Readers Respond: Are you worried about MSG in food?

Concerned About MSG in Food?

Attack 30 mins ago

We had a Chinese meal approx 3.5 hrs ago. I went to bed 1 hour ago feeling agitated and slightly paranoid, something I had not felt before. I woke up with my heart pounding in my chest, throat and ears at the most ridiculous speed - probably at least double the speed it should be. It lasted about 7-8 mins and i was so shaken im still upset. This is not the fist time it's happened. All times after a chinese meal. I've had every test under the sun done, with clear and healthy (ESP heart) results. Def feels like a food reaction - MSG? Terrifying......

—Guest Lisa

Migraines from MSG

I am Asian and my mother used MSG extensively in her cooking. During my late teens I started to experience migraine headaches and came to associate it with MSG consumption. I am now in my 70s and still experience migraine headaches plus gastrointestinal upset when I consume MSG inadvertently when eating out.

—Guest Jr

So what about the Japanese?

As far as I understand the Japanese are some of the greatest consumers of MSG. Yet Japan has the highest life expecancy in the word with Hong Kong (another large consumer) being second. Wouldn't that be not the case if MSG was so harmfull? And how come people do not have the same adverse effects with products like Parmesan cheese or Vegemite who are full of MSG? I strongly suspect that it is mostly the nosibo effect that causes the symptoms or other factors (like alergies to other ingredients etc).

—Guest George

I enjoy MSG

I'll occasionally use MSG in a dish that is lacking in umami. I've never had a problem with it, and it can be a great food enhancer.

—Guest Paul

MSG exacerbates acid reflux

I've been diagnosed with GERD (acid reflux) for over 12 years. In that time, I've noticed that whenever I eat anything containing MSG (especially things like potato chips/snacks), it makes my acid reflux worse. I don't get headaches or any of the other symptoms people have been reporting, but it does make the reflux worse. I'm always reading the labels whenever I go food shopping - I try to avoid it at all costs but it's hard. Why does MSG have to be in almost everything?

—Guest Jess

MSG almost killed my daughter

Since her teens my 34 year old daughter has had "dizzy spells" from time to time and been given many different reasons by many different doctors for them. Two years ago my daughter took a liking to a seasoning made by a well known company and without making the connection her symptoms got worse. A doctor realised that she was experiencing heart problems and she wore a monitor for 5 days which showed that her heart was stopping up to 40 times a day for as much as 7 seconds. Within days my daughter was fitted with a pacemaker and MSG was mentioned. My daughter cooks from scratch using good ingredients so the only "culprit" was the seasoning. We researched MSG and one of the side effects is that it kills off your natural pacemaker. This stuff should be banned!

—Guest June

What else are you eating?

I've noticed a pattern here of complaints about MSG when people eat processed crappy foods. As one sensible poster pointed out, there are a LOT of additives in processed foods. Also, allergies and insensitivities to gluten and soy are on the rise. Soy has so many different products, it is possible for some to have a reaction to some types of soy but not others, or to have different reactions to different types. For instance, soy flour will cause a more aphalactic type reaction, but I just feel crappy, full, and tired with soy ('veggie') oil. So by virture of avoiding soy, I eat almost entirely a diet of home made foods from basic ingredients. My boyfriend who has been stationed in Korea recently got MSG for added seasoning, since he eats mostly what I do. In Korea, they do the same thing, MSG is like salt and other spices added to meat and veggies from open air markets or your own backyard. Some very small % may be allergic to MSG, but it has become an easy to blame scapegoat.

—Guest Shine

MSG Gives Me Migranes

i have suffered w/ migraines for years eliminating different foods to no difference until I discovered that MSG could be the cause! Wow! Its in so much but with out it I feel so much better, its hard on weekends we go out allot and I cant live in a bubble but I am trying because if I dont I suffer for about 3 days later! I cant believe its in makeup too! i have to totaly change my life but its worth it we need to change how we make our food! MSG SUCKS

—Guest jend

Mysterious illnesses

I am now a senior with relatively few health problems, regular heartbeat, athsma free etc. No so in my thirties and forties where I was convinced I was going to have a heart attack often and relying on Ventolin to get enough air, only to have medical tests show up no reason. Co-incidentally, or not so co-incidentally, that was when I first discovered the taste enhansing joys of MSG, and threw it into all my cooking, a pinch here, a pinch there, until I couldn't cook without it. I didn't connect MSG in any way. Anyway, I stopped using it when I decided to cut out all added salts of any sort and get healthy. Guess what - symptoms are a thing of the past. Will I use it now? Never going back there ..........

—Guest Kate

MSG makes me stupid

For over a year, I've had problems feeling, numb, dizzy, being very tired, sometimes havving bladder pain. Family doctor kept saying it's malnutrition, though now I'm guessing it's definitely MSG involved too. I found it hard to focus on studying. What I really hate so much about MSG is that it's found in FRESH fruits and vegetables, that really gets on my nerves and because of this simple fact I've decided to go all out against MSG. I hate MSG! It has ruined me.

—Guest mister k

msg

i have a bad msg allergy. my face become blotchy and my eyes get swollen. Everyone i speak to seems to just get a sickness from the flavour enhancer, and i just find that it is just me that comes out in awful rashes. Is there anyone else?

—Guest sherrif

MSG sensitive

I've noticed, approximately one day after eating at Chinese restaurants, my body will ache for 2-3 days. I believe it is due to MSG used in the foods they prepare - I am concerned about this MSG factor in foods. It is NOT necessary!

—Guest Karen

I just couldn't sleep

I am Chinese. Meaning, I have had countless amounts of Chinese food laced with MSG. And I have had no problems for most of my life. Until now. Recently, I realised that whenever I eat food at a Chinese restaurant, I just can't sleep the entire night. My heart with palpitate, and I will drift in and out of sleep. I just don't get it. Why now?

—beautifuldisastergrace

is this caused by msg

If I eat chinese food or any food containing msg I get terrible stomach pains & can't move to far away from the bathroom my friend is the same. Could msg be the cause?

—Guest Ar

Different side effects

About a year to two years ago, I went to this huge Asian restaurant in Mass. Me and my boyfriend,at the time, ordered an app to share that included chicken wings, pork, ribs, steak, shrimp, and I think crab. I only ate the meat - not a seafood lover. Later ordered chicken low mein. The next morning I woke up with hives on my hands, elbows, knees, and feet and also my lips blew up like Angelina Jolie's. That was actually kind of funny but not at the same time. The hives popped up again, just not as bad, when I ate at P F Changs. Now I have to be extremely careful if I order Asian food from new places. I can't risk the symptoms being worst than that. I also accidentally ordered some today and didn't phase me to ask until I already ate 2 wings and some pork fried rice. The back of my throat feels dry and skrachy and I'm starting to feel ichy. Is there anything to help counteract extreme symptoms if they were to happen?

—Guest Amanda