>MORE ON ASPARTAME et al.... >Verbatim from this URL: http://www.lauralee.com/blaylock.htm >So what are "excitotoxins"? Basically, they are a group of compounds >that can cause special neurons within the nervous system to become >overexcited to the point that these cells will die. >That's right, they are excited to death. Excitotoxins include such >things as monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartate (a main ingredient in >NutraSweet), L-cysteine (found in hydrolyzed vegetable protein) and >related compounds. >What makes this all the more intriguing is that "excitotoxins" appear to >play a key role in degenerative nervous system diseases such as >Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's, ALS (Lou >Gehrig's disease) and many others. >But the story doesn't stop there. It appears that an imbalance of these >excitotoxins during critical periods of brain development can result in >an abnormal formation of brain pathways; that is, a "miswiring of the >brain." This may lead to serious disorders such as behavioral problems >(hyperactivity, aggression, attention deficit disorders, learning >disorders, poor learning ability, and ADD)-and a lifetime of endocrine >problems such as menstrual difficulties, infertility, and premature >puberty. >One of the earliest observations seen in animals exposed to largedoses >of MSG was gross obesity. Some neuroscientists have voicedconcern that >America's explosion of childhood obesity may be related to excitotoxins >in food. > MANIPULATING THE LANGUAGE (AND THE DATA) >The defenders of 'glutamate safety' have gone through an evolving litany >of defenses. First, they denied that brain lesions could result from any >dose of glutamate. Then, when the evidence became overwhelming, they >claimed that these lesions only occurred when MSG was injected and not >ingested. When this was disproved, they denied that human blood levels >could reach concentrations that would be toxic to the brain. >When this was shown not to be true, even by one of their own defenders, >they simply stated, "So what? It still cannot enter the brain because of >the blood brain barrier." (This is a special "gatekeeper" that normally >excludes toxic chemicals from entering the brain from the blood.) >But, as even shown by the government-sponsored FASEB report, the brain >has several vital areas that have no barrier. (For example, the >hypothalamus.) And it was shown that glutamate can pass into protected >areas of the brain by seeping through the unprotected areas. Also, >there are many medical conditions that cause the barrier to fail, such >as hypertension, diabetes, brain tumors, brain trauma, heat stroke, >vascular stroke, multiple sclerosis, neurodegenerate diseases, and with >some medications. All of these people would be at great risk. >BRAIN DAMAGE, NOT AN ALLERGIC REACTION >I often hear people say, "But I'm not sensitive to MSG. Chinese food >doesn't bother me." This is a dangerous mistake. The destructive >effects of MSG and related compounds is not an allergic reaction, it is >a toxic reaction that occurs in virtually everyone. Some are more >sensitive to these destructive effects than others, but everyone is >affected to some degree. >The MSG-symptom complex differs from the excitoxic reaction. The former >is quite obvious to the person (headaches, pressure in the chest, heart >palpitations, numbness in the arms and face, etc.), while the latter may >remain clinically silent for many years. >SILENT LESIONS >What makes "excitotoxins" so dangerous is the subtle way in which they >damage the nervous system. Often the damage goes on for years, even >decades, before clinically recognizable disease is evident. >For example, when an unborn child is exposed to MSG in the mother's >diet, behavioral and learning difficulties may not become evident until >the child starts school. Endocrine problems may not surface until >puberty or when the person is trying to start a family. >Degenerative brain diseases, such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease >may take even longer. It is the slow, unrelenting destruction of brain >cells-secondary to exposure to food-born excitotoxins-that may lead to >either the precipitation of these diseases or their aggravation. Most >likely they are not caused by excitotoxins in the food. >SO WHY WON'T THE FDA COME OUT AND SAY MSG IS DANGEROUS? >For one thing, there appears to be a revolving door between the FDA and >the manufacturers of and companies that use MSG. We often see that >directors of the FDA on review panels suddenly appear some time later >either working for the industry or with firms that support the industry. >In the FASEB report, the FDA gleaned the wording that it wanted and >packaged it so that it would say exactly what they wanted. For example, >they reported that the study found no link between ingested MSG and >neurodegenerative diseases. But in truth, what the report said was that >no studies have been done to even see ifthere is a link. That is, no one >is looking at these critical questions. >Second, the FASEB investigators took the industry's studies on daily >intakes of MSG at face value. This is ludicrous. Why won't the food >processors release the data on how much MSG and other excitotoxic >additives they add to each food item? >What is interesting is that the FASEB study did say that they did >consider concentration less than three grams a day as safe, which would >imply that more than that is definitely dangerous. But even this is >questionable. >NUTRASWEET AND CANCER >Can NutraSweet cause brain tumors, uterine and ovarian cancer? >Research from its own laboratories says it can. In fact, that was why it >was first rejected by the FDA for human consumption. This study found >that, in all concentrations examined, NutraSweet produced a very high >incidence of brain tumors. (The high dose NutraSweet caused a 47X >increase in brain tumors over control animals.) Also found were uterine >and ovarian tumors. >The number of tumors produced seemed to be dose related. That is, the >more NutraSweet consumed, the more likely tumors would develop. It >appears that it is a breakdown product of NutraSweet called >diketopiperizine (DKP) that is causing the tumors. >Interestingly, with the passage of time more and more NutraSweet breaks >down into DKP. This is why the soft drink companies have started to date >diet colas. Heating NutraSweet also speeds up this process. This is why >using NutraSweet in hot beverages and for cooking is especially >hazardous. >There has been an enormous increase in the number of brain tumors >reported over the last decade. No other explanation has been given for >this incredible explosion of brain tumors. If the early experiments >linking NutraSweet with brain tumors is confirmed, we should all be >outraged, both at the industry and at the FDA, our federal watch dog. >LIST OF HIDDEN SOURCES OF MSG >As discussed previously, the glutamate manufacturers and the processed >food industries are always on a quest to disguise MSG added to food. >Below is a partial fist of the most common names for disguised MSG. >Remember also that the powerful excitotoxins aspartate and L-cysteine >are frequently added to foods and according to FDA rules require no >labeling at all. >Additives that always contain MSG: > Monosodium Glutamate > Hydrolyzed Vegetable >Protein > Hydrolyzed Protein > Hydrolyzed Plant Protein > Plant Protein Extract > Sodium Caseinate > Calcium Caseinate > Yeast Extract > Textured Protein > Autolyzed Yeast > Hydrolyzed Oat Flour > >Additives that frequently contain MSG: > Malt extract > Malt Flavoring > Bouillon > Broth > Stock > Flavoring > Natural Flavoring > Natural Beef or Chicken >Flavoring > Seasoning > Additives that may >contain MSG or excitotoxins: > Carrageenan > Enzymes > Soy Protein Concentrate > Soy Protein Isolate > Whey Protein Concentrate > Additives that may >contain MSG or excitotoxins: > Carrageenan > Enzymes > Soy Protein Concentrate > Soy Protein Isolate > Whey Protein Concentrate > > Protease enzymes of various sources can release excitotoxin amino acids >from food proteins >EXCITOTOXINS >the Taste That Kills, >by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D. >Trade Paper 6x9, 300 pages > Item # 5710 $17.95 >Describes what excitotoxins are, where they are found, and how they >react in the body. Dr. Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon, >presents the latest research findings to demonstrate how exposure to >excitotoxins will damage nerve cells in the brain. The use of aspartame, >hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and monosodium glutamate in prepared foods >and beverages continues to increase on a yearly basis. Dr. Blaylock >clearly demonstrates that the neurotoxic potential of excitotoxins such >as MSG and aspartame (NUTRASWEET) is so overwhelming that it can no >longer be ignored.