Eliminating dietary excitotoxins improves fibromyalgia

Posted on Mon, 10 Sep 12

People with fibromyalgia, a disease characterised by chronic fatigue, muscle weakness and pain, may benefit from removing avoiding dietary excitotoxins.

Excitotoxins is a term given to dietary substances that are toxic to your nervous system. Two of the main excitotoxins are glutamate and aspartate, which are found in the flavoring monosodium glutamate (MSG) and artificial sweetener aspartame respectively.

Previous case reports have suggested excitotoxins may play contribute to fibromyalgia in some people so a clinical study in 57 people with the disease set out to see if eliminating these from their diet improved symptoms.

Of those who completed the elimination diet 84% of those reported over 30% of their symptoms improved and when they were challenged with MSG unknowingly they had a significant return of their symptoms.

If you are suffering from fibromyalgia or related symptoms such as chronic fatigue and/ or muscle pain (or just want to avoid food additives that may be toxic to your brain and nervous system) try cutting MSG and aspartame out of your diet.

References:

1. Holton KF, Taren DL, Thomson CA, Bennett RM, Jones KD. The effect of dietary glutamate on fibromyalgia and irritable bowel symptoms. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2012  Jul 4. [Epub ahead of print

2.Ciappuccini R, Ansemant T, Maillefert JF, Tavernier C, Ornetti P. Aspartame-induced fibromyalgia, an unusual but curable cause of chronic pain. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010 Nov-Dec;28(6 Suppl 63):S131-3.

3. Smith JD, Terpening CM, Schmidt SO, Gums JG. Relief of fibromyalgia symptoms following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins. Ann Pharmacother. 2001 Jun;35(6):702-6.