Monosodium glutamate and its harmful effects on human health
What it found
Several studies found monosodium glutamate has toxic effects on fetuses, children, adolescents and adults.
The effects seen include high blood pressure, obesity, gut problems and harm to the brain, nerves, reproductive and hormone systems.
What they found
Studies in people and animals
Harm across age groups
Several studies found MSG has toxic effects on fetal development, children, adolescents and adults.
Health problems reported
The body problems linked to MSG toxicity include high blood pressure, obesity, gut troubles, and poor function of the brain, nervous system, reproductive system and hormone system.
Other findings
Dose and exposure matter
How MSG affects the body depends on the dose, how it is taken in, and how long the exposure lasts.
Tackling food adulteration
The authors say public awareness, working with national testing facilities to check each commercial food item regularly, may play a major role in controlling food adulteration.
What the authors conclude
“Several studies revealed that MSG has toxic effect on fetal development/fetus, children's, adolescent, and adults.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say the effect of MSG depends upon its dose, route of administration and exposure time.
- They advise that public awareness may play a major role in controlling food adulteration by working in collaboration with National testing facilities to scrutinize each commercial food article from time to time.
- They aim to highlight the deleterious impact of MSG on human health.
How it was done
The authors say commercial foods have become a lifeline for city populations because of industrialisation, urbanisation and a fast-growing working class. These foods save time and energy but compromise nutritional value, and MSG is one of the most common additives used.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The paper does not say how many studies were looked at, or what kind of studies they were.
- It does not give doses or lengths of exposure, so it cannot show what amount of MSG might cause which effect.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Ramananda College, India
The paper
- Title
- Patho-physiological and toxicological aspects of monosodium glutamate
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Chakraborty SP (2019). Patho-physiological and toxicological aspects of monosodium glutamate. Toxicology mechanisms and methods. doi:10.1080/15376516.2018.1528649PubMed 30273089DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error