Posted by Larry Hoover on July 22, 2004, at 6:45:34
In reply to Larry - Food Sensitivity Question, posted by Simus on July 21, 2004, at 22:20:12
> Larry,
>
> Sorry to be a pest,Banish the thought.
> but I have had a question in the back of my mind for a while with no one to ask...until I just now thought of you.
I like being thought of, and I like being thought of for that.
> When I was on SSRIs (for about 8 years), I was VERY sensitive to food additives (excitotoxins). I had to watch labels very carefully. Accidentally getting Chinese food with MSG once almost sent me to the emergency room. Now I am on Wellbutrin, no SSRIs, and I notice little sensitivity to food additives at all. Any ideas why?
>
> (Don't spend a lot of time on research if you don't know the answer. I am just curious.)
>
> Thanks.
>
> SimusPure speculation....
SSRIs tend to inhibit glutamate and aspartate release in the brain. When a neurotransmitter is released at a reduced rate, post-synaptic receptors can be up-regulated (they become more sensitive, in some cases, or their number increases, in others). That gives some potency back to the weaker signal caused by reduced overall release. If you up-regulated e.g. glutamate receptors while on the SSRI, external sources of glutamate (e.g. MSG in food) would have had magnified effects. The same goes with other excitotoxins, and their respective receptor-mediated effects.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:368800
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040718/msgs/368868.html