It kills brain cells in laboratory animals, causing the most harm to the youngest animals. When given to infant animals, it also causes gross obesity, reproductive disorders, and learning disabilities later in life. The glutamate in monosodium glutamate also causes adverse reactions in humans. Those reactions can be mild or severe. They can come and go quickly, or be long lasting.
Migraine headache is the reaction most often reported.
Life Science Research Office, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Researcher are spending millions of dollar yearly to develop drugs to block the effects of toxic glutamate. The Truth in Labeling Campaign believes that consumers have the right to know what is in their food. The Glutamate Association is a corporation formed by Ajinomoto, a Japanese company. According to the Encyclopedia of Associations, IFIC represents the interests of the glutamate industry.