Everyone in asia DOES have a headache. Actually, I read that... what's that guy's name? There was a Yale-educated foodie over at Vogue, in one of his articles he explained how MSG could cause a food headache if you were deficient in certain vitamins...

The link in the article supplies no evidence that MSG sensitivity has been "thoroughly debunked."

Seems like Danwei has succumbed to the same poor reporting habits that are regularly criticized on this page and practiced by the likes of Xinhua. None of those articles seemed very balanced, and none of them contained any definitive evidence that MSG is fine for everyone. As a Chinese medicine doc and American, I run with plenty of people from the natural health crowd and have heard a lot about the bad side of MSG. These articles gave me the same bad taste in my mouth that listening to the health crowd's rants give, unbalanced and insubstantial.

A normal dose is no problem. An overdose gives me itchy skin. A massive overdose gives me sore throat and 3 days fever.

I mentioned that problem to a Chinese doc a while ago - he said "me too".

But the point is, it doesn't do anything positive - why use it in the first place? It makes everything taste the same.

I remember Mom putting MSG on our popcorn instead of salt. This went over very big in my elementary school Popcorn sale. (this was in the 70s). I often use MSG in everything I cook. Up until recently, in the last year or so, everything I eat with MSG in it, give me a blinding headache. Even in small amounts. My mother, being japanese, used it in everything, so we grew up on this stuff. I love the taste it brings out in my food, just wish i could use it still. I used a very very small amount yesterday and have been paying for it ever since. Woke up with a massive headache.

I have absolutely no reaction to the added MSG, and until recently I had no idea it was in just about everything you eat. Even if it says "no msg added" look on the back for hydrolyzed vegetable protein or Yeast Extract.

Like I said it doesn't affect me as far as I can tell but, I would prefer if it wasn't there.

MSG has gotten such a bad rap. It's adds flavor to food, that's all. MSG has pretty much the same effects as sugar; eat too much and it's bad for you. Too much sugar can cause eyesight problems (like some are trying to say with MSG). If you get headaches from eating things with MSG, it's because you think you're going to get a headache and you're the type of person that's influenced by others and the media.

link link

I was born and raised in China, then spent most of my adulthood in US. I grew up with MSG. But that early exposure doesn't seem to protect me from the discomfort of dry mouth that prevents a thorough enjoyment of my food. No, not every Chinese who claims an MSG sensitivity is faking it for the reason of cultural condescension.

The links merely suggested that MSG's allergy effects have been exaggerated, NOT that MSG is totally harmless. At the very least, MSG dulls your taste buds and wipe out subtle distinction of natural as well as other concocted flavors.

Not that it matters to Anglo-Americans ;-)

it is true that we dont know anymore what is good or bad for us, there are always two sides for or against sth. what is a fact is that MSG makes people being addicted on what i see as the most useless ingredient in our kitchen! i have personal experience, not only does MSG covers the real taste (if you cook diferent types of soup, the strong taste of certain ingresients tent to taste similarly), but it creates an empty taste. although the food smells great, once you eat and swallow, you dont feel this strong alluring taste, that a quality, homemade food would offer you. of course, in order to understand this, you must have the experience of GOOD quality food...which unfortunately people dont really have. quality food doesnt mean expensive..since, out of our house we have no idea what we are served, we can have the control of our food in our house and by cooking with our heart and mind, we can make amazing things, without useless or even harmful chemicals and additives!

I propose a simple experiment, to Chinese readers in particular:

-Prepare a small pot of pork rare-rib soup (排骨汤), probably with wild yam （山药）or radish （萝卜）, but not carrpt. Try to do it well ;-)
-Salt it.
-Divide the result into two portions, one seasoned with 1 pinch of MSG, the other not.

Now compare the taste. Apart from the familiar "MSG hit", the taste of the MSG portion will be mysteriously rounded off, with a dull, semi-sweet and dry aftertaste.
In comparison, the non-MSG portion will leave a rawer, longer aftertaste that is more difficult to describe. There will be no sweetness in the aftertaste.

I suffer from migraines and it is incredibly difficult to find anything that doesn't contain MSG. To make a comment regarding the previous posters opinion, really, getting a headache from having MSG in something is not an imaginary thing, like someone making themselves get one. Believe me I have suffered with these things since childhood and those of us who are plagued with them work very hard to avoid triggers. The fact that it is disguised with other names is very annoying to say the least when you are trying to avoid it at all cost.

It always amazes me that people react to MSG the way they do. Somebody says its bad and the belief just carries on with no proof just rumor from on person to the next. I watched one show where half the people were given MSG the other half weren't , and sure enough there were severe reactions headaches etc. from people. However most of the dramatic ones were from the half that was MSG free. I really think people these days enjoy the drama or get something they are missing filled from the drama and being able to say they have an allergy to things, most times from younger mid 20's women, It gets attention , makes then different and "special". I have a friend like this , it's amazing the things that she can't eat because she has a reaction and an "allergy " to.Shellfish , MSG. the nitrates in bacon etc. So where is the actual proof MSG is so bad for you ? I'm still waiting for real science showing me the reactions are real.I have read a lot and researched a lot and don't see the proof ,just this paranoid it has to be bad "just because" kind of conclusion ! And so far my brain hasn't "died" and I haven't gotten headaches or reactions of any kind even though I use the product quite regularly. I'm 51 and have used it in much of my cooking for the past 25 years or so , maybe another 25 years will do it ???

I am 35 year old and have been eating products w/ MSG for years with no reactions. In the last 6 months however I have had reactions, starting with tounge swelling and throat sores, followed up with nasal dripping and low grade fever and overall aches (acts like a cold or allergy except for the fever) whenever I ate chinese and when eating certain foods. I started to look at ingredients and noticed that the foods/products I was reacting to contain MSG or forms of MSG. I am now trying to make sure I do not ingest products with MSG. I realize that others do not have these reactions, one of which is my husband and other members of my family, and as I said previously for the prior last 34 years I had no problems. All bodies are different and react differently to foods and products. I have never had food or product allergies before, but have many family that have them or prevously had them (as they matured they went away or developed a new allergy), I do not tell them that its in there head. We are all individuals. I am not saying that MSG is bad, I just now know that my body is reacting to it now in a negative way and I need to avoid ingesting it. If you have no reactions continue to eat it. I just believe that we need to make sure it is identified for thoose who have an allergy to it, same as thoose that have an allergy to peanuts, dairy, etc.