 eosinophiliaâmyalgia syndrome (ems) is an incurable and sometimes fatal flu-like neurological condition that is believed to have been caused by ingestion of poorly produced l-tryptophan supplements. similar to regular eosinophilia, it causes an increase in eosinophil granulocytes in the patient's blood. == history == see also tryptophan and ems. eosinophiliaâmyalgia syndrome was first recognized after the doctors of 3 american women with mysterious symptoms talked together in 1989. however, many people became ill as early as 2â3 years before the illness was reported to the centers for disease control and prevention in november 1989. rheumatologists experienced a large surge of new patients with mysterious symptoms during this period. it is possible that as many as 60,000 individuals became ill from using l-tryptophan. additionally, when first marketed, 27 people died. some epidemiological studies{{cite journal | author = back ee, henning kj, kallenbach lr, brix ka, gunn ra, melius jm | title = risk factors for developing eosinophilia myalgia syndrome among l-tryptophan users in new 
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