Turns out it was from MSG !!!

Here's my story, followed by some info I've accumulated on MSG:

Below "my story", I'll paste a response I got from Outback Steak House in response to my Mono-Sodium-Glutamat (Natrium Glutamat) inquiry. As you can see, it's not simply in soy sauce at Chinese food restaurants.

Subject: My Mono-Sodium-Glutamat (Natrium Glutamat) story . . .

For years, I've been using powdered egg protein shakes (with 4,500 mg of glutamic acid per shake).

I was adding 15,000 mg of L-Glutamine powder to the shake to help keep my intestines healthy.

I took lots of fish oil gelcaps, and lots of other gelcap form factor supplements.

Although I would not buy prepared foods for home with MSG, it was never on my radar when eating out. (KFC chicken is so darn tasty!!)

Prior to 291 days ago, I was a healthy happy 41 year old male, going to the gym 4-5 days/week,

291 days ago my problems started with a terrible itchy skin rash, which escalated into terrible brain fog and mental confusion. I thought I was developing early Alzheimers ( e.g. leaving stove on, drove through an intersection when I got confused as to which traffic light changed).

It then progressed to muscle coordination and clumsiness problems (e.g. dropped a bottle of vitamins at the Vitamin Shoppe - I never do that).

Eventually I developed stiff jaw (hard to chew) and incapacitating muscle paralysis; I pulled a muscle in my back and literally could not get out of bed - I felt like a roach which had been sprayed with a can of RAID)

Much to my relief, when I went on an Elimination Diet of only chicken, rice & salt for several weeks, all symptoms resolved.

Though food challenge after food challenge, and keeping a rigorous food diary with 180 columns in Excel, I eventually figured it it was free glutamic acid. The light bulb for me was noticing that it seemed when I had my protein shakes with L-Glutamine, I seemed to do worse. Since glutamine sounds like glutamate, I started researching that and then the previous 291 days just "clicked". Indeed, when I was consuming the most MSG, indeed my symptoms were at their worst.

For example, I purchased a slow-cooker and cooked everything from scratch, for a really long time 10-12 hours. At the all-time worst point, I started slow-cooking corned beef brisket, eating 10 oz / day for 8 days (then that paralysis episode occured). I had no idea at the time I had my own Mono-Sodium-Glutamat (Natrium Glutamat) factory right in my slow-cooker: cooking protein for long periods of time breaks down the protein, liberating the free glutamic acid. Of course, slow cooking corned beef which was already heavily seasoned with MSG was a disaster!

A few months later, trying to be healthy, I started making home made chicken bone broth gelatin (slow-cooked chicken carcass for 18 hours). Again: I was making my own MSG at home and had no idea!

Mike

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Here's some good info on MSG:

* Free glutamic acid (the offending component of MSG) is pervasive, and appears in everything from campbell's soup to salad dressing;
* it's not just in Chinese food restaurants.
* MSG & Aspartame are Neurotoxins.

These ALWAYS contain MSG:

* Glutamate Textured protein
* Monosodium glutamate
* Hydrolyzed protein
* Monopotassium glutamate (any protein that is hydrolyzed)
* Glutamic acid
* Yeast extract
* Calcium caseinate
* Yeast food
* Sodium caseinate
* Autolyzed yeast
* Gelatin
* Yeast nutrient


These very OFTEN contain MSG:

* Malt extract Flavors(s) & Flavoring(s)
* Malt flavoring Natural flavor(s) & flavoring(s)
* Barley malt
* Natural pork flavoring
* Bouillon
* Natural beef flavoring
* Stock
* Natural chicken flavoring
* Broth
* Seasonings (the word "seasonings")
* Carrageenan
* Soy sauce
* Maltodextrin
* Soy sauce extract
* Whey protein
* Soy protein
* Whey protein isolate
* Soy protein isolate
* Whey protein concentrate
* Soy protein concentrate
* Pectin
* anything Protein fortified
* anything Enzyme modified


Look at the foods you are eating.

Here's the original 60 minutes segment on MSG:
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTtz30XbQBo

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRUNXFPvIKM



Here's another video intro to MSG:
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKMUYYdjmA0&feature=related


Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIbk5O_Hkf8


Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aae0MsL5J4&feature=related


Part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6p4iOehb5s&feature=related


MSG can affect so many aspects of your body:
http://www.msgmyth.com/symptoms.htm


These are 2 great resources of info on MSG:

http://www.msgtruth.org/

http://www.msgmyth.com/
(this site has a great discussion board)

Here's a detailed resopnse from Outback Steak House regarding MSG and their menu:

--------------------------------------
From outback steak house:
I hope this helps, Deanna
G’ Day,

Thank you for your email. Please advise the manager on duty of your dietary needs. Most items are made to order so it is not an issue to leave some ingredients out while preparing a dish. Outback Steakhouse will do everything in its power to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable dining experience.

All of our seasonings for our proteins are MSG and hydrolyzed vegetable protein free except for the seasoned butter used in our steamed vegetables. We recommend you avoid the following:
All soups
Burgundy mushrooms
Au Jus served with Prime Rib
Roasted Filet
Roasted Filet Sandwich
Lamb Sauce
Veggie Skewers
Crab Stuffed Shrimp
Crab Topping on Tilapia
Pasta Dished made with Alfredo Sauce
Teriyaki Sirloin
BBQ sauce
Caesar Dressing
Soy Dressing
Wasabi Dressing
Port Wine Sauce served with Roasted Filet
Demi Cream Sauce served with Pepper Strip
Shrimp En Fuego
Ask to have the Alice Quesadilla or Alice Springs Chicken made without mushrooms
Ask to have the vegetable prepared without the seasoned butter

The King Crab is not seasoned it is all natural.

The butter that comes with crab for dipping is USDA A grade butter, nothing is added.

The sweet potato is rubbed with soy bean oil and baked. Then it is topped with brown sugar, honey butter blend (butter blend is palm kernel oil, soy oil and butter) and pure honey and then a sprinkle of cinnamon.

All steaks are seasoned with MSG free seasonings and then cooked in a USDA A grade butter. Tweet