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Glutamate isn\u2019t just a flavor enhancer found in your favorite snacks and restaurant meals.<\/p>\nGlutamate isn\u2019t just a flavor enhancer found in your favorite snacks and restaurant meals.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also a key chemical messenger in your body that helps your nervous system function.<\/p>\n
Since your digestive system is closely connected to your nervous system, the authors of this study \u2013 publishing in Frontiers in Immunology<\/em> \u2013 suspected that glutamate might play a role in digestive issues like acid reflux.<\/p>\n To find out, they conducted a genetic study, rather than simply observing people\u2019s diets and health outcomes.<\/p>\n First, they gathered genetic information about 20 different amino acids from thousands of people.<\/p>\n This data showed how much of each amino acid was present in their bloodstreams based on their genetic makeup.<\/p>\n Then, they looked at acid reflux data from two massive databases: one from Finland with 28,859 patients and 350,064 healthy controls, and another from the UK with 29,975 patients and 390,556 controls.<\/p>\n The researchers used advanced statistical methods to determine whether genetic variations that affect amino acid levels could predict who would develop acid reflux.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the numbers revealed:<\/em><\/p>\n 2.\tIn the UK database, the risk was even higher, at 39.9%.<\/p>\n 3.\tWhen both studies were combined, higher glutamate levels were linked to a 22.7% increase in reflux risk overall.<\/p>\n 4.\tOf all 20 amino acids tested, glutamate was the only one that consistently increased reflux risk in both databases.<\/p>\n 5.\tThe researchers also performed a reverse analysis to test whether acid reflux might be causing elevated glutamate levels. They found no evidence of that \u2014 supporting glutamate as a likely cause, not an effect.\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n From this, they concluded that glutamate may increase the risk of developing acid reflux and may worsen its progression.<\/p>\n Since glutamate is naturally present in many healthy foods you should eat \u2014 like dairy, tomatoes, soy sauce, fish, and mushrooms \u2014 it\u2019s better to reduce or eliminate added glutamate instead.<\/p>\n This means cutting back on processed foods, restaurant meals, and anything with monosodium glutamate (MSG) on the label.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s also possible to eliminate acid reflux for good.<\/p>\n\n