One of the many things that's blamed for symptoms of fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), especially pain and mood symptoms, is an over-excited brain. In studies, FMS and ME/CFS brain scans light up like crazy in the areas that deal with pain and emotion. It's a bit ironic that those of us with the least energy are actually hyperactive in certain small areas.
What's going on, research suggests, is that amino acids called excitotoxins are in there at high levels. Their job is to stimulate neurons -- the cells that send and receive electrical messages -- and in the proper amount they're a good thing. In fact, they're essential for proper brain function. However, at high levels, they cease to be good. As many of us experience every day, high concentrations make the receptors on your neurons misfire, amplifying pain signals, or creating uncontrollable anxiety and irritability. When concentrations become high enough, neurons become so hyper-stimulated that it actually kills them. When neurons are gone, they're gone -- the brain doesn't build new ones.
The chief excitotoxin in your brain is glutamate (also called L-glutamate.) The healthy brain works hard to regulate levels, and there's even a specialized type of glial (white matter) cell whose job is clear that stuff out of there. We don't yet know why, but high glutamate levels are associated with FMS.
Another common excitotoxin is aspartate (or L-aspartate). Aspartate and glutamate both occur naturally in your body, but you don't want to do anything to raise your levels. The scary thing is, it's really easy to do just that.
Why? Because they're both present in the modern diet, especially in the U.S. Aspartate is a component of aspartame -- the artificial sweetener known as Equal, NutraSweet and AminoSweet. It's in diet sodas, sugar-free drink mixes, and all kinds of low-calorie packaged products. I'm sure you've heard of MSG, but do you know what it stands for? Monosodium glutamate. It's in a multitude of packaged products as well, as a flavor enhancer.
Fortunately, research shows that your blood-brain barrier only allows a small amount of these things through. That's good news, right? If they can't get to your brain, they can't make those receptors misfire. Well, not exactly.
You see, not all of your receptors are in your brain -- your pain receptors are actually in the spinal cord. That means every bit of aspartame or MSG you ingest has free reign to get your pain receptors worked into a frenzy, sending a whole bunch of extra pain signals to your brain. They actually cause you to hurt worse. And some of what slipped through the blood-brain barrier may also help your brain amplify those incoming pain signals even more.
Some people who are especially sensitive will feel the effects of food-based excitotoxins immediately, but for most of us they're much slower and more subtle. It may be worth eliminating them from your diet for a few weeks to see if it helps your symptoms. Studies of several neurological diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), suggest that aspartame and glutamate can exacerbate symptoms.
Avoiding aspartame in your diet isn't that difficult if you read labels. In spite of a frequently changing name (generally in response to bad press), it still has to be called aspartame in the ingredients list. MSG is a different story, as it's a component of many common food additives. The organization Truth in Labeling has a fabulous list on its website: Hidden Sources of MSG.
The brain provides other amino acids that counter the effects of excitotoxins. The job of GABA (gamma-amino-n-butyric acid) is to calm brain functions, and some people with FMS and ME/CFS say GABA supplements help relieve their symptoms.
I do pretty well at avoiding aspartame, but I haven't been conscientious enough about MSG. Fortunately, my gluten intolerance has lead me to eat much more of a whole-food diet, so it's not as much of a concern. When I eat a lot of packaged foods, I do notice that I feel generally worse.
Have you noticed a problem with aspartame or glutamate in foods? Has eliminating these foods helped your symptoms? Have you used GABA supplements? Leave your comments below!
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Even befor I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia I avided MSG. It would make me hurt so bad I would have to go to bed. I don’t seem to have as much problem with aspertine but I will take a regular soda over a diet one. MSG should be outlawed. It really serves no purpose.
Thank you for a great article. I have a website devoted to MSG with information about foods to avoid as well that you may find helpful. MSGTruth.org
Hey – what GABA supplements do you take? Would be great if you’d let us know. I definitely have this problem, although I don’t eat aspartame or MSG.
Aspartic acid cannot be isolated like in aspartame which is an addictive, excitoneurotoxic, carcinogenic, genetically engineered drug and adjuvant, and because of damage to the mitochondria or powerhouse of the cell it interacts with drugs and vaccines. A study at the University of Florida showed that with the elimination of MSG and aspartame chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia disappear. Aspartame and MSG are hidden in artificial and natural flavors. Avoid processed foods. Aspartame hardens the synovial fluids and causes excruciating joint pain.
Here is the Aspartame Flyer: http://www.mpwhi.com/warning_flyer_on_aspartame.htm
Dr. Betty Martini, D.Hum, Founder
Mission Possible International
bettym19@mindspring.com
Is at’s been a while. As we say in the south Dang your good A! For many years I was diagnosed as FMS.
First of the year my Scientist found CFS which is herpes 6,and Mono. also found Lyme,H1N1, two other flues and parasites He knocked them all out and I went from frail to 15 Lbs heavier. Still my legs would hurt so bad. A former athelete I investedgaed M.E. Massage therapist says her FMS people can hardly stand to be touched. I like it deep. She is tearing up lumps of scare tissue in my thighs and calves. Finds this in older marathon runners. I am now walking 30 minutes a day and started back lite lifting. GABA is a GOD send for quieting me down.
No pain meds since last year I wake up daily panicy that the pain will start again. Take 75o mil of Gaba
then go about my biz. Sometimes I use it again in the early evening. It’s like post tromatic syndrome from years of writhing in pain and begging for Opiates. Doing great. I will not accept sickness anymore. Bought a go fit rubber roll at Target and can roll out my own legs. I hope this helps someone.
GABA is like Xanax without the dizzyness.
I would also like to know what GABA supplements you take. Please email me and let me know…
I gave up foods with aspartame more than a decade ago, due to it causing severe headaches. Foods with MSG were quick to follow for the same reason. I can’t imagine what kind of havoc these would reek on my FMS & CFS.
I also wish you would share where you get your supplements or brand names. Experimenting with supplements has caused me setbacks and can be expensive.
From Your Guide: I don’t currently take GABA supplements, although I have considered them. While I do still have ups and downs, I’ve reached a fairly stable point and I’ve decided to do very little tampering with my supplement regimen as I’ve had bad reactions to some things that have set me back substantially.
~Adrienne
I’ve avoided MSG like the plague for a long time…it triggers migraines. In addition, my sister is highly allergice to it…it can send her into anaphylactic shock. Nasty stuff.
I just want to know where we can join a class-action lawsuit on this crap. I read this and realized I have not had one issue until I started drinking diet coke about 15 years ago!!! It wasn’t long after I turned strictly to the diet coke to “lose weight” that I had my first “attack”. I awoke one morning and could not move without a great deal of pain. After that, it was all the same, everyday and just got worse with all the other symptoms. Now, I am housebound and can’t do anything! I am so bleeping mad!
this would have been a great article if u had listed the foods we should avoid – i mean how am i suppose to again rearange my life -if i do not know what to do
so i hope as a helpful person that u are that u will have a 2nd article on this subject and list those foods and why and also what foods we should replace them with
then this will not only be a great article it will be a completed one also -thanks
My doctor recommended taking L-glutamine (an amino acid) as an oral supplement to help with poor digestion and assimilation. It is a very common ingredient in weight gain formulas for body builders.
The question is: since glutamine is an amide (chemical relative) of glutamate, does taking large amounts of glutamine increase brain levels of glutamate?
I also stopped MSG about 30 yrs ago because of migraines and have NEVER used ANY of the Sweetner Substitutes since I first tasted them and I won’t tell ya what one did to me….
My Dr. also gave me L-Glutamine
(the Amino Acid powder) to take in addition to my Probiotic Pearls for intestinal flora and after about a month I was able to discontinue the L-Glutamine and ONLY need it if I abuse eating sugars that flare up many things.. but sometimes ya just GOTTA have some chocolate to know your a re Human
Technically we should only have 15grams of sugar a day….Everything else converts to Sugar except fat…so more Veges & some fruit..and 6 small meals.. I call it “grazing”
My Naturopathic Doc started me on Kavinace about a month ago- this is a GABA supplement. I take one pill at night, and it has made an impact on how well I sleep!! (I also take 5HTP @ 150mg and Melatonin @ 3mg.) We have a really good health food store nearby, and they have several different GABA supplements available.
I started avoiding all artificial sweetners about 2 or 3 years ago- IMMEDIATELY made a huge impact on my symptoms. Less severe, less intense, slightly less frequent. Last spring, I started avoiding as many food preservatives (in general) as possible. I will occasionally open a canned good, but generally avoid any foods that come in a can, jar, or pre-prepared frozen foods. MSG is totally out of the question. No more “fat-free” products, as I feel like the substituted ingredients to avoid the fats are worse than the fats themselves! (I was actually just reading an article in Scientific American on this topic- that nutritional studies on fats vs carbs have been mis-intrepreted by researchers for years.)
That, in addition to getting off my Rx’s and switching to supplements instead, along with trigger-point therapy (not with injections, my chiro uses a “percussor”), and cold laser therapy, has raised my quality of life significantly. I am currently undergoing Vitamin-C IV’s to try to get rid of the CFS issues, which has also helped. But, I still have symptom issues- not convinced by any means that avoiding MSG and aspartame are the “answer” to Fibro and CFS.
Grandmother had Parkinsons. One uncle had MS and another has ALS. I have Fibro. I would guess there is a horrible glutamate problem in our genes. Now Im REALLY scared…. 8-(
I have been on ayurvedic medication over the last one year, for my lupus and Fibromyalgia. I could’nt say enough about the recovery and maintenance programme of ayurvedic medication. I hope all those suffering from either of the disease will try ayurvedic medication.
Jay (#12),
Yes, l-glutamine from supplements can cross the blood-brain barrier and increase brain levels of glutamate. The question becomes, do you feel better on it? Remember that we’re not all the same — you might not have a problem with glutamate. However, you may want to consider taking a break from it and seeing how you feel.
Best of luck to you!
~Adrienne
The GABA just wiped me out and not in a good way…could not get dosage right???
I have always elimated aspertaine in my diet, years ago in my teens I noticed that I got dizzy when I had diet drinks so I avoided them for many years. Also I had the same symptons with MSG which I avoided in my diet for years. I was diagionised with Fibro just this year. My symptoms only started within the last year. I feel that this information isn’t possible.
So gabba is a vitamin or rx only? healthstore? Now I have never been able to drink diet pop of any kind it makes me sick! but i cannot lose any weight what so ever! And my body does not let me have any energy at all! besides the pain>>>> so this gluten free diet may help? i am down with anything that might help this has been going on for years and years!
@Rebecca
I noticed your comment as I was printing this article out. They actually have a hyper link to another article that breaks down the MSG names for ingredients to avoid and what foods to avoid (fat free or low fat dairy or processed food products that contain any of these hidden ingredients). It is a complete article. I actually printed out this ‘other’ page and am taking it with me to the grocery store, when I shop.
Here it is, since you might find it very helpful!!
Hidden Sources of MSG: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources_printable.pdf
I’m cutting out all these ingredients on the list for 6 weeks and cooking my own food for 6 weeks! It will be my own little Anti-Fibromyalgia Experiment.
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and at times It was so bad I couldn’t carry my shoulder bag, lift anything or exercise without pain. Fatigue got so bad I could barely walk up a few stairs and I also suffered from insomnia. I eliminated MSG and Aspartame from my diet and the symptoms almost completely disappeared. If I accidentally consume aspartame or MSG, the symptoms return right away. MSG is hidden in labeling, so it is a challenge to stay away from it.
Before taking medication for diagnosed Fibromyalgia, try eliminating MSG and Aspartame from your diet for at least three weeks. Check out the links in comments above to find out what ingredients have MSG such as hydrolyzed protein or autolyzed yeast extract.
Aspartame definitely causes my fibromyalgia symptoms to become worse so I avoid it like the plague. I haven’t been so careful about MSG, just not so sure what to look for I guess. I do feel much more pain when I eat packaged foods compared to whole ones. I need to do some more research.
I eliminated MSG and all the hidden names from my diet about three years ago. I was having daily migraines. It also caused several other symptoms for me. I am free of migraines unless I accidentally ingest something that has it in it. You are right about Truth in Labeling. Jack’s web site saved me. I now know all the names but it is so hard to start. Well worth it, though. Thank you for this article.