurant were most likely responding to sulfiting agents used to preventing browning of chopped vegetables. Because asthma, hives and other allergic reactions can be triggered by emotions as well as allergens it is quite possible that someone who reports hives, asthmatic or other allergic symptoms to MSG may be responding emotionally simply because they fear MSG was in something they ate and causes such symptoms. In some cases perhaps some other allergen is present in the food or meal consumed along with the MSG. Cold air, cigarette smoke, dust and other environmental insults are more far more likely the cause of bronchospasm, which occurs in an Oriental restaurant than is exposure to MSG. A double-blind challenge may be useful in convincing patients that they are not really allergic to MSG.

There is no convincing scientific research linking the use of MSG to asthma attacks or any other type of allergic reaction. Claims that MSG is the cause of bronchospasm or other allergic reactions should be viewed with skepticism. So how can all of the anecdotal reports of allergic-type reactions to MSG be explained? The occurrence of psychosomatic induced symptoms is well established.[11] It is known that many more people believe they are “allergic” to foods and food additives than can actually be demonstrated using objective examination such as double-blind challenges.[12]

Does MSG Cause Nerve damage or Alter Hormone Levels?
Extremely high levels of MSG have been shown to acutely destroy brain tissue in weanling mice.[13] However, in most animals GLU in the blood does not cross the blood-brain barrier and causes no neurological damage. Chronic feeding of MSG to rabbits, dogs and monkeys found that even doses as high as 42g MSG/Kg body weight failed to cause any neurological damage.[14] For a 70 Kg man this dose would be 2940 g daily or over 6 lbs of MSG per day.

There is a part of the hypothalamus that is not protected by the blood brain barrier and it is this part of the brain that is damaged by very high levels of MSG in the blood in weanling mice. This part of the brain uses GLU as a neurotransmitter to trigger the release of pituitary hormones. However, in human subjects consuming 12.7g of MSG was shown to have no effect on any pituitary or other hormone levels even though this dose markedly elevated plasma GLU levels.

Concern that MSG added to the maternal diet also might harm the developing fetus or a breast fed infant appears to be unwarranted. This is because increased GLU in maternal blood does not affect GLU in the brains or other tissues of the fetus nor does it increase the GLU content of breast milk.[15] It therefore seems most unlikely that the consumption of MSG poses any risk to the brain of either adults or developing babies.

An epidemiological survey of about 5000 users and nonusers of MSG in Hawaii found that chronic use of MSG was not associated with any increase in neurological problems. It also showed that the regular use of MSG did not affect serum cholesterol or blood sugar levels and had no effect on body weight.[16] Despite anecdotal reports that MSG contributes to all sorts of neurological problems including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s' disease there is no credible scientific research to support any damage to the neurological system from the regular use of MSG.

Answer 2

its called chinese food syndrome. it happened to me once. i thought i was dying. my heart started pounding in my chest, i broke into a cold sweat, i couldn't focus. i ended up lying on my floor for about an half an hour because i couldn't get up. when the bout passed, i looked at my self in the mirror and my eyes were bright red. it took about an hour or so for me to feel better.

Answer 3

ADHD is a fallacy. I wish I had a neat excuse like that for getting shtty grades when I was in school. I believe then, it was called laziness.

Answer 4

Yes hands swelling the next day!

Answer 5

It's what we call "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome". You may have bouts of palpitation, nausea, restlessness or drowsiness.

Answer 6

Major bloating and headache...