The Glutamate and Cancer Link

Most people are at least aware that monosodium glutamate (MSG) can cause some serious damage to the brain and produce a number of neurological problems such as severe headaches, seizures, and exacerbation of existing neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. (For more information on food additives and the damage they can cause to your body, read my newsletter " Food Additives: What You Eat Can Kill You." ) However, newer studies have shown that glutamate receptors — the part of the cell membrane where the glutamate triggers its mischief — exists on the surface of cells and organs throughout the body, including skin, blood vessels, the heart, pancreas, the gastrointestinal tract, liver, lungs, prostate, breast tissue, immune cells, and even bone cells. These receptors are exactly like nervous system receptors, and can affect how cells function. A growing number of researchers are finding that stimulating these glutamate receptors can cause cancer cells to grow much faster and become more invasive — and therefore more deadly. This mechanism was first found in brain tumors, but now is known to affect many other types of cancer. Some of these cancers actually secrete high concentrations of glutamate themselves, which in turn stimulates their cells to grow and invade even more aggressively. Exciting studies are now showing that blocking these glutamate receptors can prevent cancer from spreading and cause tumors to shrink and even become much more sensitive to chemotherapy. Importantly, blocking these receptors has no adverse effects on normal cells. More good news is that by combining glutamate blockers with conventional treatments, we can dramatically reduce chemotherapy toxicity and side effects, while at the same time markedly enhance their effectiveness in killing cancer cells. This also makes alternative treatments for cancer much more effective. (For information on how to use spices to protect yourself against cancer, read my report "Cut Your Cancer Risk by Spicing Up Your Diet.')' Of particular concern is the finding that stimulating certain glutamate receptors can convert normal cells into cancer cells. What this means is that people who eat large amounts of processed foods — which commonly contain high levels of glutamate additive — are constantly exposed to glutamate in their blood and tissues. This could increase the incidence of melanomas (skins cancer), prostate cancers, and breast cancers. If a person already has a cancer, the glutamate additives in food will make the cancer much more aggressive and more likely to kill. Unfortunately, the vast majority of oncologists are not warning their cancer patients to avoid glutamate additives and foods naturally high in glutamate, such as heavy meats, mushrooms, and soy products. Primarily, this is because they have never heard of this research, most of which is in their own journals.