MSG Reactions?

(hottie turned hag) #1

Hi guys (shy wave)

Just joined, have been reading for a few weeks.

I had an interesting reaction to Mac’s BBQ pork rinds (msg content) and it was striking enough to prompt me to create an account and this thread (sidenote q: should newbs make an introduction post somewhere specific?).

Brief hx: short sedentary 55 y/o female who was always (unless pg) bewteen 115-125lbs UNTIL menopause (2012) when I became really fat; after a few years of that nonsense I started keto-ish eating in 2017 and lost all the weight p fast. Am now 118 and eat very close to carnivore.

Fri night I ate an entire bag of Mac’s BBQ pork rinds for the first time ever trying them; OMG they are so freaking goood.

Next day -yesterday- I felt horrible. Felt like I did on sugar back when. About midday a blasting migraine hit me; now I had a hx of migraines that had increased to daily (not exaggerating) at my fattest, that then vanished soon after the weight dropped. This is the first migraine I’ve had since prob…fall 2017.

It was one of the worst ever. Blinding pain.

I am sure it was the MSG in the Mac’s. Will never touch them again, sadly. Am going to fast 72 hr (have done so many times; so easy) now to sort of “clean out” the effects of it. I know that’s not how it works; I just feel so ick it feels like the right thing to do.

Anyone else have a sensitivity to MSG? Migraines or other? I did eat the WHOLE BIG BAG after all so I’m sure that was a factor.

#2

If I see MSG on a food label it’s back on the shelf immediately, I am paranoid really that it would cause food cravings and I am Keto to not have to deal with such things anymore, it does cause headaches in many people.

(hottie turned hag) #3

OOH I forgot to mention the appetite increase as well.

I eat once/24h normally (at noon) and with ease; don’t get hungry until hour 22 or so. WELL yesterday… got hungry maybe hour 18ish but more interesting to me, I had to eat far more than usual to feel satisfied and was hungry AGAIN towards evening. This never happens!

I must be terribly sensitive to the MSG, I am thinking. Such a bummer as those Mac’s were the best thing everrrr.

(Andi loves space, bacon and fasting. ) #4

Maybe you’ve become gluten intolerant. I quit gluten a year ago when it started to make me sick and since then I’ve eaten some by accident and I’m WAY MORE intolerant to it now that I’ve cut it out of my diet.

#5

I use MSG in my food fairly frequently, has so far caused me no problems. I know some people are legitimately sensitive to it, though for most people double-blind testing seems to suggest that if they don’t know there’s MSG in it they don’t seem to have a reaction. It’s pretty much an individual reaction.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #6

Personally I don’t believe in MSG allergic reaction unless you also reacted to most foods on the grocery store shelves before going keto. Anything no sweetened having lots of ingredients you’re not sure about is likely to have them. Canned soup, chili, chips, not to mention the MSG laden natural foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, beets, seaweed, cheese and milk, fresh meats and seafood (especially shrimp) soy beans and soy sauce, miso and cured meats. Here’s a list of glutamates that are added to foods.

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While some people do have real glutamate sensitivity it’s pretty much started as an anti Chinese racial slur from anecdotal evidence in a 1960’s NYT article by a doctor who claimed a couple of people he knew suffered headaches after a Chinese restaurant meal. It was referred to as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome. There has never been any real research proving the these compounds which are naturally in our diet already are harmful. Like salt and nitrates myths abound with MSG. Nitrates are found in quantities 100x in celery by weight than bacon has, they use celery as a nitrate substitute in “Uncured” bacon and ham, which by the way are full of glutamates too.

(hottie turned hag) #7

Ha I DIDN’T know. I did read the label (which also mentions sugar as an ingredient but still 0 carbs so must be miniscule amt in seasoning) and heeded not the msg, didn’t even register as I never thought I had an issue with it. I was just looking for carbs and did note the sugar.

It was today when I looked up msg, after thinking wth caused the migraine, that I saw it is known to do that (in some cases). Now realize I ate the entire bag, one sitting #gluttony so got a big dose.

Edit, just saw above post: what it could’ve been then I wonder, if not the msg? Could be an indiosyncratic reaction, that’s why I posted in n=1.

I also had to abandon cheese (seemed to stim appetite) and seeing above that it contains glutamate, wonder if that was why!

#8

Hmm, makes me wonder if the issue then for people who do have a reaction, aren’t reacting to the fact that it contains a glutamate, but are reacting to the source of it…like soy protein if sensitive to soy…interesting background info for sure!

#9

I get ocular migraines sometimes from eating too much MSG. Not the kind of migraines you’re talking about though. But I’ve only ever noticed this happening in the middle of the day (like if I had ramen, pho, or Thai food at lunch), so I expect it’s a combination of the MSG and staring at a computer screen and work stress. I also find that lots of nitrates don’t agree with me, so I buy bacon that only has celery salt, which for some reason doesn’t seem to have the same effect, or sausages without nitrates.

Bottom line: My n=1 is that I have some reactions to these foods that I don’t really like, but if I only consume them in smaller amounts, it’s fine. So maybe don’t eat a whole bag of pork rinds all at once. :grinning:

(hottie turned hag) #10

No way. Once I opened that bag I was unstoppable. What a dream food…:green_heart:

Now I can eat bacon and deli meat galore without issue. I don’t suppose it could’ve been the wee amt of sugar listed?

Migraines were a daily thing when at my fattest/high carb eating. Obvi diet related in my case.

(Andi loves space, bacon and fasting. ) #11

Yikes! Glad you were able to solve this with keto!!

(hottie turned hag) #12

I’d had them since childhood but not often; when fat, they were daily I am not kidding. I awoke in pain and went to bed in pain and took Excedrin all day. Within the first two weeks of rapid weight loss they were greatly diminished, then vanished after the third month or so.

To have one after not since fall 2017 was so remarkable to me, I had to know why…the Macs gorge has to be it, be it the msg or the sugar therein.

I think they were from vasodilation that was secondary to fluid retention which in my case was caused by high carb consumption; I retain much fluid on carbs (not, however, with high sodium oddly). That they resolved as they did supports this theory.

(Carl Keller) #13

I don’t have a MSG sensitivity and I’m on the fence about whether it’s true that people show negative reactions to what is essentially sodium and non essential amino acids.

Dr. Taylor Wallace wrote an interesting article about why people mistakenly believe they have a MSG sensitivity. I take it with a grain of salt because I’ve heard from people who swear that the stuff bothers them.

  • MSG is the sodium salt of the common amino acid glutamic acid (or glutamate), which is naturally found in most foods and in your body (remember – amino acids are the building blocks for proteins). It occurs naturally at high levels in many foods such as tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, and the glutamate in commercially produced MSG is chemically indistinguishable from the glutamate naturally present in food. Our bodies handle both sources of glutamate in the exact same way. Breast milk actually contains high levels of glutamate that’s produced naturally by the human body.*

https://drtaylorwallace.com/msg/

(Justin ) #14

100% correct David. Total myth.

(hottie turned hag) #15

Hm. If not the MSG then is it possible the tiny amt of sugar triggered things?

I guess I can experiment and eat another entire bag just to see :grin: which honestly I would love to do.

There was no other new thing, and not only the first migraine in nearing on two years, but the appetite stim both correlate with what little I’ve read about MSG effect: that is is both an appetite stimulant and a migraine trigger. Further I wonder if the added MSG though chem identical, is somehow the problem for some folks.

As I said above I had to eliminate cheese as it acted as an appetite stimulant; could the glutamine in both be the common trigger. Maybe idiosyncratic as I also said above; I’ve nothing in my diet with added MSG though I do eat things that have naturally high levels as cited by others above.

(Justin ) #16

Hmm not sure. I am not as specific and sensitive than a lot of people in regards to dietary restrictions. I just choose not to consume certain foods.

(hottie turned hag) #17

Yeah this is why I dropped cheese which was a staple for much of my keto diet until maybe a month or so ago; I ate 5lbs of fresh mozz per week and miss it terribly.

I dropped it trying to get from 122 to 115; went to 118 promptly after eliminating the mozz and eating only meat (much of it processed, though) and eggs. My appetite dropped as well. I was always craving MORE CHEESE :cheese:

(Justin ) #18

Oh wow yeah that is a lot of cheese. Your body is probably looking for that cheese!

(hottie turned hag) #19

It comes in 16oz logs; Galbani brand. I’d eat one per day. It was fab. But I always wanted more.

Now if I have a steak or a big chunk of pepperoni I have no cravings for more and am satiated on less (of course).

(Justin ) #20

I guess the fat made the difference. As long as your macros are ok I would think adding some fats from somewhere else. I dont have a sweet tooth but I am making some chocolate “cookie dough” fat bombs tonight. I found a good recipe.