STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Consuming MSG, even in seemingly innocuous dishes like crab cakes, can cause severe immediate symptoms such as headache, dry mouth, excessive thirst, muscle soreness mimicking arthritis, and discomfort and pain that can be mistaken for chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia or Lyme’s disease
MSG is glutamine — an essential amino acid beneficial for many bodily functions, including gut healing and immune response — with an added sodium molecule, which radically alters its impact on your body
Symptoms related to MSG consumption are sometimes treated with medications for unrelated conditions, such as diabetes and chronic pain, potentially leading to inappropriate treatments that could exacerbate the problem
A broad range of common food additives and ingredients, including hydrolyzed proteins, caseinates, and yeast extracts, are sources of free glutamate, which can overwhelm the body’s normal processing of glutamate
A diet focused on whole, natural foods prepared at home is the best way to avoid hidden MSG