|
MSG and Obesity |
http://www.arclab.org/medlineupdates/abstract_2307116.html http://www.biomed.cas.cz/physiolres/2001/issue4/pdf/raccek.pdf Although it is often brought up by glutamate industry representatives that injected MSG is somehow different than ingested MSG it has actually been proven in studies with human subjects that ingested MSG results in raised blood levels of glutamic acid and that this free glutamic acid does increase insulin levels in the human body. The other argument often made by representatives from the glutamate industry - that the blood brain barrier protects the brain from increased glutamate levels in the blood does not address the fact that the part of the brain responsible for hunger - the hypothalamus, is not protected at all by the blood-brain barrier. They also do not address the fact that the blood-brain barrier is compromised in individuals in a hypoglycemic state, which may occur when levels of insulin - the very hormone increased by ingesting MSG, is high. Leptin The latest studies on obesity focus on a substance made by the fat cells in the human body called leptin. Leptin is being studied as the next "obesity drug" because in some obese test animals it has been shown to decrease body weight. However, and this is important, leptin did not work on test animals that were obese due to MSG-induced obesity. This suggests that perhaps the damage to the hypothalamus caused by MSG, caused the hypothalamus to become resistant to the effect of leptin. If we discover that leptin does not help in this latest epidemic - childhood obesity, we should perhaps focus our attention on what causes the hypothalamus to ignore the presence of leptin. A good start would be to investigate how foods children eat cause leptin resistance. AMPK Currently there is scientific data being explored regarding the enzyme, AMP-Activated Protein Kinase, also known as AMPK. Leptin suppresses the action of AMPK which causes humans to eat less and use more energy. The data related to AMPK was discussed at a conference that took place in Australia during the week of March 22, 2004. There is hope that knowledge of how AMPK works will help health professionals deal with the obesity epidemic. AMPK is released in the body during times of metabolic stress - like the
ischemia that occurs during stroke. Basically the body is trying to limit
its use of energy any way it can so the cells don't run out of energy and
die from exertion. To do this, it activates AMPK, which is now linked to
obesity because it affects our intake of food. MSG, since it raises the amount of glutamate present in the bloodstream,
will actually help to activate AMPK because it is an excitotoxon - it makes
the cells use up too much energy - so its presence causes the cells to throw
up the defense of activating this protein kinase to prevent to loss of more
energy. So - MSG = activated AMPK = increased appetite = decreased energy
expenditure = obesity. Here's a little quiz- guess which unprotected part of
the brain is involved with this enzyme? The hypothalamus. According to the
article: "Leptin inhibits AMPK in the hypothalamus," Kahn explains. This
makes sense because the net effect of leptin is to make a person eat less
and spend more energy, so inhibiting AMPK also leads to a suppression of
food intake, Kahn says." We should remind you that glutamate is proven to cause the damage in stroke. Stroke causes ischemia which causes AMPK to be released as a protective measure. This also explains much better why regular CoQ10 use appears to help mitigate an MSG reaction. CoQ10 helps the body withstand metabolic stress. The very stress that glutamate causes. Stroke is now being called an obesity-related disease, but perhaps "MSG-related disease" would be nearer the mark, and CoQ10 is now on the formulary for heart patients at hospitals in the U.S. Insulin By directly stimulating the pancreas to release insulin, which drops the blood sugar, MSG can be considered an "anti-appetite suppressant". In other words, eating MSG makes you hungrier than you would have been, sooner than you would have been. Over-release of insulin can lead to obesity and insulin resistance - the start of Type II Diabetes. Obesity, and Type II diabetes are now epidemic in children. Before the introduction of MSG into the American diet, these diseases were rare in children. Based on these simple facts, US doctors are now questioning if the rising use of MSG had a hand in creating these two new "epidemics". Who is at Risk? Note that the two highest risk groups, African American and Hispanic children, also are the highest risk groups for asthma too. Asthma has already been proven to be excacerbated by MSG. Again, asthma, Type II Diabetes AND obesity all rose at the same time MSG consumption rose in the US. Based on this fact alone, the reason for the rise in obesity may not be Nintendo and Nickelodeon as mentioned in the article, but high-MSG foods kids love like Doritos, and most fast food. If MSG makes laboratory animals obese, it may work the same in children. See the above information on APMK. And obesity among young people in China is growing at 10% each decade. According to the following BBC article, just in the years from 1985-2000, obesity in China's children increased 28 fold. (italics ours). Like American foods, most processed foods targeted to Chinese consumers have large quantities of MSG added. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5261946.stm Unfortunately, the Chinese, like Americans, consume large amounts of MSG and do not consume as many other foods that may counteract it, as the Japanese do (taurine-containing raw fish, for example). "Supersize Me" Documentary The current documentary about a man who gains 25 pounds in one month by eating McDonald's food for 30 days makes no mention of the fact that MSG has been shown to induce obesity when injected into humans, however, it should be noted that the following McDonald's foods contain pure monosodium glutamate as an added ingredient. Grilled Chicken Filet It is interesting to note that the man in the film who consumed only Big Macs did NOT become obese. PLEASE NOTE: The above list does not include the additional items at McDonald's that have MSG-containing soy sauce, natural flavors or hydrolyzed protein which can contain up to 20% free glutamic acid - the business end of MSG.
|
|
|
©2002-2008 MSG Truth |