MSG and Cancer

[Guest guest]

 

KD Weber <wvadreamin

 

Monday, 3 November 2003 3:51

MSG and Cancer

 

 

* Food 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 (Including TVP); Autolyzed Yeast;

Hydrolyzed Oat Flour; Corn Oil

* Food Additives That FREQUENTLY Contain MSG *

Malt Extract; Malt Flavoring; Bouillon; Broth; Stock; Flavoring; Natural

Flavors/Flavoring; Natural Beef Or Chicken Flavoring; Seasoning; Spices

* Food Additives That MAY Contain MSG Or Excitotoxins *

Carrageenan; Enzymes; Soy Protein Concentrate; Soy Protein Isolate; Whey

Protein Concentrate; Also: Protease Enzymes of various sources can release

excitotoxin amino acids from food proteins

Aspartame - An Intense Source Of Excitotoxins

Aspartame is a sweetener made from two amino acids, phenylalanine and the

excitotoxin aspartate. It should be avoided at all costs. Aspartame

complaints accounts for approximately 70% of ALL complaints to the FDA. It

is implicated in everything from blindness to headaches to convulsions. Sold

under dozens of brand names such as NutraSweet and Equal, aspartame breaks

down within 20 minutes at room temperature into several primary toxic and

dangerous ingredients:

 

1. DKP (diketopiperazine) (When ingested, converts to a near duplicate of a

powerful brain tumor causing agent); 2. Formic Acid (ant venom); 3.

Formaldehyde (embalming fluid); 4. Methanol (causes blindness...extremely

dangerous substance)

Common Examples:

 

Diet soft drinks, sugar free gums, sugar free Kool Aid, Crystal Light,

childrens' medications, and thousands of other products claiming to be 'low

calorie', 'diet', or 'sugar free'

 

http://www.rense.com/general35/hidd.htm

 

 

MSG and Cancer

by Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, M.D.

Free American, Nov 2003

 

 

With the widespread effects of MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) on numerous

tissues, is it possible that high consumption could trigger the development

of a cancer? It is known that MSG does have an effect on selective gene

activation, but it has not been determined to be mutagenic. (Substances that

are mutagenic are frequently carcinogenic as well.)

 

I am unaware of any studies looking for mutagenicity, yet numerous studies

have shown that MSG, free glutamate and other excitotoxins produce enormous

amounts of free radicals in tissues... which are a major cause of cancer

induction in tissues and organs. By consuming foods on a daily basis that

are high in excitotoxic additives, we would certainly expect high levels of

free radicals and lipid peroxidation in numerous tissues. Again, no one has

looked at the possible association.

 

We know that the constant bombardment of the DNA by free radicals leads to

the eventual activation of cancer genes (oncogenes). Once these genes are

activated, cancer is inevitable. As with nervous system disease, cancer

risk in the face of high MSG and aspartame consumption would be highest in

persons possessing a genetic propensity for cancer. For example, a woman

with a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer would be at

much greater risk than a woman with no such history. (Interestingly, the

ovaries also contain glutamate receptors.)

 

MSG consumption, then, would pose a special danger to the cancer patient,

since increased inflammation and free radical production can promote tumor

growth as well as invasiveness and metastasis of cancerous tumors. This is

well-demonstrated in the experiments using carrageenan, a very powerful

inflammatory substance and food additive (used as a thickener). When even

small amounts of carrageenan are injected near developing tumors in animals,

tumor growth, and eventual metastasis, increased dramatically. Carrageenan

is usually found in baked goods, some breads and ice cream (and soymilks).

 

The scientific evidence that free radicals play a major role in cancer

induction and growth is so powerful it would be foolhardy to encourage

millions of at-risk people to consume a substance that we know does just

that ---produce free radicals. But I suppose it is hardly surprising that

no one is advising cancer patients to avoid excitotoxic food additives,

since health care professionals and the media are telling them little else

about cancer and diet, anyway.

 

A significant number of cancer patients suffer from intractable pain. It is

known that glutamates receptors, in the spinal cord play a major role in

pain perception, an there is some evidence that drugs that block glutamate

receptors also reduce pain. Conversely, a diet high in MSG and other

excitotoxins could certainly be expected to greatly increase pain. Despite

the scientific evidence making this connection to pain, cancer patients are

not being informed of this risk, and no work is being done by medical

researchers to see if patients improve on excitotoxin-free diets.

 

One recent study provides very strong evidence that even mildly elevated

levels of glutamate in the brain can cause tumors in experimental animals to

develop more aggressively and become more malignant. Blocking the glutamate

receptors on these tumors has shown to reduce their

growth. Excess brain glutamate levels will also increase brain swelling

around the tumor and increase the risk and severity of seizures (frequently

associated with brain tumors). For these reasons alone, anyone with a brain

tumor should avoid all foods containing MSG (or glutamates).

 

Immunity is one of our most important weapons against cancer. It is widely

known in the oncology world that immunosuppressed transplant patients have a

significantly higher cancer rate than those with normal immune systems.

This is thought to be secondary to a loss of the body's normal immune

surveillance system, which seeks out cells transforming into cancer

cells and destroys them.

 

Over fifteen years ago scientists found that exposing animals to MSG could

produce a significant loss of delayed type immunity, and this immune defect

could persist for a lifetime. This inhibition involved both hormonal and

cellular immunity, the most important for fighting tumors. While it is

known that lesions to the hypothalamus can cause immune suppression, in

this experiment, the effect was unexplained. It maybe that glutamate also

directly affects white blood cells (lymphocytes and macrophages).

 

At this point, you must be asking yourself: Why are the medical profession

and scientific world not pursuing this idea? In most cases, it is because

there is little money available for research...and most researchers are

afraid of being attacked by the glutamate industry if they do. I find it

amazing that so much research can point to the connection between human

diseases and excitotoxic food additives, but scientists seem unwilling to

take that final step. Fear of professional ridicule and criticism renders

impotent so many good researchers.

 

Russell Blaylock, M.D.

 

Dr. Blaylock is author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, Health &

Nutrition Secrets to Save Your Life, and Natural Strategies for Cancer

Patients. www.russellblaylockmd.com

More of Dr. Blaylock's papers can be found on www.dorway.com