It is 3:30 in the morning and I can't sleep. I decided to turn on the TV to see what late night broadcasting had to offer me; usually there is absolutely nothing on...fitness, Girls Gone Wild DVD ads, and infomercials, but this morning was different. I was actually stopped on a health news show and they were discussing MSG and how badly it effects the brain and I was hooked. Here are some surprising and frightening effects of this tongue tingling "drug".

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is a flavor enhancing substance that was originally used in Japan, but is now used widely throughout the world. MSG and MSG containing substances are used in processed foods, fast foods, and in Chinese food. They are also found in nearly all canned and frozen foods - are you surprised yet?

While some people can use MSG with zero effects, many others have severe reactions to it, some of them life-threatening. MSG is linked to asthma, headaches, and heart irregularities. Behavioral and physical problems of children, such as incontinence and seizures, as successfully treated as MSG disorders. MSG is most dangerous to babies in the womb; they get more of the substance than the mother does and can lead to inabilities in the child later on in life. Studies also suggest that because we are constantly treating our bodies with MSG throughout our lifetime - it can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and other illnesses.

Those who wish to eliminate MSG from their diets are faced with an almost impossible task. Food preparers are often unaware that they're even using MSG as the labels can be misleading. Even a label that reads "No MSG Added" doesn't necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it; it only means that it wasn't added. MSG has numerous names and you would never guess that it was MSG. The most common on MSG's many aliases is "Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein," an additive used to increase the protein content of a wide variety of foods.

Manufacturers also hide MSG as part of "Natural Flavorings," because it is a natural product. Natural doesn’t mean harmless so keep that in mind.

Here are some of the most common names for disguised MSG. Remember that the powerful excitotoxins asparatate and L-cysteine are frequently added to foods and, according to the FDA rule, require no labeling at all.

Additives that Always Contain MSG