Reference: Cerebrospinal Fluid [CSF] Glutamate Levels in Chronic Migraine From: Cephalalgia, September 2004, Page 735 MFP Peres, E Zukerman, CA Senne Soares, E O Alonso, BFC Santos & MHW Faulhaber Background Information from Dan Murphy Glutamate (an amino acid) is the brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter. However, excess glutamate kills brain neurons and is, therefore, called an "excitotoxin." Too much glutamate literally excites brain neurons to death. Glutamate is commonly added to foods, because it makes them "exciting" or taste better. Most of us know glutamate by its salt form, mono-sodium glutamate or MSG There are dozens of names for glutamate as it is added to foods. A partial list of alternative names for glutamate can be found from the website www.truthinlabeling.org. The names include words such as autolyzed and hydrolyzed. The website notes that most, if not all, live virus vaccines contain MSG [WOW!] Aspartate acid, or aspartate (another amino acid) is the brain's sec- ond prevalent excitatory neurotransmitter. Aspartate poses the same deleteri- ous toxicity to brain neurons as does glutamate, and is, therefore, also labeled as an excitotoxin. Most of human exposure to aspartate is through the artificial sweetener aspartame. Aspartame is composed of the amino acids phenylalanine and aspartate. In the body, and sometimes in the food product when heated, the bond between phenylalanine and aspartate is broken, releasing the excitatory neurotransmitter and excitotoxin aspartate. Im- portantly and sadly, according to neuro-surgeon Russell Blaylock's 2002 book, Health and Nutrition Secrets that Can Save Your Life, phenylalanine and aspartate are not linked through a standard peptide bond but, rather, are linked with methyl alcohol (a deadly toxin itself). Consequently, ingestion of aspartame exposes our bodies to both aspartate and to methanol. Apparently, both glutamate and aspartate enter the brain through holes in the blood brain barrier at the hy-pothalamus, called the circumventricular organs. They, then, become factors in creating an array of symptoms, including chronic migraines (as noted in this article), and also accelerate neurodegenerative diseases. The key points from this article include: Elevated CSF glutamate and aspar tate are linked to chronic migraine pathophysiology and to fibromyalgia. An acute increase in glutamate and aspartate levels can trigger a migraine attack. Increase in CSF glutamate levels is also seen in chronic daily headache patients. The head pain in migraine arises within the trigeminal system, which receives afferent input from the upper cervical spine. This is very important for upper cervical chiropractic. Acute migraine drugs increase CSF glutamate levels, increasing chances of chronic migraine suffering. [Amazing.] Magnesium blocks the glutamate receptor, reducing the excitotoxicity of glutamate. This is an important management tip. |Try 600 mg/day.| This article would suggest management for chronic migraine, for chronic daily headache, and for fibromyalgia would include avoiding dietary glutamate and aspartame, taking supplemental magnesium, and using upper cervical chiropractic. EZX3 ■t 197Hgratluale of'Western Stales Chiropractic College. Dr. Dan Murphy is on the faculty oj Life Chiropractic College West, ami is the I 'ice President of the International Chiropractic Association. For more information, visit httf)://w\n\.ilanmurphvclc.com/new■sletter.htm.
