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MSG (monosodium glutamate) is the sodium salt of one of the most commonly occurring amino acids, glutamic acid . This non-essential amino acid is naturally synthesized in the human body and in many high-protein foods, tomatoes, cheese, and mushrooms, creating the umami flavor described as savory and meaty (Glutamate, 2022) .  Although glutamic acid is abundant and safe, its counterpart MSG, an isolated and concentrated form, has gained a controversial reputation after a seri

Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive substances in the world, valued for its stimulating effects on the brain and body. To understand how caffeine works, it is necessary to examine its biological mechanisms and the genetic factors that influence caffeine sensitivity. What is Caffeine? Caffeine is a naturally occurring central nervous system stimulant in the methylxanthine class, a group of drugs with stimulatory and bronchodilatory (or the ability to open

In the early 20th century, America was plagued. Not with disease but with nutritional deficiency, specifically iron deficiency. The population, at the time, had been suffering from widespread cases of iron deficiency anemia (Mitchell, 2024) , which is a condition where one's body cannot produce enough hemoglobin because of the lack of iron, leading to reduced oxygen delivery throughout the bloodstream and symptoms of dizziness, fatigue, and shortness or breath. With high rat