Glutamic acid is an amino acid that the National Center for Biotechnology Information describes as non-essential, since its health benefits are available from other amino acids and it exists so prevalently in foods. It occurs most in the central nervous system as an excitatory neurotransmitter. It is present in almost all nerve cells, cranial nerves and in the hippocampus of the brain. Of all the amino acids that appear in the brain, glutamic acid is the most acidic.
Foods
According to "The Healing Nutrients Within," there are no RDA requirements for glutamic acid, because of its prevalence in foods. Accordingly, glutamic acid deficiencies are extremely rare. Foods in which glutamic acid occurs include avocado, cheese, chocolate, duck, granola, luncheon meat, peach, rolled oats, turkey, wheat germ, bacon, chicken, egg, ham, oatmeal, pork, sausage meat and whole milk. Of these examples, ham contains the most glutamic acid.
Chinese Food
Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is a salt form of glutamic acid. It originated as a flavor enhancer that the Chinese extracted from seaweed. Today, MSG is a meat tenderizer and food additive both as a preservative and as a flavoring. It is found most prevalently in Chinese food, and regular ingestion can cause Chinese food syndrome. This manifests as nausea, thirst, headaches, weakness, burning, cramps, vomiting, depression, dizziness, chills, dry mouth, tingling gums, excess sweating, premature satiety, fatigue, blurred vision and increased heart rate. The most common symptoms are dizziness, blurred vision and headaches. MSG is significantly more toxic than its acidic counterpart and can cause brain damage in extremely high doses.
Supplements and Treatments
Doctors prescribe and use glutamic acid in pill form, usually in conjunction with manganese, to treat various conditions. Daily supplements of glutamic acid can raise the IQ of the elderly, decrease gastric distress, suppress overactive appetites, reduce prostatic hypertrophy and treat alcoholism, among other applications. However, patients with Alzheimer's disease cannot take glutamic acid, as they already possess elevated levels that may contribute to seizures. Elevated levels of glutamic acid also appears in people with depression, schizophrenia, seizures and strokes.
References
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Glutamic Acid -- Compound Summary
- "The Healing Nutrients Within: Facts, Findings, and New Research on Amino Acids"; Eric R. Braverman, Carl Curt Pfeiffer, Kenneth Blum and Richard Smayda; 2003
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