Excitotoxins

Dr. Russel Blaylock discusses how our food today is adulterated with excitotoxins. Dr. Blaylock has written many books and does an excellent job explaining how these toxins affect our bodies. He cuts through the political and industry lies.

Video "Fat, MSG, Aspartame, It's in all the food":

Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, MD:

An enormous amount of both clinical and experimental evidence has accumulated over the past decade supporting this basic premise. Yet, the FDA still refuses to recognize the immediate and long term danger to the public caused by the practice of allowing various excitotoxins to be added to the food supply, such as MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal – the blue packets).
The amount of these neurotoxins added to our food has increased enormously since their first introduction. For example, since 1948 the amount of MSG added to foods has doubled every decade. By 1972, 262,000 metric tons were being added to foods. Over 800 million pounds of aspartame have been consumed in various products since it was first approved. Ironically, these food additives have nothing to do with preserving food or protecting its integrity.

Excitotoxicity is the pathological process by which nerve cells are damaged and killed by glutamate and similar substances. This occurs when receptors for the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate (glutamate receptors) such as the NMDA receptor and AMPA receptor are over activated. Excitotoxins like NMDA and kainic acid which bind to these receptors, as well as pathologically high levels of glutamate, can cause excitotoxicity by allowing high levels of calcium ions (Ca²⁺) to enter the cell. Ca²⁺ influx into cells activates a number of enzymes, including phospholipases, endonucleases, and proteases such as calpain. These enzymes go on to damage cell structures such as components of the cytoskeleton, membrane, and DNA.

Sources of processed free glutamic acid (MSG)

(Last updated June, 2010)

Everyone knows that some people get reactions after eating the food ingredient monosodium glutamate - reactions that include migraine headaches, upset stomach, fuzzy thinking, diarrhea, heart irregularities, asthma, and/or mood swings.  What many don’t know, is that more than 40 different ingredients contain the chemical in monosodium glutamate (processed free glutamic acid) that causes these reactions. 

The following list of ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid has been compiled over the last 20 years from consumers’ reports of adverse reactions and information provided by manufacturers and food technologists.  

ingredients that always contain it:

• Glutamic acid (E 620),  Glutamate (E 620)
• Monosodium glutamate (E 621), Monopotassium glutamate (E 622), Calcium glutamate (E 623), Monoammonium glutamate (E 624), Magnesium glutamate (E 625), Natrium glutamate
• Anything “hydrolyzed, Any “hydrolyzed protein”
• Calcium caseinate,  Sodium caseinate
• Yeast extract, Yeast food, Yeast nutrient, Autolyzed yeast
• Gelatin
• Textured protein
• Vetsin
• Ajinomoto

Glutamic acid found in unadulterated protein does not cause adverse reactions.  To cause adverse reactions, the glutamic acid must have been processed/manufactured or come from protein that has been
fermented.  

ingredients that often contain or produce it

• Carrageenan (E 407)
• Bouillon and broth
• Stock
• Whey protein, Whey protein concentrate, Whey protein isolate
• Any “flavors” or “flavoring”
• Maltodextrin
• Citric acid (E 330)
• Anything “ultra-pasteurized”
• Barley malt
• Pectin (E 440)
• Protease
• Anything containing “enzymes” , Anything “enzyme modified”
• Malt extract
• Soy sauce,Soy sauce extract
• Soy protein, Soy protein concentrate, Soy protein isolate
• Anything “protein fortified”
• Anything “fermented”
• Seasonings

 
The following ingredients work synergistically with MSG to enhance flavor.  If they are present for flavoring
purposes, so is MSG:  Disodium 5’-guanylate (E 627)  Disodium 5’-inosinate (E-631)  Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides (E 635).
 
The following are ingredients suspected of containing or creating sufficient processed free glutamic acid to serve as MSG-reaction triggers in HIGHLY SENSITIVE people:  

• Corn starch   
• Corn syrup   
• Modified food starch   
• Lipolyzed butter fat   
• Dextrose
• Rice syrup, brown rice syrup   
• Milk powder  
• Reduced fat milk (e.g.., skim milk; 1% milk; 2% milk)    
• most things low fat or no fat   
• anything Enriched or Vitamin enriched  

 Low fat and no fat milk products often contain milk solids that contain MSG and/or contain carrageenan,
guar gum, and/or locust bean gum.  Low fat and no fat versions of ice cream and cheese may not be as
obvious as yogurt, milk, cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc., but they are not exceptions.

Protein powders contain glutamic acid, which, invariably, will be processed free glutamic acid (MSG).  
Individual amino acids are not always listed on labels of protein powders.

At present there is an FDA requirement to include the protein source when listing hydrolyzed protein
products on labels of processed foods.  Examples are hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein,
hydrolyzed pea protein, hydrolyzed whey protein, hydrolyzed, corn protein.. If a tomato, for example,
were whole, it would be identified as a tomato. Calling an ingredient tomato protein indicates that the
tomato has been hydrolyzed, at least in part, and that processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is present.

Disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate are relatively expensive food additives that work
synergistically with inexpensive MSG. Their use suggests that the product has MSG in it. They would
probably not be used as food additives if there were no MSG present.

MSG reactions have been reported from soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners, and cosmetics, where MSG
is hidden in ingredients with names that include the words "hydrolyzed," "amino acids," and/or "protein."

Drinks, candy, and chewing gum are potential sources of hidden MSG and/or aspartame, neotame. and
AminoSweet (the new name for aspartame). Aspartic acid, found in neotame, aspartame (NutraSweet),
and AminoSweet, ordinarily causes MSG type reactions in MSG sensitive people. Neotame is relatively
new.  We have not seen it used widely in the United States.  It would appear that calling aspartame
"AminoSweet" is industry's method of choice for hiding aspartame.

Aspartame will be found in some medications, including children's medications. . For questions about the ingredients in pharmaceuticals, check with your pharmacist. Binders and fillers for medications, nutrients, and supplements, both prescription and non-prescription, enteral feeding materials, and some fluids administered intravenously in hospitals, may contain MSG.

According to the manufacturer, Varivax–Merck chicken pox vaccine (Varicella Virus Live), contains L-monosodium glutamate and hydrolyzed gelatin, both of which contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG) which causes brain lesions in young laboratory animals, and causes endocrine disturbances like OBESITY and REPRODUCTIVE disorders later in life.  It would appear that most, if not all, live virus vaccines contain some ingredient(s) that contains MSG.

Reactions to MSG are dose related, i.e., some people react to even very small amounts. MSG-induced reactions may occur immediately after ingestion or after as much as 48 hours.  The time lapse between ingestion and reaction is typically the same for a particular individual who ingests an amount of MSG that exceeds his or her individual tolerance level.

Remember: By food industry definition, all MSG is "naturally occurring." "Natural" doesn't mean "safe."  
"Natural" only means that the ingredient started out in nature, like arsenic and hydrochloric acid.

Because MSG is absorbed very quickly in the gastrointestinal tract. Even dirt can be made tasty with MSG.

Vincent Bellonzi is a chiropractor and a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, his video:

Jennifer Thompson from HealthyBliss.net on her recovery from an skin illness caused by one of such additives:

She also says, that many raw restaurants add various chemical taste enhancers in their dishes, even organic ones - she can identify that almost immediately, because she has a strong allergic skin reaction to one on them.