The Sentinal Book Reviews

Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills

Reviewed by: J. J. Bolton

It is certainly a creative poster, and brought a chuckle to most of us the first time we saw it, despite the fact that it's message is actually far from the truth. Indeed, for conversely, if there is any truth in the verse that we are created "a little lower than the angels,' then it follows that the three pound mass of jelly-like tissue between our ears, that wonder of wonders, the human brain, deserves special attention as the organ which enables us to aspire to such a lofty calling. So how can we all take better care of our brains?

The book Excitotoxins, first released in 1997, by Dr. Russell Blaylock, is a monumental work in the field of nutrition. The opening chapter alone, "A Crash Course in How the Brain Works", is in itself worth the cost of admission. But beyond this, it is a definitive classic, laden with copious research and information, drawn from many sources, whose focus synthesizes these sources into a powerful statement against those substances "added to foods and beverages that literally stimulate neurons to death, causing brain damage of varying degrees."

Excitotoxins can be found in such ingredients as monosodium glutamate, aspartame (Nutrasweet), cysteine, hydrolyzed protein, and aspartic acid. Beyond this, the book gives details about the many hidden sources of these substances disguised in many other commonn foods. If this bookk had been written by almost anyone else, we might dismiss it as sensationalism, and we might return unabashedly to our Slim-Fast diets, our Diet-Cokes, or any one of a number of other foods that contain America's #1 artificial sweetener.

However, the author Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, is a voice whose background and experience command attention. With the great care of a neurosurgeon (a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Southern Neurological Society, the American Nutritionist Association, the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, and the Association of Neurosurgical Anesthesia and Critical Care), Dr. Blaylock has prepared this material by taking the complex language of anatomy, neurology, and nutrition and converting it into an eloquent form that invites even those with little scientific background to delve more deeply.Any deeper delving will be rewarded with a revelation about the dark side of our country's food industry and the frightening likely connection it has to so many neurological diseases.

Dr. Blaylock documents research dating all the way back to the 1950's in which neuroscientist Dr. T. Hayaski discovered that, when MSG was injected into the grey matter in the brain of a dog, the animal would fall to the ground and convulse uncontrollably. (p.27)

The human brain, by comparison, is much more sensitive to similar substances, absorbing MSG at a higher rate, as high as 75%, when compared to the absorption rates achieved from injection. We humans, as a species, also maintain a much higher level of plasma concentration of these amino acids, for much longer periods of time. (p.53)

Despite several other studies which clearly indicated the potential for neurological hazards when these "exciting" amino acids, glutamic and aspartic acid, are ingested indiscriminately, the FDA, in 1981, effectively ignored the research by approving these substances as safe for general consumption when used as food additives (p.211)

Dr. Blaylock establishes the main theme of his opus with his adept discussion of brain structure and neurotransmitters. He clearly describes how an overabundance of glutamate and aspartate, brought about from this unnatural practice of introducing them into the diet as food additives, can play a potential role in a variety of degenerative problems involving the central nervous system, ranging the gamut from prenatal developmental problems and childhood behavioral difficulties through Parkinson's disease, ALS, and Huntingdon's Chorea.

Throughout the book, Dr. Blaylock demonstrates his abilities as a visual artist as well, having provided all the anatomical drawings and sketches. He also issues these strict warning concerning the consumption of "excitotoxins" , first.... *****To PARENTS-"So parents, it is important to STOP your child's exposure to excitotoxins now!" (p.88), and second....*****To PREGNANT WOMEN-"I warn all pregnant women to avoid all forms of glutamate and aspartate, especially aspartame."(p.223)

The last section of the book includes a valuable appendix which lists many common food additives that "piggyback" high levels of excitotoxins into our diets:

ADDITIVES THAT ALWAYS CONTAIN MSG--monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured protein, autolyzed yeast,hydrolyzed oat flour.

ADDITIVES ThAT FREQUENTLY CONTAIN MSG-malt extract, malt flavoring, bouillon, broth, stock, flavoring, natural flavoring, natural beef or chicken flavoring, seasoning, spices.

ADDITIVES THAT CONTAIN MSG OR EXCITOTOX1NS-carrageenan, enzymes, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, whey protein concentrate.