Methylcobalamin Protects the Brain from Glutamate Damage

Thursday, July 29, 2010 by: Kerri Knox, RN
Tags: methylcobalamin, brain, health news

(NewsTarget) Glutamates are substances that are present in food additives such as MSG and artificial sweeteners as well as occurring 'naturally' during the processing of foods or the browning of meats. Glutamates have led to toxic damage of the brain and nervous system and have been implicated in problems as diverse as Parkinson's disease, Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism. The damage from glutamates can be severe and long lasting, but have been largely ignored in western medicine. However, several studies have shown that a form of Vitamin B12 called Methylcobalamin may be able to protect the brain from the damage caused by these glutamates.

Ingesting aspartame-containing artificial sweeteners, food additives such as MSG or meat that has been 'browned' means ingesting a neurotoxin called glutamate. Glutamates, which are in a class of damaging substances called 'Excitotoxins', have been around as artificial flavorings for decades. Particularly well known is mono sodium glutamate, also called MSG, which has been implicated as the culprit in 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' where sensitive people get a severe headaches and fatigue after a meal that contains MSG. Those who get Chinese Restaurant Syndrome are the lucky ones because they are well aware when they are exposed to glutamates and their negative reaction teaches them to steer clear of these toxic substances. The rest of us aren't so lucky and may knowingly or unknowingly be eating or drinking these nerve and brain damaging substances without thinking that there is a problem- until there is a BIG problem. Neurologic problems and diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease may be the result of these FDA approved neurotoxins designed to 'enhance' and 'sweeten' our foods and beverages.

Even though complaints of Aspartame side effects overwhelm any other food additive complaints to the FDA, they still do not feel that there is evidence that they are damaging enough to formally remove them from the market. However, there is certainly enough suggestive evidence for books to have been written about their damaging effects, websites to discuss their toxicity and lawsuits to have been brought against the chemical companies from people claiming to have 'Aspartame Toxicity'. Fortunately there are natural substances that have been shown to specifically be able to detoxify glutamates from the body. One of these substances is a form of Vitamin B12 called Methylcobalamin or Methyl B12 that is readily available as an over-the-counter supplement.

While most people are familiar with Vitamin B12 as a treatment for Vitamin B12 deficiency or as an energy booster, few know it as a detoxification aid. Methylcobalamin B12, as opposed to the other more well-known and less expensive forms of vitamin B12, has actually been studied surprisingly well as a detoxification aid, and it has been shown to be effective in decreasing and even reversing symptoms associated with neurologic disorders that may be linked to glutamates, such as Alzheimer's Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Autism. At least part of the reason for the improvements in these conditions may be due to Methylcobalamin's ability to detoxify brain damaging glutamates. Using it in the low doses given for vitamin b12 deficiency, however, will serve little or no purpose and the studies using this extraordinarily safe and non-toxic substance often use dosages 20 to 30 times what is used for deficiency! Despite the positive studies and its incredible safety record, few doctors in clinical practice use or have even HEARD about Methylcobalamin B12, leaving many people who could benefit from this amazing detoxification aid suffering with 'incurable' neurologic problems due to ignorance about the effects of a simple vitamin.

Resources
http://www.easy-immune-health.com/methylcoba...
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/5...
http://www.iovs.org/cgi/reprint/38/5/848.pdf
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract...

About the author

Kerri Knox, RN is a Registered Nurse and Functional Medicine Practitioner.
With over 14 years of experience in health care, she has the unique perspective of being solidly grounded in Conventional Medicine and being well versed in Alternative Medicine.
She can help you to to find and repair the UNDERLYING CAUSES of illness using cutting edge in home lab testing that finds nutritional deficiencies, hidden infections and chemical and metal toxicities that contribute to ill health.
She can be reached through her websites at:
Easy Immune System Health.com
Side Effects Site