MSG and Pain
In this particular instance, we are referring to the common food additive Monosodium glutamate or MSG for short, not the MSG in New York known as Madison Square Garden.
MSG is a flavor-enhancing substance used commonly in soy sauce, fast foods, as well as flavored canned chips, canned soups, and other processed foods. It is derived from the amino acid glutamate. Many people claim an assortment of side effects associated with its consumption including:
- Headache
- Sweating
- Flushing
- Nausea
- Chest pain
- Numbness/tingling
- Burning sensations
- Heart palpitations
Just to name a few. Because of the bad reputation, many restaurants advertise that they do not use MSG in their food. Is the bad reputation warranted?
The FDA categorizes MSG as “generally recognized as safe.” As a side note, the FDA also categorizes salt and sugar as “generally recognized as safe.”
Researchers have been unable to find definitive evidence linking MSG with any of these symptoms. There is certainly a small percentage of individuals who appear to be sensitive to MSG and have transient symptoms but do not require treatment other than avoiding foods containing MSG. For most of us, however, MSG is nothing to be feared unless we’re talking about Madison Square Garden after a Knicks loss.