MSG

[Guest Guest_efgh]

To all

 

We all know that MSG is not good for tics. What about glutamic acid?? should we avoid that too?? Is MSG a form of glutamic acid? I am not sure about this since I read that glutamic acid is a natural amino acid..

 

your thoughts please..

 

Claire, Jean and Heather

 

Have you tried reintroducing TV for your kids after their tics improvement? How are they doing tics - wise these days (without the TV)?? Planning to reintroduce TV for my son slowly next month (LCD) but I am a bit skeptical about this.

 

My son is doing well basically but still gets some bouts of tics once in a while.

[Claire]

efgh,

 

My son only watches TV on an LCD monitor--this causes no known problems with him. He retakes the urine test for yeast tomorrow and goes for retesting for mercury in a couple of weeks. I am not super hopeful on the yeast test because his spit 'sank' a couple of days ago when I tried this at home. Part of me is thinking of delaying the yeast test and gradually upping his capryllic acid dosage to closer to the adult dosage first--I will decide tomorrow.

 

I know that just removing the TV for a while and reintroducing never worked for him, and I know he is still at least somewhat sensitive --e.g. his reaction to the Harry Potter movie. You might try the TV viewing with one eye covered (cheap) sunglasses with tape on one eye and the other lens popped out. if you can't justify experimenting by buying an LCD monitor.

 

Claire

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Claire

 

thanks. goodluck to your son for his tests tomorrow.

 

Can you please explain to me the "one eye TV viewing concept"? How does it help me in understanding the trigger further? thanks in advance for your patient reply.

[Claire]

efgh,

 

I read somewhere that those with photosensitive epilepsy should cover one eye if they were exposed to a strobe light. One thing I read said it was a bi-optical trigger, so one eye alone was okay. Something else I read said it was because only 1/2 the brain was exposed to the light trigger since only 1 eye was viewing the flicker.

 

So I tried Polaroid sunglass glasses (both eyes) for my son at a movie, since they cut out half the light. But that didn't work. For the new Harry Potter movie I bought cheap sunglasses put a Band-Aid over one of the lenses and popped out the other lens. Yes , it looked funny , but it was just us in the dark theater. He still got fidgety afterwards (he hasn't been fidgety in months), but he got no tics. Of course he could just be less sensitive due to general health improvements.

 

Claire

[Chemar]

efgh

 

MSG is chemically-altered glutamate aka glutamic acid. Glutamine is is the amino acid form most frequently seen in supplements.

Glutamine and glutamate are separate amino acids, but share a common metabolic pathway, and glutamine converts freely to glutamate in the body

 

 

Some amino acids, whether in their naturally occurring state or chemically altered, are NOT a good thing for certain neurological conditions...it depends on their action.

 

Bonnie has posted in detail before on the amino acids that are to be avoided for tics, and I will try to find that info.for you.

 

In general it is wise to stay away from amino acids when there is a neurological disorder UNLESS they are specifically recommended by a physician or health care professional.

This is because most amino acids have a profound effect on the nervous system.

 

There are, as you know, some amono acids that are VERY beneficial to tics..eg TAURINE

 

this is what iHerb warns about glutamine/glutamate

Safety Issues

As a naturally occurring amino acid, glutamine is thought to be a safe supplement when taken at recommended dosages. However, those who are hypersensitive to monosodium glutamate (MSG) should use glutamine with caution, as the body metabolizes glutamine into glutamate. Also, because many anti-epilepsy drugs work by blocking glutamate stimulationin the brain, high dosages of glutamine may overwhelm these drugs and pose a risk to people with epilepsy.

 

Finally, in one case report high doses of the supplement L-glutamine (more than 2 g per day) may have triggered episodes of mania in two people not previously known to have bipolar disorder.33

 

Maximum safe dosages for young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease have not been determined.