Does MSG Cause Headaches?

According to some, MSG or monosodium glutamate appears to trigger their migraines and headaches. There have been incidents where people who normally do not get headaches develop one after consuming MSG. There are people, though, who say they are able to consume MSG without experiencing migraines or headaches.

Right now, there is still no conclusive answer to the question: Does MSG trigger headaches? Although studies have been conducted to find out the effect of MSG on headaches, the results have been inconclusive so far. It appears that MSG does cause headaches in some people and at the same time does not cause headaches in others.

MSG: The Top Choice of Food Makers

MSG is a flavor enhancer that many food manufacturers use to improve the taste of their products while using ingredients that are low quality. MSG is cheap and effective in making food products taste better so most food manufacturers use MSG in their products.

For the food manufacturers, MSG allows them to manufacture food products cheaply and increase their profits. This is most likely the main reason that food manufacturers that primarily use MSG have banded together and financed a "medical research" that will prove that MSG does not pose adverse effects to consumers. According to sectors that are against the user of MSG, these studies are biased since a number of people who sit at the FDA board are in the food industry.

Foods with MSG

Food products may or may not indicate in the label that they have MSG. However, there are food products that always have MSG. They include hydrolyzed protein, sodium or calcium caseinate, yeast extract or autolyszed yeast, yeast nutrient, textured protein and glutamic acid.

Some food products would not outright state on their label that they have MSG. However, a food product has MSG if any or some of these words appear on the packaging: flavoring, flavors, natural flavors, stock / bouillon, broth (any kind), carrageenan, whey protein concentrate, whey protein, whey protein isolate, soy sauce, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, malted barley, malt extract, malt flavoring, maltodextrin and anything "protein fortified."

Be aware, too, that MSG is hidden in sports drinks, bubble gum, chewing gum, Coca Cola and candy. So if you tend to develop a headache or a migraine after consuming foods that have MSG, you need to start reading the labels and cutting down on eating processed food.

The Effect of MSG

MSG can trigger a migraine attack as well as severe headaches in some people. MSG can also have adverse effects on the body. Specifically, MSG can cause the blood pressure to drop, cause rapid pulse, angina and arrhythmias. MSG can also cause higher fluid retention, lightheadedness, mood swings, depression, ADD, nausea, vomiting, cramps, bloating, diarrhea, shortness of breath, chest pain, sneezing, runny nose, skin rash, hot flashes, dry mouth, swollen prostate, nocturia or the urge to go to the bathroom in the night, and blurred vision.

You can find out if MSG is negatively affecting you by trying an "exclusion" diet. This method involves consuming food products with no or very small amounts of MSG for three weeks. At the end of three weeks, consume food that has MSG and see if you experience any of the symptoms.

MSG and Eating Out

If you fly frequently, you need o know that MSG is present in most airline foods, except for the vegetarian meals. However, if you go with the vegetable salad, skip the salad dressing as it can contain MSG too.

If you eat out a lot, most fast foods contain MSG. Everything on Kentucky Fried Chicken's menu has MSG and while Taco Bell claims their food has no MSG, some people have reported that they experienced symptoms resulting from MSG intake after eating Taco Bell food. The garden salad and French fries at Burger King are MSG-free while everything else has MSG. Finally, everything at McDonald's has MSG except the garden salad with lite Italian dressing, iced tea and apple pie.

For more help on the prevention, treatment and remedies for migraines please see the Complete Guide To Migraine Headaches.