Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo? - PaleoHacks.com

Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-20T22:53:10Z

I'm sure MSG was something I regularly consumed on previous SAD diet without noticeable effects. A couple months ago (after being paleo for 8 weeks) i went to a chinese buffet and had some shrimp and sauce - after we left I had mild symptoms - felt like my heart was racing and my chest was tight. Came home and did some research and found that it was probably MSG sensitivity.

Fast forward today when I was desperate for something to eat and found some salmon burgers (with salsa, sour cream and 2 squares of Lindt 85%) that I had purchased at Sam's when we first started paleo because they were "healthy" - about hour after eating I'm sitting on couch and talking on phone and the room starts spinning and I'm having trouble talking - silly me thinking it's my imagination, just need to get some fresh air - i go out to the store and end up pulling off the road because I feel like I'm driving drunk. Nauseous,..spinning, heart feels like its racing, hard to breath,...end up having to go home a sleep it off. It was bad, real bad,..I don't want to ever feel like that again. A really bad strange drunk.

Get around to reading box and find autolyzed yeast extract as an ingredient - searching around seems to link it with MSG.

Have you become extra sensitive to MSG since going Paleo?

Answer by dmoffett for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-20T23:36:17Z

I've had the same reaction. Like you I didn't notice it until after I changed my diet. If anyone finds out more about it please share it with all.

Answer by Sara for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-20T23:42:25Z

When I had a bad weekend I ate a bunch of cup of soups (4 or so?) and I felt kinda crappy, but my baby who I breastfeed and is normally happy-go-lucky was cranky and spitting up a lot for a few days.

Answer by Frizzell for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-21T00:04:44Z

Yes. I went to dim sum and was wiped out for two days afterwards.

Answer by Jennifer for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-21T00:09:26Z

I had horrible insomnia and restless legs after eating Chinese and being paleo for several months. Self punishing crime, never did it again!

Answer by HeleneLohr for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-21T00:32:56Z

Yep- msg causes me to slur my words and have most of the symptoms of being drunk without the fun.

Interesting short article here: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/I.AreYouSensitive.html

I haven't had a chance to follow this up thoroughly and read through the pubmed articles on this, but if you're interested here's the link to one of the google scholar search terms that looked most promising.

Answer by UncleLongHair for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-21T01:07:27Z

I had chinese food recently and specifically asked for no MSG, but I suspect that they had some kind of food starch in there. The beef had a silky smooth sauce that was only possible with a thickener.

I went on the energy rollercoaster and had mild flu symptoms for 2 days. Not sure if it was MSG, but something like it. I used to have food from this same place all the time without these effects.

I've also become very sensitive to wheat and sugar after not having it for 2 months.

Answer by Matt for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-21T11:46:24Z

Interesting. The first time I was probing paleo diets I noticed people would complain of sensitivities out of nowhere. I used that as an excuse to not eat paleo, as it seemed eating paleo would make you increasingly insensitive to certain things (grains, dairy, MSG, artificial sweeteners, etc). And the more anecdotal evidence I see, the more I suspect it's likely the paleo diet itself that's causing or aggravating sensitivities.

Answer by egk for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-06-22T00:17:02Z

several of these comments reference foods with MSG but also with soy sauce (with wheat)

Answer by Meghan for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-09-01T05:21:35Z

Oh man- I am feeling massively sick due to the consumption of terra chips. I thought they were a safe food but hadnt had them in a while because I was trying to avoid foods that came out of a bag. I am now having horrific reflux, bad brain fog and a headache. I was confused so I double checked the ingredients and sure enough: autolyzed yeast extract. GREAT.

Also, I know its not the seed oils because Ive had them sporadically since going lacto-paleo and have had no immediate problems like I had with this.

Answer by mtts for Have you become sensitive to MSG since going paleo?

2011-09-01T06:13:08Z

You guys do know MSG is simply glutamate, right? Which is a compound naturally occuring in all meat (and tomatoes and cheese too) that is apparently so important to our survival we have special receptors on our tongue to detect it?

I'm sure Chinese take away or terra chips or what have you can cause all sorts of symptoms, but they're due to some of the other processed junk that's in there. Glutamate is perfectly fine, paleo or otherwise.