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Last Updated: Jun 30, 2008 - 11:14:37 AM |
WEDNESDAY JAN 2, 2008 -- A new study linked increased risk of stomach cancer to monosodium glutamate or MSG, which is typically found in Chinese dishes. But readers need to know that the study per se could not demonstrate there is a legitimate association between consumption of MSG and stomach cancer, a scientist with foodconsumer.org warned.
Researchers at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute observed that nearly half of 134 patients with stomach, rectal and colon cancer were heavy consumers of Chinese food often mostly from middle or low-end restaurants, which the researchers claimed hardly conformed to health safety standards.
NSCBCRI medical director Ashish Mukhopadhyay was cited by news media as saying that tests showed that most had ulcers, which CAN be linked to mono-sodium glutamate. This latter half of the statement is Mukhopadhyay's opinion, but a fact.
"Around 6% of our patients had various forms of stomach cancer. A surprisingly high percentage regularly had Chinese food. Even though we haven’t had any trial with the substance, it can easily be concluded that Ajinomoto is a factor," he added.
Ajinomoto is the Japanese company that has a large share of the MSG market.
Studies have showed people who ate a salty diet including pickled fish and vegetables were more likely to develop stomach cancer. This is not only observed in epidemiologic studies, but there is a underlying mechanism by which the effect of sodium chloride on ulcer can be explained.
In a high salt environment, the bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori in the stomach produces more harmful compounds that induce ulcer, which in a long run could cause stomach cancer. People in Asia use salty dishes often and have a high incidence of the cancer.
However, the current study could not in any way demonstrate that use of MSG raised the risk of stomach cancer and or ulcer. Of course, sodium in itself may have an effect, but table salt contains the biggest portion of sodium in a diet. The sodium in MSG used in Chinese dishes is likely a small player.
One explanation is that those who loved eating Chinese food may also have an appetite for high salt and they used high salt in their diet. That may be the real reason why a high percentage of these Chinese food lovers developed stomach cancer.
Of course, MSG is a neurotoxin killing neurons at a high dose. But just because it kills a few neurons does not mean one should avoid it. For one thing, neurons die naturally even without being influenced by any toxin. For another, MSG is not the only toxin present in natural foods. One can't avoid MSG as long as you are alive.
Regardless, readers may reduce their risk of stomach cancer by drinking more water to dilute the salt used in a typical American diet. Americans use too much salt (sodium chloride) and they should reduce their intake. Of course, too much of MSG in any diet is not advised either.
© 2004-2008 by foodconsumer.org unless otherwise specified
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