Table Of ContentEXCITOTOXINS
The Taste that Kills
The Brain
EXCITOTOXINS
The Taste that Kills
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HOW MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, ASPARTAME
(NUTRASWEET®), AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES CAN CAUSE
HARM TO THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM AND THEIR
RELATIONSHIP TO NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES SUCH AS
ALZHEIMER‟S, LOU GEHRIG‟S DISEASE (ALS) AND OTHERS.
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Russell L. Blaylock, MD
Health Press NA Inc.
Albuquerque, NM
Copyright 1997 by Russell, Blaylock, MD
Published by Health Press NA Inc.
P.O. Box 37470
Albuquerque, NM 87176
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part
in any form. Printed in the United States of America.
Library of Congress Publication Data
Blaylock, Russell L., 1945-
Excitotoxins: the taste that kills / by Russell L. Blaylock
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Neurotoxic agents. 2. Excitatory amino acids. 3. Nervous
system-Degeneration. I. Title
RC347.5.B53 1994
616.8‟047 dc20 93-34412 CIP
ISBN 0-929173-25-2
Illustrations by Russell L. Blaylock, MD
Design by Jim Mafchir
I dedicate this book to my dad, C.D. Blaylock, who has always been an
inspiration to me, an exemplar, and without whose guidance and
encouragement I would never have gone as far as I have.
And to my mother who likewise always pushed me to excel and guided
me through the rough seas of life.
Disclaimer
The information presented in this book has been obtained from authentic
and reliable sources. Although great care has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information presented, the author and the publisher cannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all the materials or the
consequences for their use. Before starting any regimen of vitamins or
supplements you should consult with your physician.
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION 1
● 1: A CRASH COURSE IN HOW THE BRAIN WORKS 9
- THE INTERIOR OF THE BRAIN 13
- THE BRAIN STEM: THE GATEWAY TO THE BRAIN 18
- THE MASTER GLAND AND ITS CONTROL 19
- THE ELECTROCHEMICAL BRAIN 20
- SYNAPTIC TRANSFER OF INFORMATION 22
- PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER 24
- THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER: PROTECTING THE BRAIN 25
- CONCLUSION 27
● 2: VERY SPECIAL AMINO ACIDS 28
- WHAT IS AN AMINO ACID? 30
- A LOCK AND KEY 34
● 3: EXCITING CELLS TO DEATH 40
- EXCITOTOXINS: TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING 41
- EXCITOTOXINS AND THE DEVELOPING BRAIN 43
- HOW EXCITOTOXINS WORK 45
- EXCITOTOXINS AND BRAIN CELL ENERGY 56
- ANALYZING RESEARCH DATA 59
- THE MALLEABLE BRAIN: PLASTICITY 71
- PROTECTING THE DEVELOPING BRAIN 76
- EXCITOTOXINS IN FOOD AND THE PREGNANT WOMAN 81
- ENDOCRINE EFFECTS OF EXCITOTOXINS: HORMONES 87
- DO CHILDREN GET ENOUGH EXCITOTOXINS IN THEIR
DIETS TO CAUSE PROBLEMS? 91
- TRUTH IN THE SCIENCES 94
- CONCLUSION 97
● 5: CREEPING DEATH: THE NEURODEGENERATIVE
DISEASES 99
-NEUROLOGICAL TIME BOMBS 99
-DESIGNER DRUGS: THE BIG SURPRISE 107
-PARALYSIS AGITANS: PARKINSON’S DISEASE 111
-AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS: LOU GEHRIG’S DISEASE 128
- HUNTINGTON’S CHOREA 135
● 6: ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: A CLASSIC CASE OF
EXCITOTOXIN DAMAGE 143
- THE EFFECT OF NORMAL AGING 144
- WHAT IS ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE? 149
- MICROSCOPIC CHANGES SEEN IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE 151
- EXCITOTOXINS AND ALZHEIMER-SPECIFIC PROTEINS 153
- MEMORY LOSS IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE 154
- WHAT CAUSES ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE? 156
- THE HIT MEN OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE 161
- OTHER CONNECTIONS TO EXCITOTOXINS 162
- ENERGY: THE KEY TO BRAIN PROTECTION 165
- GETTING GLUCOSE TO THE BRAIN 169
- THE GLUCOSE TRANSPORTER SYSTEM OF THE BRAIN 170
- DEFECTIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION IN ALZHEIMER’S NEURONS 175
- FAILURE OF THE GATEKEEPER: THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER 178
- DOMOIC ACID: MUSSEL MADNESS 184
- MAGNESIUM AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE 187
- CYSTEINE: ANOTHER CANDIDATE FOR
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES 193
- WHAT DO ANIMAL STUDIES TELL US ABOUT HUMANS? 195
- WHAT SHOULD THOSE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE DO? 198
● 7: OTHER NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS RELATED TO
EXCITOTOXINS 203
- SEIZURES 203
- HEADACHES 209
- EXCITOTOXINS AND BRAIN INJURY 215
- STROKES: ISCHEMIA-ANOXIA 217
- HYPOGLYCEMIA 221
- AIDS DEMENTIA AND EXCITOTOXINS 222
- ASPARTAME, BRAIN TUMORS, AND THE FDA 223
- CONCLUSION 227
CONCLUSION 228
● 8: UPDATE 235
- PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS NUTRITIONAL PROTECTION 236
- FURTHER IMPROVING BRAIN FUNCTION NUTRITIONALLY 250
- STABILIZING THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER 253
- WHAT DID THE FASEB REPORT REALLY SAY? 258
APPENDIX I 264
HIDDEN SOURCES OF MSG
GLOSSARY 266
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 271
NOTES 272
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank several people who made this work possible. First, I
would like to thank my wife, Diane, who has been a continuous source of
encouragement in this project. I also thank my two sons, Ron and Damien,
who so frequently saw me disappear for hours behind the door of my
study. To my sister, Linda Pender, I owe an unpayable debt of gratitude
for reading my manuscript with a critical eye and making many helpful
suggestions. For all of his help in checking the accuracy of my
biochemical terms and cell physiology I want to thank Bob Smith, who is
working on his PhD degree in biochemistry and cell biology at Rice
University.
I would also like to thank the librarians at the Mississippi Baptist
Medical Center and Mrs. Nyla Stevens, head librarian at the Luther
Manship Library, St. Dominic Hospital, for their invaluable help in doing
literature searches and in retrieving scientific papers.
It was the research of Dr. John Olney which led me on my way to
understanding excitotoxicity of these taste-enhancing compounds. And it
was because of his strong sense of duty and courage in pointing out the
dangers of putting excitotoxins in baby foods that many children have
been spared the ravages of excitotoxin brain damage.
A special note of thanks to Dr. Adrienne Samuels and her husband
Jack for their courage in carrying on the battle to alert all of us about the
adverse effects of excitotoxins added to our food. They have given me
encouragement and support during the writing of this book, as well as
extremely useful information.
Finally, I would like to thank Dr. George Schwartz and his wonderful
wife, Kathleen, for believing in this project and making it happen.
