MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) Linked to Obesity

Monosodium gluconate (MSG) is a flavor-enhancer used in different foods – especially in China and other Asian countries. It doesn’t have a distinct taste of its own, and it’s not fully understood how it adds flavor to other foods. It may possibly stimulate glutamate receptors in the tongue to boost meat-like flavors. The FDA and other health regulatory organizations around the world have concluded that MSG is safe, but they qualify this by adding that some rare individuals may experience what’s called the “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” – headache, flushing, sweating, and so on – after eating quantities of the chemical.

Now a study has been done to determine if an effect seen in rats – weight gain on a diet containing MSG – can be confirmed in humans. The results are reported in the journal Obesity. In a joint project, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, scientists studied the relationship between MSG intake and overweight but healthy volunteers living in 3 villages in China. Most of the 750-plus participants prepared their meals at home; about 82% used MSG in their food. They were classified into three groups, depending on the amount of MSG they used.

Total calorie intake and the amount of physical exercise taken were equal across the groups. However, the members of the group who used the most MSG were nearly three times more likely to be overweight than non-users.

It’s not likely that MSG consumption is an important factor for the development of overweight in the vast majority of US citizens. But it may be important for Asians, and the finding itself may provide an interesting clue in science’s search for the cause of obesity.