Chinese Food, MSG and Asthma

By stradec2002

1 min read

This is my recent experience from June 15, 2022. I hadn't had Chinese food in several months. Normally I'll eat half the meal and my daughter will finish it the next day, but because I had swam an hour that day, I was completely famished. About 45 minutes to an hour after eating, I could hear myself wheezing while talking on the phone with my husband. No other triggers were in the house, air purifiers running on high. After using my inhaler, the wheezing was gone.

Upon trying to online search, I found some information about MSG and its effects on sensitive people, but knowing one can't always trust the Internet for viable information, I had asked a question here of a respiratory therapist, after trying to search MSG and asthma on Asthma.net. I had also found out on June 16, 2022, from another severe asthmatic I know after sharing with her, that she started having an asthma attack before she finished eating the last time she had Chinese food.

I just wanted to share my experience with this community and see who else has noticed this trigger and to get the word out. MSG could be a trigger for any number of other unsuspecting asthmatics. Thank you, Leon, for the gentle nudge to share. I learn so much and am deeply encouraged by the many blogs with wonderful information.

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Leon Lebowitz, RRT Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="stradec2002" user-id="4522084"/> Hi stradec - thanks so much for the 'shout out' acknowledgement - I appreciate it! More importantly, I am glad you decided to 'take the plunge' and post your story here to share with the community. The hope is that others will join in and share their own anecdotal experiences as relates to MSG (sometimes referred to as the seasoning 'Accent&#39😉. It is stories such as yours, shared with the membership, which is a large part of what our community it all about! Warm regards, Leon (site moderator <a href='https://asthma.net' target='_blank'>asthma.net</a>)
Leiba Stern Member
Hi. I used to get severe headaches from msg, a spice called Mrs. Dash, I had no idea I was allergic to something in it. MSG is usually derived from corn as well as dextrose. I have allergic asthma. I figured out that corn was a trigger, because after eating popcorn on a Saturday afternoon I had a severe coughing attack on and off for two hours and then it subsided. The next evening I had something with baby corn in it and ended up in the emergency room. In that same month while I was at work, I ate lunch which was bread that had corn syrup in and needed my rescue inhaler. I was in the emergency room that month 5 times for corn allergy. 3 times I had to call EMS to be rushed in to the emergency room for treatment. One doctor gave me the list of corn allergies from <a href='https://cornallergin.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>cornallergin.com</a>. Through that I was able to avoid many triggers. However, popcorn that the scent is airborne is a massive issue. For example, once I was at an educational convention for private religious schools and was in a lecture sitting next to an elderly woman, and had to run out the room and far from there so as not to have an asthma attack. 
1. Leon Lebowitz, RRT Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Leiba Stern" user-id="4680709"/> Hi again, Leiba, and thanks for joining in the conversation here. We appreciate you sharing your own personal experiences managing this disease with the community. We appreciate your input and your feedback. All the best, Leon (site moderator <a href='https://asthma.net' target='_blank'>asthma.net</a>)