QandAs: Food

What are Excitotoxins?

Answer:
The term Excitotoxin refers to a class of substances and ingredients with the capability of causing damage and death to nerve cells.

The main culprits are glutamic acid and aspartic acid, found in many food ingredients in various forms and by many confusing names.

Excitotoxicity occurs when neurotransmitter receptors in the brain are over-stimulated by the glutamate or aspartate components in food ingredients; like monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame; both of which may have other names on ingredient labels.

Many people who suffer from migraine or migraine-like headaches report that cutting out monosodium glutamate flavor enhancers helps reduce or eliminate the headaches.

Some people who have phenylketonuria (PKU-a genetic condition) can become dangerously ill from using aspartame artificial sweeteners.

Although a number of studies and research indicate there might well be a connection between excitotoxins and certain health conditons, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to approve their use; citing inconclusive evidence of adverse health claims.

Some researchers believe such diseases as ADD, ADHD, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, MS, and other similar conditions might be connected to excitotoxins and their decidedly insidious affinity to damage and kill off otherwise healthy nerve cells.