From: wcsbeau@superior.carleton.ca (OPIRG)
Subject: Re: Is MSG sensitivity superstition?
Organization: Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 101

In article <1993Apr15.190711.22190@walter.bellcore.com> jchen@ctt.bellcore.com writes:


>The funny thing is the personaly stories about reactions to MSG vary so
>greatly. Some said that their heart beat speeded up with flush face. Some
>claim their heart "skipped" beats once in a while.

Both of these symptoms are related - tachycardia. Getting a flushed
face is due to the heart pumping the blood faster than a regular
pulse.  I suspect this is related to an increase in sodium levels in
the blood, since note *sodium chloride* monosodium glutamate. Both are
sodium compounds. Our bodies require sodium, but like everything else,
one can get too much of a good thing.

>Some reacted with headache, 

Again, this could be related to increased blood flow from increased
heart rate, from the sodium in the MSG. Distended crainial arteries,
essentially. One of many causes of headaches. There is no discrepency
her, necessarily.


>some stomach ache.

Well stomache ache and vomiting tend to be related. Again, not
necessarily a discrepency. More likely a related reaction. Vomiting
occurs as a response to get rid of a noxious compound an organism has
eaten. If a person can't digest the stuff (entirely possible - the
list of stuff people are allergic to is quite long), and lacks an
enzyme to break it down, gastrointestinal distress (stomach or belly
ache) would be expected.


> Some had watery eyes or running nose,


These are respiratory reactions, and are now considered to be similar
to vomitting. They are a way for the body to dispose of noxious
compounds. They are adaptiove responses. Of course, it is possible
some other food or environmental compound could be responsible for the
symptoms. But it's important to remember that a lot opf these effets
can be additive, synergystic, subtractive, etc, etc. It would be
necessary to know exactly what was in a dish, and what else the person
was exposed to. Respiratory does sound suspicious BUT  resopiration
and heart rate are connected.  Things in the body are far from
simple...very inetractive place, the vertebrate body.
 
> some
>had itchy skin or rashes. 

People respond in a myriad of ways to the same compound. It depends
upon what it is about the compound that "pisses off" their body.
Pollen, for example, of some plants aggrivates breathing in many
people, because, when inhaled, it sets of the immune system, and an
histamine attack is launched. The immune system goes overboard,
causing the allergic person a lot of misery. And someone with an
allergy to some pollens will have trouble with some herb teas that
contain pollens (Chamomile, linden, etc). Drinking the substance can
perturb that person's system as much as inhaling it. 

>More serious accusations include respiration 
>difficulty 

See above. And don't think that heart rate changes, and circulatory
problems are not serious. They can be deadly.

and brain damage. 

The area of the brain effected is the neuroendocrine system
controlling the release of gonadotropin, the supra-hormone controlling
the cyclical release of testosterone and estradiol, as well as somatostatin,
and other steroids. Testing for effective dose would be, uh, a wee bit unethical.


>Now here is a new one: vomiting. My guess is that MSG becomes the number one
>suspect of any problem. In this case. it might be just food
poisoning. 

Absolutely. But it could also be some synergystic mess from eating ,
say, undetected shrimp or mushrooms (to which many are allergic), plus
too much alcohol, and inhaling too much diesel fumes biking home,
plus, let's say, having contracted flu from one's sig. other 3 days
before from drinking out of the same glass. Could be all sorts of
things.

But it might be the MSG. 

>if you heard things about MSG, you may think it must be it.

If noone else got sick, its likely not food poisoning. Probably
stomach flu or an undetected thing the guy's allergic to.


Anyway, the human body's not a machine; people vary widely in their
responses, and a lot of reactions are due to combinations of things.

          Dianne Murray  wcsbeau@ccs.carleton.ca


