More and more studies are coming out linking the damaging effects of dietary free glutamate, excitotoxins, and aspartame to the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Studies quoting, “dramatic results”, “84% reported that over 30% of their symptoms resolved”, and “the removal of aspartame was followed by a complete regression of pain, without recurrence”. So what are these dietary sources of excitotoxins and where can they be found? These eye-opening studies should shed some light on the importance of whole food and low-glutamate diet.
- “The elimination of MSG and other excitotoxins from the diets of patients with fibromyalgia offers a benign treatment option that has the potential for dramatic results in a subset of patients.” Relief of fibromyalgia symptoms following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11408989
- “Methods. Fifty-seven FM patients who also had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were placed on a 4-week diet that excluded dietary additive excitotoxins including MSG and aspartame. Thirty seven people completed the diet and 84% of those reported that >30% of their symptoms resolved, thus making them eligible to proceed to challenges. Subjects who improved on the diet were then randomised to a 2-week doubleblind placebo-controlled crossover challenge with MSG or placebo for 3 consecutive days each week. The primary outcome measure was total symptom score. Secondary outcome measures included visual analogue pain scales (VAS for FM and IBS), an IBS Quality of Life Questionnaire (IBS QOL) and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised (FIQR). Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze crossover challenge results. Results. The MSG challenge, as compared to placebo, resulted in a significant return of symptoms (total symptom score, p<0.02); a worsening of fibromyalgia severity as determined by the FIQR (p<0.03); decreased quality of life in regards to IBS symptoms (IBS QOL, p<0.05); and a non-significant trend toward worsening FM pain based on visual analogue scale (VAS, p<0.07). Conclusion. These findings suggest that dietary glutamate may be contributing to FM symptoms in some patients. Future research on the role of dietary excitotoxins in FM is warranted” https://fibromialgiainpermeable.org/storage/cablhxlcepco2ghjsyrb.pdf
- “The removal of aspartame was followed by a complete regression of pain, without recurrence. We believe that these patients’ chronic pain was due to the ingestion of aspartame, a potent flavouring agent, widely used in food as a calorie-saver. The benefit/ risk ratio of considering the diagnosis of aspartame-induced chronic pain is obvious: the potential benefit is to cure a disabling chronic disease, to spare numerous laboratory and imaging investigations, and to avoid potentially harmful therapies; the potential risk is to temporarily change the patient’s diet. Thus, practitioners should ask patients suffering from fibromyalgia about their intake of aspartame. In some cases, this simple question might lead to the resolution of a disabling chronic disease.” Aspartame-induced fibromyalgia, an unusual but curable cause of chronic pain. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21176433