Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Many experts blame MSG for "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome"- the headaches, dizziness, and chest pains some people experience after dining out at a Chinese restaurant. There is a real debate among the scientific community over whether MSG is the culprit. A 1995 report by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that MSG is safe for the general public.*

Among the report's key findings, an unknown percentage of the population may react to MSG and develop MSG symptom complex, a condition characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:
-burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms and chest
-numbness in the back of the neck, radiating to the arms and back
-tingling, warmth and weakness in the face, temples, upper back, neck and arms
-facial pressure or tightness
-chest pain
-headache
-nausea
-rapid heartbeat
-bronchospasm (difficulty breathing) in MSG-intolerant people with asthma
-drowsiness
-weakness.

-In otherwise healthy MSG-intolerant people, the MSG symptom complex tends to occur within one hour after eating 3 grams or more of MSG on an empty stomach or without other food. A typical serving of glutamate-treated food contains less than 0.5 grams of MSG. A reaction is most likely if the MSG is eaten in a large quantity or in a liquid, such as a clear soup.

-Severe, poorly controlled asthma may be a predisposing medical condition for MSG symptom complex.

-No evidence exists to suggest that dietary MSG or glutamate contributes to Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's chorea, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, AIDS dementia complex, or any other long-term or chronic diseases.

-No evidence exists to suggest that dietary MSG causes brain lesions or damages nerve cells in humans.

-The level of vitamin B6 in a person's body plays a role in glutamate metabolism, and the possible impact of marginal B6 intake should be considered in future research.

-There is no scientific evidence that the levels of glutamate in hydrolyzed proteins causes adverse effects or that other manufactured glutamate has effects different from glutamate normally found in foods.

I had some fucked up dreams last night.