Low-Glutamate Diet Linked to Fewer Migraines

By Pat Anson

A diet low in glutamate significantly reduced migraines in U.S. veterans with Gulf War Illness, according to a new study that documents for the first time that a reduction in migraine symptoms is linked to changes in the brain.  

Glutamate is an amino acid used in food additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is widely used in processed food and soups as a flavor enhancer. Previous studies have shown that a low glutamate diet reduces pain and other symptoms from fibromyalgia.   

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center observed a “big, big decrease” in migraines in 40 veterans with Gulf War Illness a month after they were put on a low-glutamate diet. Like fibromyalgia, Gulf War illness causes an array of musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, and neurologic symptoms, including migraines. It is thought to be caused by exposure to toxic chemicals during the war.

“More than half of the Gulf War veterans had migraines before the diet, and that dropped to under 20% after following the diet for one month,” said senior author Ashley VanMeter, PhD, Professor of Neurology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. “So it was a very significant drop.”

In addition to fewer migraines, veterans on the low-glutamate diet also had significant reductions in widespread body pain, fatigue, mood issues, and cognitive dysfunction. 

Findings from the study were recently presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego. The research, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, grew out of a collaboration with Kathleen Holton, PhD, a nutritional neuroscientist at American University, who has been researching the low-glutamate diet as a way to manage neurological conditions. 

In addition to food additives, glutamate occurs naturally in foods like tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms and nuts. Glutamate acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and is believed to stimulate nerve cells that process pain signals. 

In the Georgetown University study, researchers used brain scans to compare differences in the visual cortex – the part of the brain that processes visual information – in patients with Gulf War Illness and a group of healthy patients. Those with Gulf War Illness had a thicker right visual cortex and were more likely to report migraines than the healthy control group. 

But after being put on a low glutamate diet, the brain scans of Gulf War Illness vets showed a significant reduction in cortical thickness.

Holton says the findings support the theory that glutamate may damage nerve cells, causing a repetitive cycle of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the brain. 

“We think this is one of the reasons people who are susceptible to dietary glutamate tend to have prolonged symptoms over time,” said Holton.  

Thickening of the visual cortex is common among migraine sufferers, especially those whose migraines occur with aura, or visual disturbances. That raises the question of whether a low-glutamate diet could be an inexpensive treatment option for patients with migraine or fibromyalgia..  

“This is a very doable diet,” VanMeter said. “It’s a healthy diet, it’s not that hard to follow, and it’s a very low-cost way of treating what for some individuals is a chronic and debilitating condition.” 

Holton noted that the study also adds to a growing body of evidence about how processed foods impact health.

“This speaks to the fact that diet can not only make us sick, but can also acutely treat our symptoms,” she said.

The FDA considers MSG to be “generally recognized as safe,” although some people are sensitive to it and experience short-term, mild symptoms, such as headache, numbness, flushing, tingling, palpitations, and drowsiness.

“Over the years, FDA has received reports of symptoms such as headache and nausea after eating foods containing MSG. However, we were never able to confirm that the MSG caused the reported effects,” the agency says.

Does MSG Cause Chronic Pain?

By Pat Anson, Editor

Glutamate is a naturally occurring amino acid that is used in monosodium glutamate (MSG) as a flavor enhancer for processed food and soups as a flavor enhancer.

There have been many anecdotal reports of MSG causing headaches, nausea and fatigue – but the Food and Drug Administration found no evidence of that and declared that MSG is “generally recognized as safe.”

A small pilot study in central Africa suggests otherwise. Researchers at the University of Michigan and American University in Washington DC wanted to know why so many people in Meru, Kenya have widespread chronic pain – nearly two-thirds according to one survey.

Most suffered from neurological problems, including headaches or migraines, chronic fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and sleep issues.

Researchers recruited 30 Meru residents for a study to see if diet and dehydration played a role in their symptoms, focusing on a local seasoning spice called mchuzi mix, which often contains MSG. The spice mix is known as the “flavor of Kenya” and is commonly used in multiple dishes throughout the day.

When some of the study participants were sent home with a mchuzi mix containing no MSG and urged to drink more water, they started showing significant improvement in their pain symptoms within two weeks. Many liked the flavor of the new mix and asked for more.

"This preliminary research in Kenya is consistent with what I am observing in my chronic pain research here in the United States," said Kathleen Holton, PhD, a nutritional neuroscientist at American University and lead author of the study published in the journal Nutrition.

"We don't know what exposure is leading to this susceptibility to dietary glutamate, but this pilot study suggests the need for a large-scale clinical trial, since dietary change could be an effective low-cost treatment option for developing countries."

Holton and her colleagues believe glutamate may act as a neurotransmitter in the brain and stimulate nerve cells. Increased consumption of glutamate may also enhance the central sensitization that leads to chronic pain.

“These preliminary findings support the hypothesis that MSG may be able to modulate pain response, and suggest that a future larger study is feasible and warranted in this population,” said Holton.

Researchers are planning a larger epidemiological survey to understand the prevalence of widespread chronic pain in the region and to train Kenyans on how to conduct a large-scale clinical trial. The goal is to see if dietary change could be an effective, low-cost treatment option for chronic pain.

"This would be incredible if we could impact chronic pain simply by making slight modifications to diet," said Daniel Clauw, MD, a University of Michigan professor and a leading expert on chronic pain.

Does Changing Your Diet Help With Fibromyalgia?

By Lana Barhum, Columnist

Having lived with fibromyalgia most of my adult life, I know my diet may worsen or improve my pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms. I am not alone in this belief, but the research disagrees. 

Most studies have not shown any specific evidence that fibromyalgia patients should avoid certain foods or add any to their diets to manage symptoms.  Nonetheless, it is still a good idea to take a look at how some foods influence how you feel.

MSG, Gluten and Vitamin D

At least 42% of fibromyalgia patients have reported worsening symptoms after eating certain foods, according to a study in Clinical Rheumatology.  Other studies on fibromyalgia and diet have focused on food additives, gluten, and vitamin D, and found some evidence that they may affect fibromyalgia pain.  

A 2012 study published in Clinical Experimental Rheumatology, assessed fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients who had excluded monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame from their diets.  After four weeks, 84% of the study participants reported their symptoms had improved by about a third.  Adding MSG back into their diets resulted in a return of symptoms.

The researchers concluded that MSG did, in fact, have an adverse effect on some fibromyalgia patients and removing it from their diets was an easy solution.

"This novel research implicates glutamate as a major adverse excitotoxin in some FM (fibromyalgia) patients. Dietary manipulation is a relatively simple and low cost non-pharmacological intervention that warrants further exploration," reported lead author Kathleen  Holton, PhD.

But another study, published in Rheumatology International, found no relationship between MSG and fibromyalgia pain and symptoms.  The researchers reported no symptom improvement in the group that removed MSG and aspartame from their diets and the group that did not.

While there has been little specific evidence pointing to gluten as a fibromyalgia trigger, some research shows patients respond well when they avoid eating gluten.  Spanish researchers reported in Rheumatology International that fibromyalgia patients who removed gluten from their diets showed notable improvements in pain and symptoms.                                                           

There may also be a link between fibromyalgia pain and low levels of vitamin D, according to a 2014 study out of Austria. That research, reported in the journal Pain, found that study participants who took vitamin D supplements experienced less pain and morning fatigue.   

A 2015 report from the journal Pain and Therapy, also makes a case for a link between Vitamin D deficiency and pain. "Significant improvements in assessment of sleep, mood, pain levels, well-being, and various aspects of quality of life with vitamin D supplementation have been shown,” said researchers Elspeth and Edward Shipton.

More research is needed to further determine if diet and fibromyalgia are actually related.  But doctors do agree eating healthy foods can help patients to feel better and tweaking your diet may improve symptoms.

Making Diet Changes

Here are some ways to help you figure out which foods help and which ones hurt.

Keep a Food Journal.  Many people with fibromyalgia have food sensitivities, but specific “trigger” foods will vary from person to person.  A good way to identify which foods worsen fibromyalgia symptoms and pain is to keep a food journal.  If you find your symptoms consistently worsen after eating certain foods, try eliminating those foods from your diet and see if your symptoms improve.

Eat Healthy. It makes sense for everyone to eat healthy, not just people with fibromyalgia.  Eat a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. 

A balanced diet will also give you more energy and improve overall health.

Pick the Right Foods. There are certain foods that may help improve fibromyalgia symptoms and minimize flares.  Vitamin D is one, as studies show deficiency can cause joint and muscle pain.

Vitamin D is one, as studies show deficiency can cause joint and muscle pain. Foods rich in vitamin D include fatty fish (tuna and salmon), dairy products fortified with vitamin D (orange juice, milk, and cereal), beef liver, and egg yolks. Foods containing omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish, walnuts and flax seed, may also ease fibromyalgia symptoms by reducing soreness and inflammation.  

My Take

I am strong believer in taking your health into your own hands and experimenting with alternative treatments, including a healthy diet.  Through trial and error, I have figured out which foods help and which foods hurt as I continue to learn how to successfully cope with fibromyalgia. 

Aspartame (Nutrasweet), food additives (especially MSG), sugar, fructose, simple carbohydrates, caffeine, gluten, fried and junk food, dairy and nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes) are all foods that I have either eliminated or minimized from my diet.  Cutting them out of my diet has made fibromyalgia flares less frequent. 

In addition, I take vitamin D supplements, since my levels are often low, and eat foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, such as fish, walnuts, and eggs, to manage inflammation, as I also suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

While I don’t know for certain if my diet is the reason for fewer flare-ups, I do know that avoiding certain foods and eating healthy ones benefits my overall health.  And when my body feels healthier, I am better able to cope with fibromyalgia pain and symptoms.

The specific foods that help and hurt will be different for you, but a healthy diet can help you manage fibromyalgia symptoms and pain and improve your health overall.  And, it is definitely worth a try to find out. 

Lana Barhum is a freelance medical writer, patient advocate, legal assistant and mother. Having lived with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia since 2008, Lana uses her experiences to share expert advice on living successfully with chronic illness. She has written for several online health communities, including Alliance Health, Upwell, Mango Health, and The Mighty.

To learn more about Lana, visit her website.

The information in this column should not be considered as professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is for informational purposes only and represent the author’s opinions alone. It does not inherently express or reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of Pain News Network.