[August]

The hypothalamus of the brain uses glutamate as a neurotransmitter -it has many receptors for glutamate. The hypothalamus is not protected from MSG by the blood brain barrier, since it must monitor levels of substances in the blood, and react accordingly.

Scientists often joke that the hypothalamus is responsible for the 4 f's: feeding, fighting, fleeing, and mating. So it is the part of the brain responsible for the "Fight or Flight" reflex. The main purpose for food scientists using it in their products is to stimulate your hunger. Unfortunately, the hypothalamus also regulates panic and rage as well as directing the entire endocrine system by directing the pituitary or "master gland".

More info on the hypothalamus, and rage:

Biol 2401 Anatomy

http://www.cnl.salk.edu/~fellous/pubs/emo.pdf

Based on the fact that MSG has been proven to overstimulate cells in the hypothalamus until they actually died, and that the hypothalamus regulates rage and fear as well as hunger and body temperature, it might be in our best interest to look more closely at what violent teenagers have been eating these days.

[August]

Type 1 Diabetes

In the search to understand the mechanisms of diabetes because of its unprecedented rise in children, it was learned that roughly 85% of those studied with Type 1 diabetes had antibodies against glutamic acid debarboxylase (GAD) . GAD is an enzyme the body uses to turn glutamic acid, (glutamate) into gamma amino butyric acid (GABA).

NEJM -- Autoantibodies to GABA-ergic neurons and pancreatic beta cells in stiff-man syndrome

http://www.ohiohealth.com/healthrefe...gory=questions

http://www.diabetes123.com/dictionary/g.htm

Ingesting MSG may present the patient with an excess of glutamate, which the body has trouble converting because the immune system is attacking the very mechanism the body uses to metabolize excess glutamate. These people already have an excess of an amino acid the body can make - they do not need additional free glutamate in their diet.

Why should MSG matter to a diabetic?

MSG causes a very large insulin response after it is ingested since there are glutamate receptors in the pancreas.

Annette Kirchgessner

Type 2 Diabetes

It was also learned that 85% of children with Type 2 diabetes also suffer from obesity:

See our page on MSG and Obesity

Taurine

Taurine is now being investigated as a treatment for diabetes per this link:

http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/neu...9612.19PM.html

We will have soon give taurine its own special page on this site. Taurine keeps appearing in the research regarding diseases affected by MSG such as epilepsy, vision, atrial fibrillation, and blood pressure, etc, etc...) Glutamate uses the same transport system as cysteine, taurine's metabolic precursor, hence glutamate competes for uptake with the amino acid the body uses to make taurine. This could result in MSG overload causing taurine deficiency. It is interesting to note that MSG Symptom complex shares many of the symptoms of taurine deficiency.

Blood Pressure MSG opens calcium channels, thus constricting blood vessels – this may put diabetics with high blood pressure at risk by negating calcium channel blocker medication.

Since cardiovascular disease is a problem for those with diabetes, it would be wise to avoid any blood vessel constricting foods containing the free amino acids -Tyrosine, Tyramine and Glutamate. This means most fermented foods, as well as MSG, and hydrolyzed protein.

Artificial Sweeteners

Another unfortunate problem right now is that many diabetics are using artificial sweeteners like Aspartame (Nutrasweet). Unfortunately, it contains phenylalinine - the metabolic precursor to tyrosine. Tyrosine is well known to be a blood pressure raiser. This is probably why many people complain of headaches after eating Nutrasweet. Blood vessel constriction can cause headaches. Nutrasweet may actually be dangerous for diabetics, because of its effects on the cardiovascular system.

[August]

Many MSG sufferers complain about an uncontrollable urge to eat, and symptoms of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. This is no surprise to scientists. There are glutamate receptors in the pancreas. The pancreas is the organ of the body that releases insulin when the blood sugar is too high. Unfortunately, MSG, because it stimulates the pancreas, (and the hypothalamus) results in low blood sugar, and feelings of hunger. In fact, scientists inject MSG into laboratory animals to make them obese. The problem is, if you did not eat all that much, and the blood sugar is not particularly high when you ingest MSG, what little blood sugar was around, gets turned into stored energy by the insulin release. In other words, your blood sugar drops, and your body craves more, but is storing it at the same time. Result:

You overeat
You store calories - and gain weight
You are still hungry
You get hypoglycemic symptoms - irritability, headache

It becomes a cycle, especially if you eat more food containing MSG.

[BriOnH]

August are you a pre-med student?

[Funnygrl]

Originally Posted by BriOnH

August are you a pre-med student?

No, he's retired. He said so in another thread. Besides, a lot of his posts (not necessarily these) are pretty outside accepted beliefs in the medical world. August, what is your relationship to diabetes?