by Daniel J. Murphy, DC, FACO
Vice President of ICA
Dan Murphy graduated magna cum laude from Western States Chiropractic College in 1978, and has more than 26 years of practice experience. He received his Diplomat in Chiropractic Orthopedics in 1986. Since 1982, Dr. Murphy has served as part-time undergraduate faculty at Life Chiropractic College West, where he is
currently teaching classes to seniors in the Management of Spinal Disorders.
Dr. Murphy is on the post-graduate faculty of several chiropractic colleges. His
post-graduate continuing education classes include “Whiplash and Spinal Trauma,”
“Neuroimmunology,” “Pediatrics,” “Phospholipid Neurobiology,” “The Neurophysiology of Therapeutic Lasers,” and “Nutrition.” Dr. Murphy is the coordinator of a year-long certification program (through the International Chiropractic Association) in “Chiropractic Spinal Trauma,” now (2005) in its eighteenth year of being offered. He has taught more than 1,000 post-graduate continuing education seminars, including classes in the United States, Canada, Australia, France, England, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, New Zealand, and South Korea.
Dr. Murphy is a contributing author to the books Motor Vehicle Collision Injuries, published by Aspen, 1996, Pediatric Chiropractic, published by Williams & Wilkins, 1998, and Motor Vehicle Collision Injuries, 2nd edition, Jones and Bartlett, 2005. Since 1991, Dr. Murphy has written a quarterly column in The American Journal of Clinical Chiropractic, with more than 55 columns appearing to date.
In 1987, 1991 and 1995 Dr. Murphy received the “Post-Graduate Educator of
the Year” award, given by the International Chiropractic Association.
In 1997 he received “The Carl S. Cleveland, Jr., Educator of the Year” award,
given by the International Chiropractic Association of California.
In 2001, Dr. Murphy was honored by the readers of Dynamic Chiropractic as the
top vote receiver for the “Our Virtual Chiropractic Association”. He was also awarded
“Chiropractor of the Year” by the International Chiropractic Association of California, and “Pediatric Chiropractor of the Year” given by Chiropractic Pediatric University.
In 2003, Dr. Murphy was awarded “Chiropractor of the Year” by Chiropractic
Biophysics. This award is most prestigious because Chiropractic Biophysics has more
chiropractic research studies published in the scientific literature than any other
chiropractic group.
Since 2003 Dr. Murphy is the Vice President of the International Chiropractic
Association.
Dr. Murphy reviews articles regarding alternative health issues, which can be
accessed through Dr. Murphy’s website at www.danmurphydc.com.
Glutamate (an amino acid) is the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter. However, excess glutamate kills brain neurons and is therefore called an “excitotoxin.” Too much glutamate literally excites brain neurons to death. Glutamate is commonly added to foods because it makes them “exciting” or taste better.1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Aspartic acid, or aspartate (another amino acid) is the brain’s second prevalent excitatory neurotransmitter. Aspartate poses the same deleterious toxicity to brain neurons as does glutamate, and is therefore also labeled as an excitotoxin. Most of human exposure to aspartate is through the artificial sweetener aspartame. Aspartame is composed of the amino acids phenylalanine and aspartate. In the body, and sometimes in the food products when heated, the bond between phenylalanine and aspartate is broken, releasing the excitatory neurotransmitter and excitotoxin aspartate. Importantly and sadly, according to neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock’s 2002 book Health and Nutrition Secrets that Can Save Your Life,5 phenylalanine and aspartate are not linked through a standard peptide bond, but rather are linked with methyl alcohol (a deadly toxin itself). Consequently, ingestion of aspartame exposes our bodies to both aspartate and to methanol.1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Glutamate and Aspartate (from Aspartame) are commonly discussed together under the label “Excitoxins.”
In 1993, the Journal of Neurosurgery6 publishes an article that notes that the ultimate neuronal damage that follows traumatic brain injury is done by glutamate and aspartate neurotoxicity.
In 1994, the New England Journal of Medicine7 publishes an article that notes that glutamate and aspartate neurotoxicity excess may be related to the cause of all neurodegenerative diseases.
Physician George Schwartz, MD, notes in his 1999 book,2 that many of the over-the-counter and prescription drugs sold in America are used to counteract conditions caused by glutamate, such as migraine, arthritis, dizziness, diarrhea, mood swings, rashes, depression, headaches, ADHD, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux, etc.
Physician William Walsh, MD, a Fellow of the American College of Allergy and a former Fellow at the Mayo Clinic, notes in his 2000 book,4 the most frequent causes of allergy are:
1) Glutamate
2) Acid foods
3) Aspartame
4) Refined Carbohydrates
5) Certain Proteins
Note, glutamate is #1 on Walsh’s list, and Aspartame is #3.
In 2002, an article published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia9 notes that glutamate is related to chronic pain sensitization. Smith,8, 2001 below makes the same claim.
Most of us know glutamate by its salt form monosodium glutamate or MSG.
There are dozens of names for glutamate as it is added to foods. A partial list of names seen on food packaging are listed below, from the website www.truthinlabeling.org:
HIDDEN SOURCES OF PROCESSED FREE GLUTAMIC ACID (MSG)
Autolyzed, hydrolyzed, glutamate, glutamic acid, hydrolyzed, autolyzed
NAMES OF INGREDIENTS THAT CONTAIN ENOUGH MSG TO SERVE AS COMMON MSG-REACTION
TRIGGERS
The MSG-reaction is a reaction to free glutamic acid that occurs in food as a consequence of manufacture. MSG-sensitive people do not react to protein (which contains bound glutamic acid) or any of the minute amounts of free glutamic acid that might be found in unadulterated, unfermented, food.
These ALWAYS contain MSG
Glutamate Glutamic acid
Gelatin Calcium caseinate Textured protein Sodium caseinate Yeast nutrient Yeast extract Yeast food Autolyzed yeast
Monosodium glutamate
Monopotassium glutamate
Hydrolyzed corn gluten
Hydrolyzed protein (any protein
that is hydrolyzed)
These OFTEN contain MSG or
create MSG during processing
Carrageenan, Maltodextrin, Malt extract, Natural pork flavoring, Citric acid, Malt flavoring, Bouillon and Broth, Natural chicken flavoring, Soy protein isolate, Natural beef flavoring, Ultra-pasteurized Soy sauce, Stock Barley malt, Soy sauce extract, Whey protein concentrate, Pectin, Soy protein, Whey protein, Protease, Soy protein concentrate, Whey protein isolate, Protease enzymes, Anything protein fortified, Flavors(s) & Flavoring(s), Anything fermented, Anything enzyme modified, Enzymes anything, Seasonings (the word “seasonings”), Natural flavor & flavoring
The website further notes that “The new game is to label hydrolyzed proteins as pea protein, whey protein, corn protein, etc. If a pea, for example, were whole, it would be identified as a pea. Calling an ingredient pea protein indicates that the pea has been hydrolyzed, at least in part, and that processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is present.”
“MSG reactions have been reported to soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners, and cosmetics, where MSG is hidden in ingredients that include the words ‘hydrolyzed,’ ‘amino acids,’ and ‘protein.’ Low fat and no fat milk products often include milk solids that contain MSG. Drinks, candy, and chewing gum are potential sources of hidden MSG and of aspartame and neotame.”
“Aspartic acid, found in neotame and aspartame (NutraSweet), ordinarily causes MSG type reactions in MSG sensitive people. Aspartame is found in some medications, including children’s medications.”
“According to the manufacturer, Varivax-Merck chicken pox vaccine (Varicella Virus Live), contains L-monosodium glutamate and hydrolyzed gelatin both of which contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG) which cause brain lesions in young laboratory animals, and cause endocrine disturbances like obesity and reproductive disorders later in life. It would appear that most, if not all, live virus vaccines contain MSG.”
Apparently, both glutamate and aspartate enter the brain through holes in the blood brain barrier at the hypothalamus, called the “circumventricular organs.” Ironically, damage to the hypothalamus might cause fluid retention and reduced ability to control appetite, both of which are related to weight gain. This suggests that individuals using these products to control weight may experience weight gain.
In 2001, published in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, JD Smith and co-authors8 eliminated nearly all the symptoms of a small group of chronic fibromyalgia suffers by eliminating all glutamate and aspartate from their diets for a period of about 4 months. Years of previous medical care and numerous drugs did not help these patients. The authors noted that all patients had recurrence of symptoms whenever MSG is re-ingested. These authors further note:
“Excitotoxins are molecules, such as MSG and aspartate that act as excitatory neurotransmitters, and can lead to neurotoxicity when used in excess.
“MSG, the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid or glutamate, is an additive used to enhance the flavor of certain foods.”
MSG was classified by the FDA as a generally recognized safe substance (GRAS) in 1959, after the 1958 Food Additives Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act required approval for new food additives. This classification meant that MSG, like salt and baking powder, were grandfathered in as harmless food substances by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1959.
“Glutamate acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, and abnormal function of glutamate receptors has been linked to neurologic disorders such as Alzheimer disease and Huntington’s chorea.”
Dietary glutamate is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. “Glutamate freely enters brain regions that lack blood-brain barriers (circumventricular organs, e.g., the hypothalamus).” “Glutamate can destroy circumventricular organ neurons [in the hypothalamus] by an excitotoxic mechanism in all animal models appropriately tested (cats, chickens, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, monkeys, rabbits).” One theory is that dietary glutamate activates the receptors of the hypothalamus, stimulating the release of pituitary hormones that disturb hormonal biorhythms. Also, glutamate has a role in chronic pain sensitization:
“MSG is nearly ubiquitous in processed food, appearing under many names, including gelatin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, textured protein, and yeast extract.”
Aspartame was first marketed in 1981. It is a dipeptide of aspartate and phenylalanine used in foods, beverages, and drugs. Aspartame has been associated with an increased incidence of brain tumors in animals. In humans, aspartame has been linked with head aches, seizures, dizziness, movement disorders, urticaria, angioedema, and anaphylaxis.
It has become widely accepted that glutamate, aspartate, and other environmental substances have neurotoxic (excitotoxic) effects in the human nervous system.
“Aspartate is equipotent to glutamate in destroying hypothalamic neurons and has additive neurotoxic effects when the two are combined.”
A newer article from the journal Cephalalgia10 couples increased levels of glutamate in the cerebral spinal fluid to chronic migraine headaches. The authors note:
“Glutamate is a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, widely involved in migraine mechanisms.” Migraine headache sufferers have substantially higher plasma glutamate and aspartate levels than do control patients.
Key points from this article include:
1) Elevated CSF glutamate and aspartate are linked to chronic migraine pathophysiology and to fibromyalgia.
2) An acute increase in glutamate and aspartate levels can trigger a migraine attack.
3) Increase in CSF glutamate levels is also seen in chronic daily headache patients.
Chiropractors today have to constantly deal with patients whose suffering and symptoms are related to ingestion of glutamate (in all of its hidden names) and aspartame. Since the primary mechanism of these products is through excitatory neurotoxicity, they counter and impair the improvement of neurological function achieved through chiropractic spinal adjusting. Knowledge and understanding of these contemporary issues can influence the clinical outcomes of patients that we care for.
REFERENCES
1) Excitotoxins, The Taste That Kills by Russell Blaylock (University of Mississippi neurosurgeon), Health Press, 1997.
2) In Bad Taste, The MSG Symptom Complex, by George Schwartz, Health Press, 1999.
3) The Crazy Makers, How the Food Industry Is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children, by Carol Simontacchi, Tarcher Putnam, 2000.
4) Food Allergies by William Walsh, Wiley, 2000.
5) Health and Nutrition Secrets that Can Save Your Life by Russell Blaylock, Health Press, 2002.
6) Baker AJ, Moulton RJ, MacMillan VH, Shedden PM, Excitatory Amino Acids in Cerebralspinal Fluid Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Humans, Journal of Neurosurgery, Sept. 1993, 79(3):369-72.
7) Lipton SA, Rosenberg PA, Excitatory Amino Acids as a Final Common Pathway for Neurologic Disorders, NEJM, Mar 1994, 330(9):613-22.
8) Smith JD, Terpening CM, Schmidt SOF, Gums JG, The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, June 2001, 35(6):702-6.
9) A. H. Dickenson, Gate Control Theory of pain stands the test of time, British Journal of Anaesthesia, June 2002, 88(6):755-7.
10) MFP Peres, E Zukerman, CA Senne Soares, E O Alonso, BFC Santos & MHW Faulhaber, Cerebrospinal fluid glutamate levels in chronic migraine, Cephalalgia, September 2004, 249(9):735-40.
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