Excitotoxins are neurotransmitters which can cause cell death when their actions
are prolonged.
Excitotoxins are compounds such as:
- glutamate (monosodium glutamate or MSG) and lots of MSG is used in restaurant food,
- aspartate or aspartame (i.e., NutraSweet) and
- homocysteine.
Excitotoxins cause premature cell death by initiating the P53 gene.
Increased glutamate levels can stimulate the microglia (a CNS immune cell) to produce more cytokines than normal and to release
stored glutamate and quinolinic acid, both of which are excitotoxins.
The microglia can also convert tryptophan to the excitotoxin, quinolinic acid.
Therefore, tryptophan supplements should not be taken by patients with any chronic condition.
Microglial cells activated by Beta-‐amyloid can release protein kinase C,
and thus prolong inflammation.
Microglial cells can also release large amounts of glutamate and
stimulate the release of inflammatory arachidonic acid.
This degenerative process can feed upon itself, destroying massive amounts
of neuronal tissue.
Additionally, the amount of Amyloid-‐beta peptides are increased,
hydrogen peroxide levels are increased
and as a result, excitotoxicity is increased.
When aluminium (eg from deoderants) is bound to excitotoxins glutamate and/or aspartate, it’s entry into your brain is significantly elevated. Once in the brain, aluminium increases iron-‐induced free radical activity!