November 13, 2002 -- In the United States, incidence and severity of human adverse reactions following ingestion of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is increasing at an alarming rate. Yet both the United States government and many in the medical community have: 1) ignored the literature that reports adverse reactions following ingestion of processed free glutamic acid (MSG), 2) ignored consumer reports of adverse reactions filed with the FDA, 3) ignored incontrovertible evidence that glutamic acid kills brain cells and causes neuroendocrine disorders in laboratory animals, and 4) ignored a growing body of evidence that suggests a relationship between elevated brain glutamate levels and neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease and ALS
Infant formula contains MSG - Know what you are buying
Infant Formula
The Canadian Study
From time to time, we are asked if infant formulas contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG) and processed free aspartic acid – both neurotoxins.
The following are results of analyses of five formulas purchased and analyzed in Canada. Brands are listed in alphabetical order. Ingredients of products sold in the United States and other countries may vary. The manufacturer of Enfalac sold in Canada uses the product name Enfamil in the United States.
TABLE 1
Test results in milligrams per 100 milliliters (mL)
Aspartic
Glutamic
Acid
Acid
Carnation Good Start.095
.261
Enfalac Iron Fortified.064
1.327
Enfalac Nutramigen Hypoallergenic18.717
100.880
Isomil Soy Formula.132
.084
Similac Lactose Free.021
.024
TABLE 2
Test results converted to milligrams per ounce (oz.)
Aspartic
Glutamic
Acid
Acid
Carnation Good Start.028
.077
Enfalac Iron Fortified.019
.390
Enfalac Nutramigen Hypoallergenic5.505
29.671
Isomil Soy Formula.039
.025
Similac Lactose Free.006
.007
In a brochure for their Enfalac formula line, Mead Johnson Nutritionals stated that infant formula requirements are as follows:
1 week old infant -- 6 to10 bottles of 60 to120 mL (2 to 4 oz.) formula
3 month old infant -- 4 to 5 bottles of 180 to 240 mL (6 to 8 oz.) formula
Taking an average of the formula requirements given by Mead Johnson Nutritionals we find that the average requirements would be:
1 week old infant -- 8 bottles of 90 mL (3 oz.) formula = 720 mL (24 oz.) formula
3 month old infant -- 4.5 bottles of 210 mL (7 oz.) formula = 945 mL (31.5 oz.) formula
Therefore, amounts of neurotoxic glutamic acid and neurotoxic aspartic acid ingested daily by an average infant on each of the analyzed formulas would be as follows:
TABLE 3
Grams of aspartic acid and glutamic acid ingested daily by an average 1 week old infant
Aspartic
Glutamic
Total
Acid
Acid
Carnation Good Start.000684
.001879
.002563
Enfalac Iron Fortified.000461
.009554
.010015
Enfalac Nutramigen Hypoallergenic.134762
.726336
.861098
Isomil Soy Formula.000950
.000605
.001555
Similac Lactose Free.000151
.000173
.000324
Figures are based on original test results found in Table 1.
TABLE 4
Grams of aspartic acid and glutamic acid ingested daily by an average 3 month old infant
Aspartic
Glutamic
Total
Acid
Acid
Carnation Good Start.000898
.002466
.003364
Enfalac Iron Fortified.000605
.012540
.013145
Enfalac Nutramigen Hypoallergenic.176876
.953316
1.130192
Isomil Soy Formula.001247
.000794
.002041
Similac Lactose Free.000198
.000227
.000425
Figures are based on original test results found in Table 1.
Formula Sold in the USA
In so far as we know, there has been no study of quantities of neurotoxic amino acids (glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and L-cysteine) present in infant formula sold in the USA. So we picked two cans of formula off our grocer's shelves to illustrate the fact that formula sold in the USA has its share of MSG-containing ingredients. (Ingredients known to contain MSG or create MSG during processing are shown in bold. L-cysteine is noted because it, like glutamic acid and aspartic acid, is a neurotoxic amino acid.
TABLE 5
Ingredients in infant formula sold in the USA
Nestle Carnation Good Start (Easy to Digest Comfort proteins)Water, enzymatically hydrolyzed reduced minerals whey protein concentrate(from cows' milk), vegetable oils (palm olein, soy, coconut, high-oleic safflower), lactose, cornmaltodextrin....Enfamil Nutramigen Hypoallergenic FormulaWater, corn syrup solids....casein hydrolysate,modified corn starch...carrageenan,L-cysteine....
SUMMARY
The Canadian Study leaves room for no doubt that ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG) and free aspartic acid -- known neurotoxins -- are used in baby formula. The fact that neurotoxins are present in baby formula is of particular concern since the blood brain barrier is not fully developed in infants, allowing neurotoxins to be more accessible to the brain then is the case in healthy adults.
The amounts of aspartic acid and glutamic acid found in the formulas analyzed in the Canadian Study have been listed separately in the above schedules. However, in studies using experimental animals, neuroscientists have found that glutamic acid and aspartic acid load on the same receptors in the brain, cause identical brain lesions and neuroendocrine disorders, and act in an additive fashion.
You will note that the level of neurotoxins found in the hypoallergenic formula was greater than the level of neurotoxins found in the other formulas. In reviewing the literature on hypoallergenic formulas, we have found short term studies that concluded that hypoallergenic formulas are safe because babies tolerated them and gain weight. However, we have not seen any long term studies on the safety of hypoallergenic formulas. We believe that well designed long term studies would demonstrate that infants raised on hypoallergenic formulas, as compared to infants who are breast fed or fed on non-hypoallergenic formulas, will exhibit more learning disabilities at school age, and/or more endocrine disorders such as obesity, and reproductive disorders, later in life. Long term studies on the effects of hypoallergenic formulas need to be done.
To put these figures in perspective, consider that in an FDA sponsored study dated July, 1992 entitled "Safety of Amino Acids Used in Dietary Supplements," the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology concluded, in part, that:
"...it is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children.... and...by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders." (MSG is called glutamic acid when used in supplements.)
Consider, also, that a press release dated May 27, 1999, which discussed the European Commission marketing authorization for RotaShield(R) Rotavirus Vaccine stated, in part,
"RotaShield(R) should not be given to infants who are hypersensitive to latex or ... or monosodium glutamate."
We wish to express our appreciation to Baby Love Products Inc. of Camrose, Alberta, Canada for obtaining some of the above information.
Truth in Labeling Campaign, P.O. Box 2532, Darien, IL 60561
adandjack@aol.com 858/481-9333 http://www.truthinlabeling.org
MSG Found To Injure Retina,
Damage Eyesight
By Huda Majeed Saleh
12-31-2
TOKYO (ANI) -- The controversial taste-enhancer Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is once again in the centre of a debate. A recent research has found it to damage people's eyesight. Scientists found that eating large amounts of MSG, used to flavour oriental and processed foods, can injure the retina and lead to vision loss.
Rats fed diets high in MSG in Japan developed thinner retinas and began to go blind. Glutamate is an amino acid which acts as a neurotransmitter, a chemical that sends signals between nerve cells.
Previous research has already shown that it causes nerve damage when injected directly into the eye. But the Japanese study at Hirosaki University was the first to show that eye damage can be caused by eating food containing MSG, says a report in Sydney Morning Herald.
Rats were fed three different diets for six months, containing either high or moderate amounts of MSG, or none. In animals on the high MSG diet, some retinal nerve layers thinned by as much as 75 per cent. Tests to measure retinal response to light showed that the rats' vision was impaired. Those on the moderate diet also suffered damage, but to a lesser extent.
Research, also showed high concentrations of MSG in the vitreous fluid which bathes the retina. MSG bound to molecules on retinal cells and destroyed them, causing secondary reactions that reduced the ability of the remaining cells to relay electrical signals, the report added. (ANI)
Copyright © 2001 ANI-Asian News International. All rights reserved.
WWW.truthinlabeling.org -- Home page
Table of Contents
Obesity
In 1969, Olney (143) found hypothalamic lesions, and described stunted skeletal development, obesity, and female sterility, as well as a spate of observed pathological changes found in several brain regions associated with endocrine function in maturing mice which had been given monosodium glutamic acid as neonates. Longitudinal studies, including feeding studies, in which neonatal/infant animals were given doses of monosodium glutamate and then observed over a period of months or years before being sacrificed for brain examination, repeatedly supported Olney's early findings. By the early 1980s, evidence of monosodium glutamate induced brain lesions was so well established that researchers interested in brain function and/or development of drugs with which to treat disease conditions in which glutamic acid played a role began to use monosodium glutamate as an ablative tool with which to kill selected brain cells.
Today, Americans are expressing great concern about one of the pathological changes that follow brain lesions caused by ingestion of monosodium glutamate, i.e., concern about gross obesity. Overeating, inadequate diet, junk food, lack of exercise, psychological problems, genetics, and bad parenting have all been offered as reasons underlying gross obesity. But never mentioned are theglutamic acid in monosodium glutamate and the aspartic acid found in aspartame that are known to cause gross obesity in laboratory animals. Glutamic acid and aspartic acid are structural analogs which load on the same receptors in the brain and cause identical brain lesions and neuroendocrine disorders. They also have been know to act in an additive fashion.
There can be no question that processed free glutamic acid (MSG) causes brain damage and subsequent neuroendocrine disorders, including obesity in laboratory animals. Studies have demonstrated that free glutamic acid (including processed free glutamic acid [MSG]) can cross the placenta during pregnancy,(A-B) can cross the blood brain barrier in an unregulated manner during development, and can pass through the five circumventricular organs, which are "leaky" at best at any stage of life.(C-E) Moreover, the blood brain barrier is easily damaged by fever, stroke, trauma to the head, seizures, ingestion of processed free glutamic acid, and the normal process of aging.(E-F) It is generally accepted that, given the greater permeability of their blood-brain barriers, the young are particularly at risk from ingestion of MSG.
There can be no question that in the United States, children in utero, newborns, infants, and children are exposed to ever increasing amounts of MSG.
In utero children receive MSG through their mothers' diets.(A-B)
As neonates they receive MSG through their mothers' milk if mother is consuming MSG (which can hardly be avoided if mother is eating processed foods) or through their infant formula which all has MSG in it. The greatest amounts of MSG in infant formula will be found in hypoallergenic formulas.
Cantani, A; Micera, M.Immunogenicity of hydrolysate formulas in children
(part 1). Analysis of 202 reactions. Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology, 2000 Sep-Oct, 10(5):261-76.
Abstract: Cow's milk protein hydrolyzed formulas appeared in the 1940s with
the aim of decreasing or eliminating the allergenicity of cow's milk proteins, in addition to reducing the risk of sensitization. In recent years, the so-called "hypoallergenic" formulas have been developed. The use of such hydrolyzed formulas is based on the premise that predigested proteins, when fed as amino acids and peptides, provide nutrients in a nonantigenic form. Thus, protein hydrolyzed formulas have been classified as hypoallergenic. These formulas are processed by heat and enzymatic hydrolysis, and the conformational and sequential structures are more or less changed. The formulas contain peptides of lower molecular weight than the native protein source, which are thought to be less immunogenic. Hydrolyzed formulas appear to be nutritionally adequate and infants generally gain weight until they refuse the formula because of its bad taste. However, caution should be taken
when such formulas are given for prolonged periods since no data are available on nutritional assessment of infants exclusively fed hydrolyzed formulas for several months. In this paper we report and discuss more than 202 reactions to different hydrolyzed formulas, including cases of anaphylactic shock and apparent life-threatening events. The cross-reactivity between different hydrolyzed formulas and cow's milk proteins, and the potential immunogenicity of such formulas are discussed. We conclude that none of the hydrolyzed formulas are nonallergenic, both for allergic children and for high-risk babies. Moreover, we suggest that double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge studies in larger cohorts of babies evaluated with well-defined and well-validated diagnostic methods may establish a more reliable prevalence of allergy to hydrolyzed formulas.
As neonates, children are also introduced to the MSG through vaccines. All live virus vaccines, and some, if not all of the others,contain MSG. The MSG in vaccines will typically be contained in one or more of the ingredients that give no clue that they contain MSG.
Until 1978, children were treated to MSG in those little bottles of food called "baby food." After 10 years of pressure from concerned scientists and parents, the MSG was "voluntarily" removed from "baby food" by its manufacturers. But on January
7, 1998, the EPA approved using processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in pesticide products and plant growth enhancers--and fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables treated with those products can now be used in baby food without disclosing that they have been treated with a product that contains MSG.
Many fast foods, low-fat and no-fat foods, and processed foods contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG). Canned soups sold by large corporations and things like canned spaghetti or noodles are generally loaded with MSG, too. The things our
children get in their school lunches are highly questionable -- possibly with more MSG in them if lunches are supplied by the schools.
Footnotes
A. Frieder, B, and Grimm, VE. Prenatal monosodium glutamate (MSG) treatment given through the mother's diet causes behavioral deficits in rat offspring. Intern J Neurosci. 23:117-126,1984.
B. Gao, J, Wu, J, Zhao, XN, Zhang, WN, Zhang, YY, Zhang, ZX. [Transplacental neurotoxic effects of monosodium glutamate on structures and functions of specific brain areas of filial mice.] Sheng Li Hsueh Pao
Acta Physiologica Sinica. 46:44-51,1994.
C. Price MT, Olney JW, Lowry OH, Buchsbaum S. Uptake of exogenous glutamate and aspartate by circumventricular organs but not other regions of brain. J.Neurochem. 36:1774-1780,1981.
D. Broadwell RD, Sofroniew MV. Serum proteins bypass the blood-brain fluid barriers for extracellular entry to the central nervous system. Exp Neurol. 120:245-263,1993.
E. Blaylock, RL. Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills. Santa Fe, NM: Health Press; 1994.
F. Nemeroff, C.B., and Crisley, F.D. Monosodium L-glutamate induced convulsions: temporary alteration in blood-brain barrier permeability to plasma proteins. Environ Physiol Biochem 5: 389-395, 1975.
Some of us who are sensitive to the neurotoxic amino acids: glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and L-cysteine, have, for years, fought the power of the glutamate and aspartame industries. Those of us who are sensitive to processed free glutamic acid (MSG) have asked only that MSG not be hidden in food, drugs, cosmetics, and dietary supplements. We have asked and we have seen how our requests are handled. We have seen how industry drives the United States government and controls the media. We know that because Ajinomoto Co., Inc., the worlds largest producer of processed free glutamic acid and the food ingredient "monosodium glutamate" is spending millions of dollars yearly to deceive people around the world into believing that MSG is "safe," there will be no one in any legislature, at the FDA, at the National Institutes of Health, or at the Center for Disease Control; and there will be no official of the American Medical Association or the American Dietetic Association or the press who will suggest that MSG might be at the root of, or even contribute to, gross obesity.
When this page was written, we accessed the Medline data base through the National Library of Medicine on the Internet (www.pubmed.gov). We asked for studies using the key words "obesity AND monosodium glutamate," and were given back 143 references (1-143). They are listed below. You will note that studies demonstrating that MSG causes brain lesions and subsequent obesity were done, by and large, by the early 1980s. Later studies used glutamic acid as a research tool. Abstracts of MSG lesions decrease body mass of suckling-age rats by attenuating circadian decreases of energy expenditure and Late effects of postnatal administration of monosodium glutamate on insulin action in adult rats are included here by way of illustration. You will note that they are all animal studies. In the United States, we don't generally experiment with toxic substances on humans.
REFERENCES from Medline (at www.pubmed.gov) for "Obesity and Monosodium Glutamate"
"The Slow Poisoning of America" by John and Michelle Erb -
http://www.spofamerica.com -
Autism and ADHD Linked to Addictive Food Additive
For the last fifty years, the medical community has been baffled by the rise in cases of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and Autism. These two diseases, unheard of before 1950, have been striking an increasing number of children. Physicians have been unable to explain to parents why their children are suffering these maladies despite there not being any family history of the disorder.
Finally these parents will know the answer. Thanks to John Erb, a developmental disorder researcher and author of the book The Slow Poisoning of America , the cause of ADHD and Autism is no longer a mystery. "These diseases appear to be caused by a food additive commonly known as MSG or Monosodium Glutamate." John Erb explains, "MSG is added to food because of its addictive qualities, it is nicotine forfood. It is highly reactive in the human brain and other organs."
MSG and its related ingredients have been found in increasing amounts in processed and fast foods. Almost every restaurant and most processed foods from snacks and soups to ready made meals have glutamate in them in some form or another. MSG has no nutritional value. Scientific studies have shown that food laced with the MSG cause people to eat more of it, and faster, than food without it.
"Corporations use this knowledge to sell their products. Their competition uses MSG, so they keep adding it in larger amounts to keep up with them," John Erb comments. The FDA has no limits on how much MSG can be added to foods, even though as little as two tablespoons of it has been shown to cause epileptic convulsions and death in animals such as dogs.
MSG is a highly reactive amino acid. It is used by scientists in studies to purposely cause death to areas of the brain and is fed to rodents to make a strain of obese and pre-diabetic test subjects. MSG is classified as a neurotoxin: too much of it introduced to the brain can cause rapid cell death. It is this kind of destruction that John Erb states is the cause of ADHD and Autism. He came to this conclusion after reviewing hundreds of medical journal articles detailing the ways in which glutamate affects organs such as the brain. According to John Erb, "When a woman becomes pregnant, the placental barrier is not fully formed in the first month of fetal development. The chemicals the mother eats can go directly to the developing child. The glutamate stimulates rapid growth in the brain, creating ADHD symptoms. Too much glutamate over-stimulates areas of the brain, resulting in neuronal cell death. This destruction to the neurons results in the symptoms categorized as Autism."
MSG is used in almost every institutional setting across the country. From hospitals to school cafeterias to elderly care facilities, MSG is being added to mass produced food to increase its palatability. Women are being exposed to a major toxin that can cause irreparable damage to their child even before they discover they are pregnant.
Shocked by his discovery, John Erb met with Dr. Thomas Ward, Nova Scotia's Deputy Minister of Health, a pediatrician who specialized in Neonatology. When Mr. Erb explained to Dr. Ward about the dangers of MSG, Dr. Ward replied, "I know how awful the stuff is, I would never touch it." When John Erb pressed the Deputy Health Minister to remove it from all food products, Dr. Ward said that it was an issue for the federal government, and suggested that Mr. Erb take his book The Slow Poisoning of America to the federal government and "Hit them over the head with it."
John Erb took his discovery to Dr. Susan Bryson, head of the Autism Research Center in Halifax, and one of the leading Autism scientists in Canada. She was amazed by his findings, and confirmed that current studies being done by the National Institute of Health show that the cause of Autism has been linked to a toxin invading the embryo's brain stem at as early as twenty days after conception. The NIH had not yet identified the toxin, but thanks to John Erb's discovery, they now know the direction in which to focus their research.
"The sooner people know that MSG can cause ADHD and Autism in their unborn children, the sooner they can take steps to avoid being another victim of the steadily increasing numbers of these disorders," John Erb states. Autism, unheard of before 1950, (MSG was introduced to the American diet in 1948) has now risen to epidemic proportions, with one in every 200 children born with the affliction.
"There may be a genetic component deciding who is stricken with ADHD and Autism, otherwise when you consider the rampant use of MSG in today's diet, every child would be born with either ADHD or Autism. But if the growth curve keeps going the way it has, it won't be long before this is the case."
MSG has been hidden in food ingredient lists as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast extract, soy protein isolate, and many other names. Every year, the amount of this substance hidden in foods rises astronomically. Just because the name MSG does not appear on the label, does not mean that the food does not contain the excitotoxin glutamate.
"People should demand that the food industry, both restaurants and food manufacturers, remove the added glutamate in all its forms from anything we ingest," John Erb states emphatically. "The fact that they add it to make us addicted to their food is appalling enough, but considering it is doing terrible damage to our children, for that there is no excuse. The sooner these corporations are held accountable for poisoning us, the sooner we can eradicate ADHD and Autism from the maternity wards across the nation.
"MSG
sprayed right on crops as they grow -- even fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetables used in baby food
"In the 1970s, reluctant food processors "voluntarily" took processed free glutamic acid (MSG) out of baby food. Today it's back, in fertilizers called "Omega Protein Refined/Hydrolyzed Fish Emulsion" and "Steam Hydrolyzed Feather Meal," both of which contain hydrolyzed proteins; and in a product called AuxiGro WP Plant Metabolic Primer (AuxiGro) produced by Emerald BioAgriculture (formerly Auxein Corporation). AuxiGro is being sprayed on some of the vegetables our children will eat, into the air our children must breath, and onto the ground from which it can move into drinking water. Head lettuce, leaf lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, and peanuts were among the first crops targeted. On September 12, 2000, the Auxein Corporation Web site gave the following information:
Crops registered include: Celery; Fresh Market Cucumbers; Edible Navy and Pinto Beans; Grapes; Bulb Onions; Bell, Green and Jalapeno Peppers; Iceberg Head Lettuce; Romaine and Butter Leaf Lettuce; Peanuts; Potatoes; Snap Beans; Strawberries; Processing Tomatoes; Fresh Tomatoes; and Watermelons.
"Today, there is no crop that we know of that has not been approved for treatment with MSG by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)."
For the rest of this article, click on -
http://truthinlabeling.org/msgsprayed.html
The Use Of Processed Free Glutamic Acid (MSG) In Vaccines.
I am very concerned about the use of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in
vaccines and infant formulas.
Let me begin by defining the term MSG.
The glutamate industry and companies, including pharmaceutical firms, that wish to use processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in their products, improperly claim that the term "MSG" only applies to the food ingredient "monosodium glutamate." They pretend not to realize that "monosodium glutamate" is nothing more than glutamic acid that has been freed from protein through a manufacturing process (processed free glutamic acid), salt (sodium), and moisture. It is the processed free glutamic acid that MSG-sensitive people react to, providing that they ingest amounts that exceed their tolerances for the substance. Consumers may react to processed free glutamic acid that is contained in any food ingredient or product, including AuxiGro, regardless of the name of the ingredient or product.
Because MSG-sensitive people may react to all ingredients and products that contain processed free glutamic acid, they refer to such ingredients and products as containing "MSG." In August, 1995, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted in a document entitled the "FDA Backgrounder" that consumers frequently refer to all [free] glutamic acid as "MSG." The "FDA Backgrounder" is still in use by the FDA and can likely be found on their Web site.
Based on peer reviewed studies, there is no question that glutamic acid is neurotoxic. This can be easily confirmed by accessing MEDLINE retrieval service for studies dating from 1966 to the present, using the words "glutamic acid" in combination with the words "brain lesions" and then "neurotoxicity." I would also suggest that you look up the words "learning disabilities," "obesity," "asthma," "tachycardia," and "seizures" in combination with the words "glutamic acid."
I would suggest that MEDLINE be accessed at a medical school library or at a major public library. It has been my experience that the MEDLINE retrieval systems available on Internet, are not complete.
There is also no question that the young are most at risk from MSG. To confirm this, you might start by reviewing the work of John W. Olney, MD. and look up the words "glutamic acid" in combination with the words "blood brain barrier" and "placental barrier." You will learn that the blood brain barrier is not fully developed in the young to protect against toxins that enter the blood, and that glutamic acid can also penetrate the placental barrier.
Disregarding the blood brain barrier and the placental barrier issues, the literature clearly indicates that, based on the amount of MSG used in the 1970s, over 25% of the population react to MSG. You might check the studies by Reif-Lehrer and a study by Kenney and Tidball. A later glutamate industry funded study by Kerr, et al. attempts to discredit the above stated studies by narrowly defining what an MSG reaction is. A careful reading of the Kerr et al. study will disclose that 43% of the respondents in the study reacted to MSG with reactions that we now recognize as possible MSG reactions.
Although we have not reviewed all vaccines used on infants, we have found one or two sources of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in those that we have information on. In discussion with a retired executive of a company that produces vaccines, he suggested to me that all viral vaccines would have free glutamic acid, used to feed the live virus. The glutamic acid in vaccines are often described as "stabilizers," i.e., ingredients to keep the virus alive. We describe them as a hidden source of processed free glutamic acid (MSG).
An example for you would be the Chickenpox Vaccine by VariVax -- Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck). This vaccine includes "L-monosodium glutamate" and "hydrolyzed gelatin."
Another example would be Merck's M-M-R vaccine. The product insert states that the growth medium for measles and mumps includes "amino acids" and "glutamate." It is also stated that the medium for rubella included "amino acids" and "hydrolyzed gelatin." Finally, it states that the "reconstituted vaccine" for subcutaneous administration includes hydrolyzed gelatin.
We have no way of knowing which amino acids are used in Merck's vaccines, but we do know that the amino acids "glutamic acid," "aspartic acid," and "L-cysteine" are neurotoxic. We also know that any hydrolyzed protein, such as the hydrolyzed gelatin will contain some processed free glutamic acid (MSG), some aspartic acid, and some L-cysteine, all considered to be neurotoxic by neuroscientists. Even without hydrolyzing gelatin, gelatin contains over 11% processed free glutamic acid (MSG) and some aspartic acid and L-cysteine. It is present as a result of the manufacturing process that results in gelatin.
The product insert for M-M-R vaccine by Merck provides a contraindication that states, in part: "Hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine, including gelatin." It is footnoted to the following reference: Kelso, J.M.; Jones, R.T.; Yunginger, J.'W.: Anaphylaxis to measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine mediated by IgE to gelatin, J. Aller. Clin. Immunol.. 91: 867-872, 1993.
I cannot help but wonder if at least some of the subjects in the study of Kelso, et al. reacted to gelatin. Most reactions to processed free glutamic acid (MSG), as contained in gelatin, are not IgE mediated. They are best described as a sensitivity to a toxic substance.
If you wish to determine more about Merck vaccines, I would suggest you call their National Service Center at (800) NSC-MERCK. Do not ask about the presence of "MSG" in vaccines. Rather, ask about the presence of "free glutamic acid." You will have a better chance of getting a reliable answer.
Merck does not produce DPT vaccine, and I have not yet received my confirmation that the product includes processed free glutamic acid (MSG). I am, however, told by others that it does. If you wish, when I receive confirmation of the ingredients that are in DPT vaccine, I will let you know.
Not long ago, a vaccine for Rotavirus came to market. The product, which contained some processed free glutamic acid (MSG), carried a warning in the product insert that it not be used for individuals who had a hypersensitivity to MSG. Shortly after the Rotavirus came to market, it was found that the vaccine resulted in digestive blockages, and the product was withdrawn from the market.
Finally, it is noted that the vaccines that we have reviewed contain one or more "phosphates." Based on my experiences as an MSG-sensitive individual with little tolerance for MSG, and reports from other MSG-sensitive people with little tolerance for the substance, phosphates can cause an MSG-type reaction. Although we find no data in the literature to explain such reactions, we believe that the reactions are related to the fact that phosphates use up calcium and magnesium, minerals that are involved in the metabolism of glutamic acid.
One last comment regarding the exposure of infants to processed free glutamic acid (MSG): the presence of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in infant formulas. We have found that major brands of infant formula, if not all infant formulas, contain some processed free glutamic acid (MSG). The hypoallergenic soy formulas contain very high levels of MSG. See www.truthinlabelingorg/formulacopy.html for further detail. It might be worthwhile for someone to do a study of people who were raised on hypoallergenic formulas to determine if they have experienced a higher incidence of obesity, learning disabilities, and/or ADHD, in childhood and/or endocrine disorders later in life, as compared with people who were breast fed, and then as compared with people who were raised on milk based infant formulas.
If I can be of any further help to anyone on this important subject, they should not hesitate to write or call. If anyone receives a list of ingredients from vaccine producers, I would be pleased to go over the ingredients and advise them of the ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG).
Jack Samuels
adandjack@aol.com
(858) 481-9333
MSG - Slowly
Poisoning America
Author Unknown
5-1-04
I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive obesity epidemic, so did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research assistant at the University of Waterloo, and spent years working for the government. He made an amazing discovery while going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called The Slow Poisoning of America. In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies.
No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so the scientists have to create them. They make these morbidly obese creatures by injecting them with a chemical when they are first born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats (and humans?) to become obese They even have a title for the race of fat rodents they create: "MSG-Treated Rats" .
MSG?
I was shocked too. I went to my kitchen, checking the cupboards and the fridge. MSG was in everything! The Campbell's soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavored potato chips, Top Ramen, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen prepared meals, Kraft salad dressings, especially the 'healthy low fat' ones. The items that didn't have MSG had something called Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, which is just another name for Monosodium Glutamate. It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our children everyday are filled with this stuff. They hide MSG under many different names in order to fool those who catch on.
But it didn't stop there. When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants what menu items had MSG. Many employees, even the managers, swore they didn't use MSG. But when we ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly provided, sure enough MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere. Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's, Taco Bell, every restaurant, even the sit down ones like TGIF, Chilis', Applebees and Denny's use MSG in abundance. Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender: MSG was in every chicken dish, salad dressing and gravy. No wonder I loved to eat that coating on the skin, their secret spice was MSG!
So why is MSG in so may of the foods we eat? Is it a preservative or a vitamin? Not according to my friend John. In the book he wrote, an expose of the food additive industry called The Slow Poisoning of America, (www.spofamerica.com ), he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive effect it has on the human body. Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby group supporting MSG at http://www.msgfacts.com/facts/msgfact12.html explains that the reason they add it to food is to make people eat more. A study of elderly people showed that people eat more of the foods that it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobby group says eating more benefits the elderly, but what does it do to the rest of us?
'Betcha can't eat just one', takes on a whole new meaning where MSG is concerned!
And we wonder why the nation is overweight? The MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn't added.
Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive substance: NICOTINE for FOOD!
Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the prepackaged meals, soups, snacks and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday. The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food. They claim it's safe to eat in any amount. How can they claim it is safe when there are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these?
The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study of exercise in obesity. Gobatto CA, Mello MA, Souza CT, Ribeiro IA. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002
Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats. Guimaraes RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori RC, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro Brain Res Bull. 2002 Aug Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats: an animal model of multiple risk factors. Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, Ichikawa K, Shinohara N, Yoshinari Fujishima Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar
Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in suckling period and subsequent development of obesity. Tanaka K, Shimada M, Nakao K, Kusunoki Exp Neurol. 1978 Oct Yes, that last study was not a typo, it WAS written in 1978. Both the medical research community and food "manufaturers" have known MSG's side effects for decades!
Many more studies mentioned in John Erb's book link MSG to Diabetes, Migraines and headaches, Autism, ADHD and even Alzheimer's. But what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping fattening and addictive MSG into our food supply and causing the obesity epidemic we now see? Even as you read this, George W. Bush and his corporate supporters are pushing a Bill through Congress. Called the "Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act" also known as the "Cheeseburger Bill", this sweeping law bans anyone from suing food manufacturers, sellers and distributors. Even if it comes out that they purposely added an addictive chemical to their foods. Read about it for yourself at: http://www.yahoo.com.http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?
tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040311/ap_on_go_co/obesity_lawsuits_4
The Bill has already been rushed through the House of Representatives, and is due for the same rubber stamp at Senate level. It is important that Bush and his corporate supporters get it through before the media lets everyone know about MSG, the intentional Nicotine for food. Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of the highest government health officials in Canada. While sitting in the Government office, the official told him "Sure I know how bad MSG is, I wouldn't touch the stuff!" But this top level government official refused to tell the public what he knew. The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing legal issues with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on the fast food industry may hurt their profit margin.
So what do we do?
The food producers and restaurants have been addicting us to their products for years, and now we are paying the price for it. Our children should not be cursed with obesity caused by an addictive food additive. But what can I do about it? I'm just one voice, what can I do to stop the poisoning of our children, while guys like Bush are insuring financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us.
I for one am doing something about it.
I am sending this email out to everyone I know in an attempt to show you the truth that the corporate owned politicians and media won't tell you. The best way you can help save yourself and your children from this drug-induced epidemic, is to forward this email to everyone. With any luck, it will circle the globe before Bush can pass the Bill protecting those who poisoned us. The food industry learned a lot from the tobacco industry. Imagine if big tobacco had a bill like this in place before someone blew the whistle on Nicotine?
Blow the whistle on MSG.
If you are one of the few who can still believe that MSG is good for us, and you don't believe what John Erb has to say, see for yourself. Go to the National Library of Medicine, at www.pubmed.com http://www.pubmed.com . Type in the words "MSG Obese", and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear. We do not want to be rats in one giant experiment, and we do not approve of food that makes us into a nation of obese, lethargic, addicted sheep, waiting for the slaughter. With your help we can put an end to this, and stop the Slow Poisoning of America. Let's save our children
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/FluoridePoisoning/message/1908
Hidden Sources Of MSG In Foods
From the book 'Excitotoxins - The Taste That Kills'
By Dr. Russell Blaylock, MD
3-6-3
What if someone were to tell you that a chemical (MSG) added to food could cause brain damage in your children, and that this chemical could effect how your children's nervous systems formed during development so that in later years they may have learning or emotional difficulties?
What if there was scientific evidence that these chemicals could permanently damage a critical part of the brain known to control hormones so that later in life your child might have endocrine problems? How would you feel?
Suppose evidence was presented to you strongly suggesting that the artificial sweetener in your diet soft drink may cause brain tumors to develop, and that the number of brain tumors reported since the introduction of this widespread introduction of this artificial sweetener has risen dramatically? Would that affect your decision to drink these products and especially to allow your children to drink them? What if you could be shown overwhelming evidence that one of the main ingredients in this sweetener (aspartate) could cause the same brain lesions as MSG? Would that affect your buying decisions?
And finally, what if it could be demonstrated that all of these types of chemicals, called excitotoxins, could possibly aggravate or even precipitate many of today's epidemic neurodegenerative brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, ALS, and Alzheimer's disease? Would you be concerned if you knew that these excitotoxin food additives are a particular risk if you have diabetes, or have ever had a stroke, brain injury, brain tumor, seizure, or have suffered from hypertension, meningitis, or viral encephalitis?
Would you also be upset to learn that many of the brain lesions caused by these products in your children are irreversible and can result from a SINGLE exposure of these products in sufficient concentration?
How would you feel when you learn the food industry hides and disguises these excitotoxin additives (MSG and Aspartate) so they can't be recognized? Incredulous? Enraged? The fact is many foods are labeled as having "No MSG" but in fact not only contain MSG but also are laced with other excitotoxins of equal potency and danger. All of the above are true. And all of these well known brain toxins are poured into our food and drink by the thousands of tons to boost sales. These additives have NO OTHER purpose other than to enhance to TASTE of food and the SWEETNESS of various diet products.
Hidden Sources Of MSG
As discussed previously, the glutamate (MSG) manufacturers and the processed food industries are always on a quest to disguise the MSG added to food. Below is a partial list of the most common names for disguised MSG. Remember also that the powerful excitotoxins, aspartate and L-cystine, are frequently added to foods and according to FDA rules require NO LABELING AT ALL.
* Food Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG *
Monosodium Glutamate
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Protein
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
Plant Protein Extract
Sodium Caseinate
Calcium Caseinate
Yeast Extract
Textured Protein (Including TVP)
Autolyzed Yeast
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
Corn Oil
* Food Additives That FREQUENTLY Contain MSG *
Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Bouillon
Broth
Stock
Flavoring
Natural Flavors/Flavoring
Natural Beef Or Chicken Flavoring
Seasoning
Spices
* Food Additives That MAY Contain MSG Or Excitotoxins *
Carrageenan
Enzymes
Soy Protein Concentrate
Soy Protein Isolate
Whey Protein Concentrate
Also: Protease Enzymes of various sources can release excitotoxin amino acids from food proteins.
Aspartame - An Intense Source Of Excitotoxins
Aspartame is a sweetener made from two amino acids, phenylalanine and the excitotoxin aspartate. It should be avoided at all costs. Aspartame complaints accounts for approximately 70% of ALL complaints to the FDA. It is implicated in everything from blindness to headaches to convulsions. Sold under dozens of brand names such as NutraSweet and Equal, aspartame breaks down within 20 minutes at room temperature into several primary toxic and dangerous ingredients:
1. DKP (diketopiperazine) (When ingested, converts to a near duplicate of
a powerful brain tumor causing agent)
2. Formic Acid (ant venom)
3. Formaldehyde (embalming fluid)
4. Methanol (causes blindness...extremely dangerous substance)
Common Examples:
Diet soft drinks, sugar free gums, sugar free Kool Aid, Crystal Light, childrens' medications, and thousands of other products claiming to be 'low calorie', 'diet', or 'sugar free'.
A Final Note...
Dr. Blaylock recounted a meeting with a senior executive in the food additive industry who told him point blank that these excitotoxins are going to be in our food no matter how many name changes are necessary...
Polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin promotes sensitization of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors via post-synaptic density 95.
Sun Y, Savanenin A, Reddy PH, Liu YF.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, 715 Albany St., Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Increased glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (Tabrizi, S. J., Cleeter, M. W., Xuereb, J., Taaman, J. W., Cooper, J. M., and Schapira, A. H. (1999) Ann. Neurol. 45, 25-32). However, how polyglutamine expansion in huntingtin promotes glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity remains a mystery. In this study we provide evidence that (i) normal huntingtin is associated with N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate receptors via postsynaptic density 95 (PSD-95), (ii) the SH3 domain of PSD-95 mediates its binding to huntingtin, and (iii) polyglutamine expansion interferes with the ability of huntingtin to interact with PSD-95. The expression of polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin causes sensitization of NMDA receptors and promotes neuronal apoptosis induced by glutamate. The addition of the NMDA receptor antagonist significantly attenuates neuronal toxicity induced by glutamate and polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin. The overexpression of normal huntingtin significantly inhibits neuronal toxicity mediated by NMDA or kainate receptors. Our results demonstrate that polyglutamine expansion impairs the ability of huntingtin to bind PSD-95 and inhibits glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. These changes may be essential for the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease.
PMID: 11319238 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
MSG - used in Coffee - (read this for sure) please read this. It is startling!!
Food additive "MSG" is a Slow Poison. Slow Poisoning MSG hides behind 25 or more names, such as "Natural Flavouring".
MSG is also in your favourite Tim Horton's and other brand coffee shops! Pass this on to those who still may be unaware or disbelieving of the dangers of MSG. I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive obesity epidemic, so did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research assistant at the University of Waterloo in Ontario , Canada , and spent years working for the government. He made an amazing discovery while going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called "The Slow Poisoning of America ". In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies.
No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so the scientists have to create them. They make these morbidly obese creatures by injecting them with MSG when they are first born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates; causing rats (and humans?) to become obese. They even have a title for the fat rodents they create: "MSG-Treated Rats".
I was shocked too. I went to my kitchen, checking the cupboards and the fridge. MSG was in everything! The Campbell's soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavoured potato chips, Top Ramen, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen prepared meals, Kraft salad dressings, especially the 'healthy low fat' ones. The items that didn't have MSG marked on the product label had something called ''Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein'', which is just another name for Monosodium Glutamate. It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our children everyday are filled with this stuff. They hide MSG under many different names in order to fool those who carefully read the ingredient list, so they don't catch on. (Other names for MSG: 'Accent' - 'Aginomoto' - 'Natural Meet Tenderizer' etc) But it didn't stop there.
When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants what menu items had MSG. Many employees, even the managers, swore they didn't use MSG. But when we ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly provided, sure enough MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere. Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's, Taco Bell, every restaurant, even the sit down ones like TGIF, Chilis', Applebees and Denny's use MSG in abundance. Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender: MSG was in every chicken dish, salad dressing and gravy. No wonder I loved to eat that coating on the skin, their secret spice was MSG!
So why is MSG in so may of the foods we eat?.. Is it a preservative or a vitamin??
Not according to my friend John. In the book he wrote, an expose of the food additive industry called "The Slow Poisoning of America " he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive effect it has on the human body.
http://www.spofamerica.com/ Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby group supporting MSG at:
http://www.msgfactscom/facts/msgfact12.html explains that the reason they add it to food is to make people eat more. A study of the elderly showed that people eat more of the foods that it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobby group says eating more benefits the elderly, but what does it do to the rest of us? 'Betcha can't eat just one', takes on a whole new meaning where MSG is concerned! And we wonder why the nation is overweight?
The MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn't added.
Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive substance! Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the pre-packaged meals, soups, snacks and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday. The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food.
They claim it's safe to eat in any amount. How can they claim it safe when there are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these? :- The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study of exercise in obesity'. Gobatto CA , Mello MA, Souza CT , Ribeiro IA.Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002.
Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats'. Guimaraes RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori C, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro Brain Res Bull. 2002 Aug.
Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats: an animal model of multiple risk factors'.
Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, Ichikawa K, Shinohara N, Yoshinari Fujishima Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar.
Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in suckling period and subsequent development of obesity'. Tanaka K, Shimada M, Nakao K, Kusunoki Exp Neurol. 1978 Oct.
Yes, that last study was not a typo, it WAS written in 1978.
Both the "medical research community" and "food manufacturers" have known about MSG's side effects for decades! Many more studies mentioned in John Erb's book link MSG to Diabetes, Migraines and headaches, Autism, ADHD and even Alzheimer's. But what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping fattening and addictive MSG into our food supply and causing the obesity epidemic we now see?
Even as you read this, G. W. Bush and his corporate supporters are pushing a Bill through Congress called the "Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act" also known as the "Cheeseburger Bill", this sweeping law bans anyone from suing food manufacturers, sellers and distributors. Even if it comes out that they purposely added an addictive chemical to their foods. Read about it for yourself at:
http://www.yahoo.com/. The Bill has already been rushed through the House of Representatives, and is due for the same rubber stamp at Senate level.
It is important that Bush and his corporate supporters get it through before the media lets everyone know about 'MSG, the intentional Nicotine for food'.
Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of the highest government health officials in Canada . While sitting in the Government office, the official told him "Sure I know how bad MSG is, I wouldn't touch the stuff!" But this top level government official refused to tell the public what he knew.
The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing legal issues with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on fast food industry may hurt their profit margin. The food producers and restaurants have been addicting us to their products for years, and now we are paying the price for it. Our children should not be cursed with obesity caused by an addictive food additive. But what can I do about it?... I'm just one voice!
What can I do to stop the poisoning of our children, while our governments are insuring financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us!
This e-mail is going out to everyone I know in an attempt to tell you the truth that the corporate owned politicians and media won't tell you.
The best way you can help to save yourself and your children from this drug-induced epidemic, is to forward this email to everyone. With any luck, it will circle the globe before politicians can pass the legislation protecting those who are poisoning us. The food industry learned a lot from the tobacco industry. Imagine if big tobacco had a bill like this in place before someone blew the whistle on Nicotine?
If you are one of the few who can still believe that MSG is good for us, and you don't believe what John Erb has to say, see for yourself. Go to the National Library of Medicine, at http://www.pubmed.com/. Type in the words "MSG Obese" and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear.
We the public, do not want to be rats in one giant experiment and we do not approve of food that makes us into a nation of obese, lethargic, addicted sheep, feeding the food industry's bottom line, while waiting for the heart transplant, diabetic induced amputation, blindness or other obesity induced, life threatening disorders. With your help we can put an end to this poison. Do your part in sending this message out by word of mouth, e-mail or by distribution of this print-out to all your friends all over the world and stop this 'Slow Poisoning of Mankind' by the packaged food industry.\
Blowing the whistle on MSG is our responsibility, get the word out.
Monosodium Glutamate Used as a Stabilizer in Vaccines
http://www.thevaccinereaction.org/2016/06/monosodium-glutamate-used-as-a-stabilizer-in-vaccines/
by Rishma Parpia
Published June 16, 2016
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- MSG, a taste-enhancing food additive, is also an ingredient in five vaccines recommended by the CDC.
- MSG is used as a stabilizer in vaccines.
- Studies have shown that MSG can injure brain neurons.
MSG is also an ingredient in vaccines.
To be able to make fully informed decisions regarding vaccination for you or your child, it is essential to evaluate what is and is not known about vaccine ingredients and their short and long term effects on the human body.
What is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)?
Monosodium glutamate, also known as monosodium salt, monohydrate and L- monosodium glutamate, is the sodium salt of a common amino acid known as glutamic acid (glutamate).1 2 Glutamic acid is naturally present in our bodies and occurs naturally many foods such as tomatoes and cheeses.2
Glutamate is one of several amino acids linked into the chains of protein in the body.3 In the body, some amino acids are free to float around by themselves while others are linked into proteins to perform vital functions.3 For instance, some amino acids serve as neurotransmitters carrying nerve cell impulses throughout the body; they act as chemical messengers relaying news from one nerve cell to another.3
Glutamate is one such neurotransmitter that carries messages throughout the brain triggering nerve cells to fire. Other neurotransmitters such as gamma amino butyric acid then communicate with the firing nerve cells signaling them to cease firing when necessary, thus creating an important balance.3 In the presence of excess glutamate, this balance tips due to overstimulation of nerve cells and causes them to die.3
The Role of MSG in Vaccines
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vaccine Excipient and Media Summary lists five vaccines that contain monosodium glutamate:
- Adenovirus
- Influenza (FluMist) Quadrivalent
- MMRV (ProQuad)
- Varicella (Varivax)
- Zoster (Shingles–Zostavax)4
MSG is used as a stabilizer in vaccines. Stabilizers are added to vaccines to help the vaccine remain unchanged when it is exposed to heat, light, acidity or humidity.5
MSG: An Excitotoxin Like Aspartame
Russell Blaylock, MD, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills has extensively studied the effects of MSG on the brain.6 He identifies MSG an excitotoxin. Excitotoxins are food and taste-enhancing chemicals found in many food products.
Aside from MSG, other excitotoxins include hydrolyzed vegetable protein, aspartame (a food sweetener sold on the market as NutraSweet) and cysteine.6 Excitotoxins overstimulate certain neurons in the brain causing them to continue firing until they tire themselves and die.6
This overexcitement of neurons can cause brain damage of varying degrees and can potentially trigger degenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s, all of which develop gradually.6
Several studies have shown the link between MSG consumption and severe headaches as a side effect.7 8 A 2009 study published in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine used dissociated mouse neuronal culture and cell injury assays to determine whether relevant concentrations of MSG induce cell swelling or death.9 The study explains the mechanism behind MSG induced headaches that affect many people who have low tolerance to MSG. The authors state:
Using neuronal culture technique and cell injury assay, we studied the effect of MSG on mouse cortical neurons, a commonly used in vitro preparation for cell injury studies. We demonstrated that incubation with MSG, at clinical relevant concentrations, induced swelling and injury of mature neurons. This finding may partially explain the headache induced by MSG intake.9
They go on to explain:
Glutamate is an endogenous neurotransmitter required for a variety of physiological functions of neurons. Increased release of endogenous glutamate has been suggested to play an important role in neuronal injury associated with a number of neurological disorders.9
The Verdict on MSG
It is clear that there are unanswered questions about the safety of MSG, not only as a food additive, but also as a vaccine ingredient.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), MSG is a “naturally occurring” substance since its basic ingredients are found in natures.2 It is critical to realize here that “naturally occurring” does not mean that the food additive being consumed is in its natural form. It only means that the manufacturing process began with something found in nature but the question is: Does that make it safe for consumption or injection?
Although the FDA labeled MSG as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) in 1959, since then it has acknowledged the existence of short-term reactions to MSG.2 These include numbness, headaches, fatigue, disorientation and heart palpitations that some people who have low tolerance to MSG may experience after eating foods containing MSG.2
Similar to most vaccine ingredients that have not been tested separately for safety, the long term cumulative effects of injecting MSG into the body and how it interacts with other chemicals and ingredients in vaccines is not known. What is known is that MSG is an excitotoxin that can cause neurons to die. Until adequate testing is done, the verdict on using MSG in vaccines is unsettled.
References:
1 U.S. National Library of Medicine. Toxicology Database Network: Monosodium Glutamate. National Institutes of Health.
2 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers on Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Nov. 19, 2012.
3 MSG Truth. What Exactly Is MSG? MsgTruth.org Feb. 19, 2016.
4 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccine Excipient and Media Summary. CDC.gov February 2015.
5 CDC. Ingredients of Vaccines – Fact Sheet. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Feb. 22, 2011.
6 Blaylock R. Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills. Albuquerque, NM: Health Press 1997.
7 Yang WH, Drouin MA, Herbert M, Mao Y, Karsh J. The monosodium glutamate symptom complex: assessment in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 1997; 99(6 Pt 1): 757-762.
8 Schaumburg HH, Byck R, Gerstl R, Mashman JH. Monosodium L-glutamate: its pharmacology and role in the Chinese restaurant syndrome. Science 1969; 163(869): 826-828.
9 Xiong J, Branigan D, Li M. Deciphering the MSG Controversy. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine 2009; 2: 329 -333.
