What can you take to counteract an allergy to MSG?

The symptoms people get from MSG consumption are not due to an allergy. The active componet of MSG is glutamic acid which is used as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and is used in many other parts of the body as well. And it's the overstimulation of these nerve cells, including brain cells, by the excess glutamic acid that cause most of the symptoms.

Some people are extremely sensitive to MSG, such as myself, and therefore can have more problems with MSG than other people. There are many causes for this increased sensitivity, such as nutritional deficiencies, excess calcium intake, and a damaged or immature blood brain barrier.

Some supplements that can reduce sensitivity to MSG:

Theanine

Taurine

Magnesium (Magnesium Gluconate on empty stomach)

Zantac may also help as it's an h2 antihistamine which can reduce blood brain barrier permeability and therefore reduce the amount of MSG(glutamic acid) that enters the brain.

Another possibility is that many MSGish ingredients contain higher histamine from production and cause symptoms in people with histamine intolerance and in that case a supplement called Histame may help. It contains a natural enzyme that breaks down histamine in foods.

While I have listed some supplements that provide some protection against excitotoxicity, I recommend trying to avoid products that contain MSG as well. Excess glutamate in the brain, including that from MSG, can cause cumulative brain damage.

MSG has become unpopular and so in many cases other ingredients, which contain free glutamic acid, are used in place of MSG. A few examples include hydrolyzed proteins and natural flavors, but there are many more.