Glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are the major neurotransmitters in a mammal’s brain. Inhibitory GABA and excitatory glutamate work together to control many processes, including the brain’s overall level of excitation.
Although glutamate is one of the most abundant neurotransmitters found in the brain, it exists in very small concentrations. If the concentration level rises, then neurons become too excited and don’t fire in a normal manner. Glutamate becomes an excitotoxin when it is in excess; meaning it overstimulates brain cells and nerves and results in neurological inflammation and cell death.
An excess of glutamate is a primary contributing factor to a wide variety of neurological disorders like autism. This study found a significant association between high striatum glutamate and the severity of social impairment, which implies that this abnormality is clinically significant. (Striatum coordinates multiple aspects of cognition, including both motor and action planning, decision-making, and motivation)
GABA inhibits the firing of neurons. It calms the brain and promotes relaxation. Too much GABA can cause lethargy and fatigue. I take this GABA at night – every other night – because I’ve been having a hard time staying asleep. (Signs that I need to tighten up my diet!)
Keeping glutamate and GABA balanced in the brain is extremely important to prevent brain fog and neurodegenerative conditions like:
- ALS
- Alzheimer’s
- Autism
- Huntington’s
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s
- Stroke
Glutamate is a common amino acid found in many foods. Remember, even the human body produces some and uses it to produce body proteins, and neurotransmitters (brain chemicals). Over-consumption of MSG, glutamic acid, or other forms of glutamate can cause sensitivity in some people. Avoiding it is challenging. The key is knowing food sources (soy, whey protein, malts…) so you can limit your exposure.
The first step in balancing glutamate and GABA is to avoid foods and nutritional supplements that contain or prompt the body to create glutamate or other excitatory neurochemicals that can enter via the glutamate receptors such as aspartate, aspartame, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine (mostly a problem with children), homocysteine and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Then, if you feel better when restricting glutamates, it’s best to modify/limit the amount of food sources you consume.
Sources of MSG:
- Hydrolyzed protein or hydrolyzed oat flour
- Sodium caseinate or calcium caseinate
- Autolyzed yeast or yeast extract
- Gelatin (use only pastured gelatin)
- Glutamic acid
- Monosodium glutamate
Excitotoxic Food Ingredients:
- Ajinomoto
- Autolyzed anything
- Autolyzed yeast
- Autolyzed yeast extract
- Bouillon
- Broth
- Calcium caseinate
- Carrageenan (or vegetable gum)
- Caseinate
- Chicken/pork/beef “base”
- Chicken/pork/beef “flavoring”
- Disodium caseinate
- Disodium guanylate
- Disodium inosinate
- Dough conditioner(s)
- Gelatin
- Glutamate
- Guar gum
- Hydrolyzed anything
- Hydrolyzed oat flour
- Hydrolyzed plant protein
- Hydrolyzed protein
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
- Kombu extract
- Malt extract
- Malt flavoring(s)
- Malted anything
- Malted barely flour
- Malted barley/barley malt
- Maltodextrin
- Meat flavorings (chicken, beef etc.)
- Monosodium glutamate
- Natural flavor(s)
- Natural flavoring(s)
- Nutrasweet/aspartame
- Plant protein extract 1-cysteine
- Seasoned salt
- Seasoning(s) or spices
- Smoke flavoring(s)
- Sodium caseinate
- Soup base
- Soy extract
- Soy protein
- Soy protein concentrate
- Soy protein isolate
- Soy sauce
- Spice mixes that contain glutamate or MSG as an ingredient
- Stock
- Textured protein
- Vegetable gum
- Whey protein
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey protein isolate
- Yeast extract
Foods High in Glutamates:
- Anything enzyme modified
- Anything fermented
- Anything protein fortified
- Anything ultra-pasteurized
- Anything vitamin enriched
- Anything with corn syrup added
- Anything with milk solids
- Baked goods from bakeries
- Barbeque sauce
- Certain brands of cold cuts/hot dogs
- Body builder protein mixes
- Bottled spaghetti sauce
- Boullion (any kind)
- Broccoli
- Canned and smoked tuna, oysters, clams
- Canned soups (certain brands)
- Canned refried beans
- Canned, frozen, or dry entrees and potpies
- Caramel flavoring/coloring
- Catsup
- Cereals
- Chili sauce
- Chocolates/Candy bars
- Citric acid (when processed from corn)
- Corn
- Cornstarch
- Corn chips (certain brands)
- Dough conditioners
- Dry milk or whey powder
- Egg substitutes
- Flavored chips (certain brands)
- Flavored teas, sodas
- Flour
- Flowing agents
- Fresh and frozen pizza
- Fresh produce sprayed with
- Auxigro—instead choose organically grown produce
- Fried chicken from fast food sources
- Frostings and fillings
- Gelatin
- Grapes
- Gravy Master
- Instant soup mixes/Stocks
- Kombu extract
- L-cysteine
- Low-fat/Diet foods
- Many salad dressings/Croutons
- Mayonnaise
- Molasses
- Most salty, powdered dry food mixes
- Mushrooms, especially shiitake and enokitake
- Mustards
- Non-dairy creamers
- Parmesan cheese
- Peas
- Pectin
- Pickles
- Salted peanuts (certain brands)
- Potatoes
- Powdered soup and sauce mixes certain brands)
- Prawns
- Processed cheese spread
- Ramen noodles
- Restaurant gravy from food service cans
- Restaurant soups made from food service Soup base
- Sausages/Processed meats/Cold cuts
- Seasoned anything
- Skim, 1%, 2%, non-fat, or dry milk
- Some bagged salads and vegetables
- Some peanut butters
- Some spices
- Soy sauce
- Supermarket turkey & chicken (injected)
- Table salts
- Tofu and other fermented soy products
- Tomato sauce/Stewed tomatoes
- Walnuts
- Whipped cream topping substitutes
- Worcestershire sauce
- Xanthan gum/other “gums”
Wellness Workability 