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From: shenkin@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Peter S. Shenkin)
Newsgroups: sci.med,alt.drugs,sci.bio,sci.chem
Subject: Re: Tryptophan Mystery Resolved
Message-ID: <1990Apr27.201809.19267@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>
Date: 3 Jun 90 15:07:02 GMT
References: <1990Apr26.200027.29242@pmafire.UUCP> <1990Apr27.000315.2282@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1990Apr27.174702.10390@pmafire.UUCP>
Reply-To: shenkin@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Peter S. Shenkin)
Organization: Columbia University
Lines: 26

In article <1990Apr27.174702.10390@pmafire.UUCP> dukas@pmafire.UUCP (Steve Dukas) writes:
>In article <1990Apr27.000315.2282@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> shenkin@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Peter S. Shenkin) writes:
>
>>Just as Dukas couldn't understand how consuming tryptophan could have a
>>deleterious effect, I can't understand how MSG does;  but it really does, 
>>apparently.
>
>The effects you have described are that of hypertension, c(possibly) caused
>from sodium....
I thought sodium per se had been ruled out.

>I tend to have a theory that that sodium coupled with an amino
>acid (MSG) will be much quicker assimilated by the body....
If correct, this might explain it.  Any physiological evidences?

>                                               ...  Besides, MSG
>is not a pure amino acid, which should not be compared to one.
I disagree with you here.  Once it gets inside you, the zwitterion will
take on exactly the same charge state that it would have had you ingested
pure glutamic acid;  you are a buffer!  (or a bunch of them...)

	-P.
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Peter S. Shenkin, Department of Chemistry, Barnard College, New York, NY  10027
(212)854-1418  shenkin@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu(Internet)  shenkin@cunixc(Bitnet)
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