Chinese restaurant syndrome

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A group of symptoms, including dizziness, facial pressure, sweating, and headache, that may occur after the ingestion of food containing large amounts of monosodium glutamate.

[From the frequent use of monosodium glutamate in Chinese restaurants.]

Flushing, palpitations, numbness associated at one time with the consumption of monosodium glutamate, and then with histamine, but the cause of these symptoms after eating various foods is not known.

A disorder experienced by some people after eating Chinese food. It is characterized by headaches, thirst, tightness in the chest, palpitations, and numbness in the hands and neck. The syndrome has been attributed to monosodium glutamate (MSG) contained in highly flavoured foods and sauces (especially the soy sauce which is offered as an accompaniment to many Chinese meals).

MSG adversely affects certain susceptible individuals but it may not be entirely responsible for the syndrome. Some victims of Chinese restaurant syndrome have a low vitamin B₆ status which is thought to increase their sensitivity to MSG. When given vitamin B₆ supplements, most of these victims quickly recover. In double-blind experiments comparing the effects of MSG and a placebo, the percentage of those who experienced unpleasant symptoms was not significantly different between the two groups. This suggests that some other factor, such as histamine, may be involved in the syndrome. Certain foods contain histamine (interestingly, soy sauce when fermented produces this chemical). Histamine is also released by the body during stressful situations.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a commonly used flavor-enhancer, is thought to cause flushing, headache, and numbness about the mouth in susceptible people. Because many Chinese restaurants use MSG in food preparation, these symptoms may appear after a susceptible person eats Chinese food.