Has anybody else noticed that when consuming monosodium glutamate (MSG) it aggravates your dry mouth and adds a real bitterness to the taste of anything it is put in?

It has taken me awhile to isolate this particular substance as the root of my problem and I am just curious to see if anyone else has experienced this?

I may have just developed a post-treatment reaction.

I did a quick search and turned up nothing...

Kevin

Kevin,
I had the opposite. During the last couple of weeks of radiation, I discovered I could "taste" Chinese food. I'm sure it was loaded with MSG. I would order soup and dip spoonfuls of brown rice into it (plus pick at my huband's selection). Although I lost about a third of my saliva production, I can now taste just about everything. Things don't taste as good as they once did, but I can tolerate and actually enjoy most food (and weekend dinner wine). I have had Chinese and Thai food about a dozen times since radiation and all was fine.

Kevin, MSG is a very strong additive to food. It tenderizes [breaks down the muscle and fiber in meat]of course, has lots of salt and many people [me included] are allergic to it. It may just be more that your mouth can handle at present. Amy in the Ozarks

MSG, is added to food to increase its shelf life "preserve" it both before and after it is prepared. It also enhances flavor.
MSG is linked to high blood pressure (although not much research has been done to support this), it can make dry mouth worse similar to too much salt intake and is linked to migraine headaches.

MSG is also found on food labels as, "Hydrolized vegetable and/or animal protien." Even if MSG, or monosodium glutamate is not listed as an ingredient if one of the above is on the label you can be sure it is MSG.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Mike

Hi guys. Looks like it is just WTNN (welcome to the new normal).

Simple - I did exactly the same thing with the Chinese food right after my IMRT. The restaurant that I go to is a little mom & pop place that doesn't use MSG (they're real proud of it - BIG sign). I was getting soup and rice and Chi would say "I onry charge you one dollah".

I am just now getting back to where I can eat most meats so I have been venturing out into the large corporate entity restaurants and I have to say, with the exception of a very few, I'll stick with the local mom & pop restaurants. Surprisingly the ones I have had the most trouble with are the Italian's, Olive Garden & Carrabba's. They must be really loading up the MSG.

I did not know that "Hydrolized vegetable and/or animal protien" was the same thing Mike. Thanks for the info. I'll have to look for it. I thought that MSG was derived from seaweed and sugar beets.... Learn something new everyday.

I guess I'll have to try the seasalt trick when I grill steaks now that looks like I wont be able to tenderize with MSG, or I guess I could always head over to the prime shop

Thanks Yall !!

Kevin

I need to correct "I'm sure it was loaded with MSG." I just checked the website of the place I use to visit during radition and they don't use MSG.

I had Pad Thai for lunch yesterday and it tasted fine. I couldn't find any reference to MSG on their limited website.