There are still dietary questions in the therapy of
fibromyalgia. I think that diet is neither problem nor solution. But let’s a
closer look at what MSG is doing in fibromyalgia. Does it help or does it harm?
There are only a few studies addressing the issue.
Let’s start with a study (?) from 2001. J.D. Smith
and colleagues published a paper (1): “Relief of fibromyalgia symptoms
following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins.” They studied four patients.
“All had complete, or nearly complete, resolution of their symptoms within
months after eliminating monosodium glutamate (MSG) or MSG plus aspartame from
their diet.” The authors concluded: “The elimination of MSG … offers a benign
treatment option that has the potential for dramatic results in a subset of
patients.” Too bad, that the authors never came up with better powered study.
Anyway, stopping the use of MSG powder and aspartame isn’t a bad idea.
The next study is from 2012. K.F. Holton and
colleagues looked at (2): “The effect of dietary glutamate on fibromyalgia and
irritable bowel symptoms.” The study was well designed and results showed
significant effects. The authors concluded: “These findings suggest that
dietary glutamate may be contributing to FM symptoms in some patients. …” That
isn’t overstressing the result. But further research would have necessary, but
nothing emerged so far.
The next study is of 2014. M.Y. Vellisca and J.I.
Latorre published (3): “Monosodium glutamate and aspartame in perceived pain in
fibromyalgia.” Let’s take the short cut to their conclusion: “The
discontinuation of dietary MSG and aspartame did not improve the symptoms of
fibromyalgia.”
Are you perplexed? I am not! I think that diet is
neither the problem nor the solution. Dietary excitotoxins like MSG or
aspartame shouldn’t be part of our diet. But don’t expect too much in
ameliorating fibromyalgia symptoms.
Links:
I
have already written on (3) - http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/07/monosodium-glutamate-msg-and-aspartame.html
And
here is more on diet and fibromyalgia - http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2015/09/fibromyalgia-and-diet.html
28.01.2017:
Useful links
provided by Klara Brosette:
.
Also ich bin nicht perplex ob dieser Erkenntnisse.
ReplyDeleteIch habe schon lange keine chronischen Schmerzen mehr, wenn ich allerdings nicht konsequent auf Glutamat etc. verzichte und öfter als alle paar Wochen mal „normal“ esse oder die NEM , welche ich manchmal so gar nicht gerne
schlucken mag,länger als 2-3 Tage nicht nehme, sind
die FM-typischen Beschwerden mit voller Wucht zurück.
http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/pdfplus/10.2217/pmt-2016-0019
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28079404
mit freundlichen Grüßen
Klara Brossette
Herzlichen Dank für diese Zuschrift.
DeleteTranslation: "Well, I am not perplexed by these findings.
I have not had any chronic pain for a long time, even if I do not consistently abstain from glutamate etc. and eat not more often than every few weeks "normally" or don't take the NEM, which I do not like too much
to swallow, longer than 2-3 days, typical FM complaints return with full force."