In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Is MSG?Natural SourcesIs It Bad for You?Effects on Weight
In This ArticleView All
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In This Article
What Is MSG?
Natural Sources
Is It Bad for You?
Effects on Weight
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Monosodium glutamate, commonly referred to as MSG, is frequently found as an additive in packaged and restaurant foods. There are a lot of rumors surrounding MSG regarding health and the side effects of eating MSG. But is MSG bad for you? Let’s take a closer look at what research shows about MSG’s effects on your body and health.
MSG is said to be the source of our fifth taste quality—umami—which translates to “pleasant savory taste.”
While MSG contains sodium, it’s only a third of the amount that you’d get from the same amount of salt. In fact, in a 2023 study published inBMC Public Health, researchers found that replacing table salt with MSG and other umami substances may reduce sodium intake. That’s in addition to the FDA’s declaration that MSG isgenerally recognized as safe(GRAS).
In addition to sodium, MSG also contains glutamic acid, aka glutamate. Glutamate is an amino acid that occurs naturally in foods like tomatoes, mushrooms and Parmesan cheese.
Glutamate also acts as a neurotransmitter in our bodies. A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that carries messages from one nerve cell to the next.
Because of glutamate’s role as a neurotransmitter, there has been some question as to whether eating too much MSG could disrupt glutamate’s function as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Some older studies, such as the 2018 review article in theAnnals of Nutrition and Metabolism, suggest that there is no evidence of MSG ingestion causing disruptions in brain function.
With that said, most studies on this topic have been done in animals—and animal studies do not always directly translate to humans. But there is evidence that suggests MSG may, indeed, affect brain health in animals.
For example, according to a 2023 systematic review inFrontiers in Pharmacology, some studies suggest that MSG consumption may play a role in dementia-related diseases. Again, though, since most of these studies were done on rats and mice, we don’t yet know if MSG affects the human brain the same way.
Natural Sources of MSG
While you might be familiar with MSG as a food additive, it’s also found naturally in some foods like hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, protein isolate, tomatoes, and various types of cheese.
According to the FDA, our bodies break down the glutamate found in MSG the same way they do the glutamate found naturally in foods. The average adult in the U.S. eats about 13 grams of naturally occurring glutamate a day, and about half a gram of MSG. However, because MSG is added to some packaged, ultra-processed and restaurant foods, if your diet is high in these foods, your consumption of MSG might be higher than if you were to cook from scratch.
Is MSG Bad for You?
According to a 2019 review inComprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, some people have reported sensitivity and reactions after eating foods containing MSG that include headaches, difficulty breathing, weakness, flushing, dizziness, muscle tightness, numbness and fainting.
First brought to the attention of medical professionals in the 1960s, these symptoms were dubbed MSG symptom complex. In addition to this cluster of symptoms, people have also reported worsening asthma, mild mood changes, heart palpitations and chest pain after eating MSG.
Per the 2019 review, MSG symptom complex affected about 1% of the population according to early statistics. However, symptoms were often self-reported and, when studied, there were no differences in people’s reactions to MSG in double-blind placebo studies.
While it’s difficult to argue with anyone’s symptoms, this same review suggests that the studies that support these symptoms being specifically related to the ingestion of MSG were very small and not well-designed. Some of the studies also injected study participants with amounts of MSG that anyone is unlikely to consume from eating food containing MSG. So, while the symptoms may be related to MSG, researchers have yet to prove the connection.
There may be one caveat though. According to the same 2019 review, several studies have shown that eating large doses of MSG may lead to classic symptoms of MSG symptom complex when the MSG is consumed without any food and on an empty stomach. The chances of you eating a spoonful of straight MSG seem to be highly unlikely though, so these studies do not translate to real life.
Besides the possible immediate discomfort of MSG symptom complex that usually resolves on its own, there might be some long-term health effects of regularly ingesting higher amounts of MSG.
For example, a 2023 review inHeliyonsuggests that there may be a link between high MSG intake and metabolic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
And a 2024 review inFood Science & Nutritionsuggests that high MSG intake alters the gut microbiome, disrupting the balance between beneficial bacteria and bad bacteria. And we know thatgut healthinfluences both our short- and long-term health.
Can MSG Affect Weight?
Researchers are often studying the effects of taste, smell and texture on food consumption. A 2022 review inFrontiers in Nutritionsuggests that eating foods with higher umami qualities has been shown to reduce subsequent energy intake. For example, if you start your meal with a soup containing MSG, you might eat less of the actual meal.
These same researchers also state that there are studies suggesting that when meals contain both umami qualities and protein, people are more satisfied following the meal. However, we know thatprotein tends to provide greater satietyanyway, so it’s unclear whether the MSG is contributing to that or if it’s just the protein.
To add to the confusion, this same review states that while some earlier studies showed that sweet foods were less satisfying, later studies showed no difference in satiety between sweet and savory foods, nor did either one tend to influence the amount of food eaten over the other one.
This just highlights the importance of eating a balanced diet, full of a variety of foods, whether you’re trying to lose weight or simply maintain where you’re at.
It’s also interesting to note that the 2023Heliyonreview points out a link between high MSG intake and obesity—perhaps due to an increase ininflammation. But more research needs to be conducted on this topic.
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The Bottom Line
The research on MSG is inconclusive but leans toward it being a safe additive to foods. With that said, if you find you experience any symptoms after eating foods with MSG, it might be a good idea to avoid them. You could also make an appointment with a registered dietitian who can work with you to help pinpoint the cause of your symptoms.
Because there is some emerging evidence that suggests a link between high MSG intake and chronic disease, consider swapping your packaged, ultra-processed and restaurant foods for whole foods and cooking at home more often.
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