MSG Allergies

For many years, MSG or monosodium glutamate has served our kitchen as an all-around seasoning working to improve the world’s dining experience. Yet regrettably, it has suffered a bad reputation because of several health concerns associated with it.

A common misconception is the so-called “MSG allergy” that many people claim to experience after eating food that contains this food additive which is very popular among Chinese and other Asian dishes, gaining its nickname, the Chinese restaurant syndrome.

Since then, this adverse effect has been the subject of many debates among medical professionals due to a failure to establish a clear relationship between MSG usage and the development of the reactions. Although several studies have been performed to attest to the veracity of MSG allergy, the consistency of the responses remains an issue. For this reason, the FDA or any governing body has not issued any warning against consuming food products containing monosodium glutamate.

But despite this, many are drawn to believe that this is certainly an allergy to MSG. In fact, maybe you yourself are among those who adamantly adhere to a No-MSG diet. Because of this, countless restaurants and food establishments have joined the bandwagon against MSG and are claiming that they have “no MSG” in their dishes or other products.

So what is the reality behind the sensitivity reactions following the ingestion of MSG-laden foods?

To set the record straight, it is essential for one to know that what causes allergic reactions in people.

MSG Facts

Milk, tree nuts, peanuts, seafood, shellfish, soy, wheat and eggs are only few among the many substances that can cause food allergies. A common factor between these allergens is that they are primarily made up of protein. While MSG is a form of glutamate, an amino acid which is found in protein, it is non-bound which makes it not exactly a protein. If glutamate were the cause of untoward reactions, we must have experienced such as there are several common food products that have high quantities of free glutamate in them such as mushrooms, seafood, cheese, and meat.

There have been quite a number of studies that were conducted to prove or disprove MSG sensitivity. In a study conducted in 1986, individuals who claim to be sensitive to MSG were challenged to participate in a double-blind placebo study. Of the six participants, only two have reported untoward effects after MSG and placebo ingestion such as tingling sensation, warm feeling behind the ears, and tightness of the face.

Furthermore, in 2001, another study led by a renowned American Immunologist, together with a team of researchers from distinguished universities in the United States have concluded that MSG does not cause the allergic reactions due to the inadequacy of the adverse effects from MSG. The responses were also inconsistent.

Ultimately, on May 2009, the medical journal of Clinical and Experimental Allergy made a review on monosodium glutamate on the alleged issue of causing allergies such as asthma and rhinitis. They have concluded that while the ingestion of large amount of MSG without food can elicit symptoms of sensitivity, as a food-additive, it does not increase the risk of developing allergic reactions.

No MSG

We commonly encounter food establishments claiming to serve food without MSG. The fact is, even though these restaurants do not actively include commercial MSG (e.g. Ajinomoto, Vetsin, and Accent) in the preparation of their products, there is a high likelihood that some products and seasonings are also made from MSG. MSG can also be hidden under the following names: hydrolyzed protein, yeast extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, bouillon, broth, and natural flavouring.

There are naturally-occurring glutamates in cheese, marmite, ripe tomato, eggs, peas and many others. So, in our entire life, almost all of us must have been exposed to MSG even at least once.

Sensitivity, Allergy, and Intolerance

Despite these, if you feel any untoward reaction such as a warm sensation in the face and neck, flushing, numbness, tingling, chest palpitations, rhinitis, nausea and vomiting, and wheezing, consult your physician for immediate management. These symptoms may show a few minutes to an hour after ingestion of food containing monosodium glutamate. Although the condition is rare, the reaction may vary among individuals. These “allergic” reactions may even be more severe if MSG is taken in high doses on an empty stomach.

To verify your condition, your physician will establish whether what kind of food sensitivity or allergy you have. Should there be an association with your condition to MSG ingestion, then you should start taking measures against the eating food that is prepared using this seasoning.