If one was to conclude that MSG exacerbates or causes certain diseases based on their connection to glutamate in the body, one would also expect:
The incidence of those diseases to increase with the dramatic increase in the consumption of MSG.
An additional rise associated with the approval and increased use of aspartame (especially since the early 1990's when the patent expired), which the human body can easily convert to glutamate, and which acts on many of the same receptors (NMDA, etc...)
That being said, there is actually a dramatic correlation. Consider:
According to the following link, there has been a 500% increase in the number of prescriptions written for ADHD since 1991:
In Britain A.L.S. deaths were 4 times higher in the year 2000 than in 1952, with a dramatic increase just in last decade. See the chart on this next link:
http://www.vs.gov.bc.ca/stats/quarter/q2_01/xl/chart1.xls
Gulf War veterans who were fed MSG in their army rations have developed ALS in numbers that are alarming those in charge. Veterans of Desert Storm are twice as likely to develop ALS than veterans not in Desert Storm. MSG was only added to rations AFTER WWII and its use has steadily increased in rations AND in American junk food until very recently, when it was removed from the MRE rations. Veterans of any wars prior to and including WWII would not have been fed MSG in their rations. In addition, many US Army members in the Gulf were subjected to many new vaccines - which have free glutamic acid (the business end of MSG) as an additive.
(Joyce Riley, a former Air Force nurse in Desert Storm who came down with Gulf War illness suspects vaccines played a significant role in her bout of Gulf War Illness. Based on the amount of free glutamic acid present in vaccines today and their suspect role in the rise of autism, vaccines, and their ingredients - besides just mercury - should be investigated further. We agree.)
According to Scientific American, June 2000, pg 30 "Asthma Worldwide", asthma was rare in 1900. Now it is considered epidemic. It kills 5,000 Americans yearly, and 180,000 worldwide according to to the World Health Organization. Asthma is now the most common childhood chronic disease...
The rise in asthma was 42% in the US from 1982 – 1992. The death rate rose 40% from 1982-1991.
Mortality rates for atrial fibrillation have almost doubled in England and Wales since 1993 according to this link:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/hsq0201.pdf
Autism increase is possibly linked to MMR vaccines (which can contain free glutamate as gelatin) according to these articles based on autism rates in Scotland climbing 18% in just one year. Note also that dramatic increases are also being found in the US as well as Britain, with a particularly large jump just in the last decade:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/2224126.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/2232111.stm
http://www.sundayherald.com/21347
http://www.vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/March2002/ExpertSaysMMRWillBeProved.htm
In Canada from 1995- 2000 visits to doctors for depression rose 36% in just 6 years. Also, since 1996 prescriptions to treat depression increased 63%.
China, a large consumer of MSG, accounts for 42% of all suicides in the world.
According to this recent article, 250,000 people commit suicide in China each year. Suicide and depression among China's youth is becoming a serious public health issue in China.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200609130358.htmAccording to the following link suicides have increased - especially in the age groups of those who consume large amounts of MSG in fast foods:
Note: "Persons under age 25 accounted for 15% of all suicides in 1998. From 1952-1995, the incidence of suicide among adolescents and young adults nearly tripled. From 1980-1997, the rate of suicide among persons aged 15-19 years increased by 11% and among persons aged 10-14 years by 109%. From 1980-1996, the rate increased 105% for African-American males aged 15-19."
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/suifacts.htm
Over 80% of people studied with Type 1 diabetes have antibodies against glutamic acid debarboxylase (GAD) . GAD is the enzyme the body uses to turn glutamic acid, (glutamate) into gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). The theory is that the cells of the pancreas and consequently, the body's ability to produce insulin, are attacked by the immune system because GAD is found on the outside of pancreatic cells. The body starts attacking GAD but in the process may destroy pancreatic cells as well.
According to WebMD, "There has been a 10-fold increase in the number of children with Type 2 diabetes during the past five years." (Italics ours.) And over 85% of these children are also obese.
According to ABCNews August 24, 2004:
"Nearly a third of American adults have high blood pressure ... Just over a decade ago, closer to one in four Americans had high blood pressure, and two decades ago the rate actually was declining. ... About 65 million American adults now have high blood pressure 30 percent more than the 50 million who did in the previous decade, according to a report published Monday in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association."
Experts state that athlete heat stroke deaths are rising:
A study from the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research indicates that just five players died from heat between 1931-1959. From 1960-2000, the number jumped to 103, including 18 in the past six years
In the US there has been a 60% increase in chronic migraine headaches from 1980 – 1989 according to this link:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001982.htm
The rise in myopia in Asian populations is causing much concern according to the following links:
50% of teenagers in China today are nearsighted compared to 15% in the 1970’s:
http://www.chinatoday.com/data/data.htmMyopia increase in Singapore:
http://www1.moe.edu.sg/speeches/2001/sp24082001.htmHigher rates of myopia in Asians:
http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/Document/HTML/Volume2/28Vision.htm
According to research published in the Dec. 12 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, "From 1986 to 1998, the number of non-Hispanic white children who were overweight doubled from 6% to 12%. The research suggests that roughly one in five African-American and Hispanic children are overweight -- a startling 120% increase during the 12-year study period." (Italics ours.)
And, according to the following link, obesity among young people in China is growing quickly. The Chinese consume large amounts of MSG and do not consume as many other foods that may counteract it, as the Japanese do (taurine-containing raw fish, and meat). The latest studies in rural China found that those who ate more MSG than others were several times more likely to be obese. This was INDEPENDENT of caloric intake or activity.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/11/02/china.obesity/
According to the following BBC report, from 1985 to 2000, the number of overweight and obese children in China has jumped 28-fold.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5261946.stmIn Spain, researchers have found that MSG, when given to mice increased their appetite 40%.
http://www.euroresidentes.com/Blogs/2005/12/scientists-in-spain-link-additive-to.htm
According to the following link: "Dr. Allen states that between 1971 and 1990 the incidence of hearing problems increased by 26 percent among persons aged 45 to 64, and by 17 percent among those aged 18 to 44."
http://www.drkoop.com/news/focus/august/hearing1.html
©2002 MSG Truth
