Reducing sodium intake by 30% could save the lives of more than 40 million people.

And guess what can reduce sodium intake by more than 30% in standard recipes?

Substituting traditional salt with monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG.

But what about Chinese restaurant syndrome, reported in a 1968 letter to the New England Journal of Medicine,

characterized by numbness on the back of the neck, general weakness, and palpitation?

One of the proposed causes was MSG, a common seasoning often used

in Chinese cooking. Since then, MSG has been blamed for causing numerous adverse reactions,

including asthma, headache, and neuropsychiatric disorders. But is this so-called monosodium

glutamate allergy, a menace, or a myth?

You don't know until you put it to the test, or in this case, many tests.

In a multi-center double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-challenge trial of MSG,

130 self-reported MSG reactive volunteers first consumed beverages containing 5 grams of MSG or a placebo.

And those who reported two or more of 10 different symptoms, such as flushing or headache, were then re-challenged in a dose response study.

Of the 19 people who consistently responded to

five grams of MSG mixed in a drink, once MSG was given in a capsule, therefore ensuring

people couldn't actually taste the MSG, which they could when it was mixed in a drink. Only

two people had reactions. The researchers noted that large doses of MSG without food may result in more symptoms,

but no persistent or serious effects were observed.

For context, estimated MSG intakes in the UK are about 0.58 grams per day,

and in Asian countries, such as China, Korea, and Vietnam,

where it is a more commonly used seasoning, it ranges from 0.33 grams per day to 3.8 grams per day,

which is generally much less than the massive 5 grams or greater single doses provided in the challenge trials.

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