Another GLUTAMATE BLOCKER in the news to
treat Alzheimer's:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/features/have-scientists-discovered-a-cure-for-alzheimers-873649.html
The latest drug reported July 21, 2008 to help
with Alzheimier's disease is a 20 year old drug used over-the-counter in
Russia as an anti-histamine. It is called
Dimebon. It is a calcium
channel blocker and a neuroprotective glutamate blocker that acts to calm
down the nervous system by affecting the NMDA glutamate receptors.
Auxigro and Colony
Collapse Disorder:
The following is related to
MSG, and is crucial to understanding why exactly we CANNOT assume all items
derived from foods are always safe:
In 1997, a company
called Auxein Corporation, created in 1994, filed to get permission from the EPA for a growth enhancing crop spray. It
was called Auxigro. The mixture contained an apparently simple mixture
of food-derived products: 29% pure free glutamic acid (the active part
of MSG), hydrolyzed casein (milk protein) and GABA - another substance found
in foods. The EPA, because the ingredients used had GRAS status or
were already in foods, the EPA granted waivers endocrine testing. It also granted Auxigro
an
EXEMPTION from pesticide testing. The petition was filed in
1997, the waivers were granted in 1998 and after being introduced for sale
in 1999, Auxigro was used on potatoes, strawberries, and broccoli. In
2001, Auxein became Emerald BioAgriculture and by June 2002, sold Auxigro
for use on California tomatos,
almonds, grapes, onions, and all stone fruit including apricots, cherries,
plums, nectarines, peaches, and prunes.
It was sprayed on wine grapes in California as well. The following crops
were advocated for its use: almonds, apples, avocado, broccoli, cherries,
corn, grapefruit, grapes, lime beans, mangoes, melons, onions, peaches,
plums, peppers, pineapple, potatoes, snap beans and tomatoes. Emerald
BioAgriculture also touted its use for corn silage and sod and turf
applications. Mexico, Canada, Spain,
and Turkey also sold this crop spray. By 2004, Auxigro was highly
touted in agri-biotech magazines.
In October 2006, in North
America, the place where Auxigro was first sold - alarm bells sounded.
Reports came in that 30%-90% of honeybees were simply leaving their hives.
Colony Collapse Disorder was deemed an official threat to our food supply.
Early 2007, reports surfaced
from Europe. Colony Collapse Disorder was now affecting hives there as
well.
But the unusual thing was
this - the bees didn't die off - the worker bees simply ...
left.
December, 2007 - the company
that made Auxigro, quietly did not renew their license.
June of 2008, hives are beginning to recover from CCD, and numbers are
increasing again.
This would all seem like an
interesting coincidence and fodder for conspiracy theorists, and also the
plot for a new movie, HOWEVER, we at MSGTruth would like to point to some
actual science that would explain exactly HOW Auxigro could cause CCD all by
it's lonesome.
Auxigro was tested for
neither ENDOCRINE effects nor PESTICIDE effects. We suspect it
affected BOTH.
Pheromones cause endocrine and behavioural changes throughout the animal
kingdom. But in the case of bees, pheromones are CRUCIAL. There
is one particularly important pheromone that is released by the Nasonoff
gland of the queen bee when she feels threatened. It is typically used
by the queen bee before she has mated. It REPELS the worker bees -
which is exactly the behavior seen in CCD. The worker bees abandon
their queen.
Here's the problem: the
pheromone in question, o-aminoacetophenone, which repels worker bees, isn't
just made by the queen bee. It isn't made only by bees, in fact.
It is a component found in some foods. Like
stale dry milk. Since Auxigro was not made for direct human
consumption there is a very high probability that o-aminoacetophenone was
present in Auxigro. The fact that Auxigro was not
tested for endocrine affects suggests that this was a pure case of
agri-chemical arrogance and bio-chemical ignorance. The makers of
Auxigro didn't realize
that their product would cause CCD because they, like the EPA, ASSUMED since
MILK is safe for humans, that dried processed milk powder would be safe for
EVERY creature on the planet.
Well, one man's nonfat dry
milk powder is another bee's text message to leave home.
We suspect that if no one
else gets the bright idea to crop-dust with substances known to be insect
pheromones, that Colony Collapse Disorder will simply become history, and not the fall of
humankind as we know it.
June 25, 2008, The latest research on
Alzheimer's Disease as of reports
that a gene CALHM1 is implicated in developing Alzheimer's in addition to
the gene that regulates ApoE - a neuroprotective substance produced by the
microglia. CALHM1 increases calcium channel activity. Since these
genes involve glutamate transport and neurotransmission, could Alzheimer's
disease be EXACERBATED by consuming foods with high amounts of free glutamic
acid? Since glutamate activates microglial cells and kills
oligodendrocyte cells - we think any diet-Alzheimer's
link should be investigated. Especially
since the makers of MSG advocate MSG use in nursing homes with Alzheimer's
patients.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aZnCpYAClX5U&refer=us
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/26/12/3345
Feb 24,
2008 -
The New York Times article explains the links between
Schizophrenia & Glutamate.
Nov -
2007 - US Vaccine Court rules vaccine found to CAUSE Autism Spectrum
Disorder.In this case, vaccination for 9 diseases at once was found to have caused ASD in a child who had been developing normally up to 18 months. Many parents
can now take heart - there is finally a precedent-setting case proving that
vaccines can cause ASD when given to a child. Free glutamic acid was in those vaccines and if it may have
exacerbated the immune reaction that caused ASD in this child.
Huffington Post
article 1
Huffington Post article 2 - legal summary of the case
Feb - 2007 - GENES FOR AUTISM FOUND.
The genes code for GLUTAMATE synapses in the Central Nervous System.
See the following articles on this major discovery:
BBC News
Washington Post
CTV News - Canada
MedpageToday.com
There are two sites in the genome involved in autism
just identified. The first called Neurexin 1 is involved with building
glutamate synapses. We should watch this story unfold closely.
It is scientific backup for our theory that too much free glutamic acid does
play a role in the unprecedented rise of autism in the US.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleid=D7C80F75-E7F2-99DF-3F71D9FC07888C4F&chanId=sa017
Although MSG is not mentioned in the following story -
it should be due to the fact that it was recently found that glutamate
blockers can treat long-term, drug-resistant depression. 250,000
people commit suicide in China each year. It is becoming a public
health crisis in China:
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200609130358.htm
Although MSG is not mentioned in the following story -
it should be. Processed Chinese food is higher in MSG than even
American processed food. The following BBC article states that between
1985 and 2000, overweight and obesity in China's children has increased
an extremely alarming 28 fold.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5261946.stm
Ketamine - a glutamate blocker that targets the NMDA
receptors relieved depression in over 70% of patients treated within ONE DAY
of treatment:
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/08/07/hscout534229.html
A prison inmate in the Philippines commits suicide by
ingesting excessive amounts of MSG also known as "Vetsin":
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/March/16/topstory7.htm
A new European study concludes that MSG and aspartame
in combination with food colorings cause even more harm to nerve cells than
each of the additives alone.
http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=64724-food-additives-aspartame-msg
Scientists in Spain have concluded that MSG may cause
obesity. They found a 40% increase in appetite in mice given MSG.
http://www.euroresidentes.com/Blogs/2005/12/scientists-in-spain-link-additive-to.htm
There is a potential class action lawsuit regarding
MSG in NJ currently. Lawyers are seeking consumers harmed by MSG:
https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/msg_new_jersey
Article on MSG and obesity epidemic:
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/09/25/Perspective/Want_full_disclosure_.shtml
New Mexico considers a law banning aspartame
http://www.phxnews.com/fullstory.php?article=26051
An article about MSG and ADD/ADHD
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/news/050928a.asp
Some co-ops in the U.K. are banning MSG:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4670953.stm
http://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/newsmaker_article.asp?idNewsMaker=8595&fSite=AO545&next=2
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/lifestyle/consumerhealth/article_1038641.php/Eat_to_Live_Curbing_food_additives
MSG causes seizures in dogs:
http://www.normantranscript.com/cnhi/thenormantranscript/features/local_story_230010503?keyword=topstory