Food additive and naturally occurring glutamate and risk of cardiovascular diseases in the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort
Abstract
Background The potential cardiac toxicity of glutamate is debated and has been suggested by some epidemiological and experimental studies. To our knowledge, none have investigated the links between both naturally occurring and food additive glutamate and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Objectives Our objective was to assess the associations between intakes of total, food additive, and naturally occurring glutamate and risk of CVD, including cerebrovascular (CVA) and ischemic heart diseases (IHDs), in a large population-based study. Methods Participants {n = 108,932, NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort, 2009–2023, France, mean age = 42.4 y [standard deviation (SD) = 14.5], 79.3% females} completed repeated 24-h dietary records [mean = 21 (SD = 18), ≤84], including brands of industrial food consumed. Exposure to food additive glutamate was evaluated through multiple composition databases and ad hoc laboratory assays in food matrices. Associations between time-dependent continuous exposures to total, naturally occurring, and food additive glutamate and risk of CVD, CVA, and IHD were investigated using multivariable Cox models. Results During follow-up (median = 7.92 y), 2397 CVD, 1113 CVA, and 1284 IHD cases were diagnosed. Higher intakes of food additive glutamate [hazard ratio (HR) per 200 mg/d: 1.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.09; P = 0.02], naturally occurring glutamic acid (HR3000 mg/d: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.25; P = 0.009), and total glutamate (HR3000 mg/d = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.26) P = 0.004) were associated with higher risks of IHD. For CVD, corresponding HRs were 1.03 (1.00, 1.06; P = 0.07), 1.09 (1.01, 1.18; P = 0.02), and 1.10 (1.02, 1.18; P = 0.01). No association was detected for CVA (all P ≥ 0.5). Residual confounding cannot be entirely ruled out, and causality cannot be established based on this single observational study. Conclusions This large prospective study showed positive linear associations between higher glutamate intakes and increased risks of CVD. In particular, food additive glutamate, naturally occurring glutamic acid, and total glutamate intakes were all associated with higher IHD risk. This adds to previous experimental data showing a role of glutamate in regulating heart functioning at physiological doses, while also suggesting heart rate dysfunction at higher exposures.
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BibTeX
@article{hasenbohler2026food,
title = {{Food additive and naturally occurring glutamate and risk of cardiovascular diseases in the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort}},
author = {Anaïs Hasenböhler and Guillaume Javaux and Marie Payen de la Garanderie and Fabien Szabo de Edelenyi and Laurent Bourhis and Cédric Agaësse and Alexandre De Sa and Inge Huybrechts and Fabrice Pierre and Xavier Coumoul and Chantal Julia and Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot and Benjamin Allès and Léopold K Fezeu and Serge Hercberg and Pilar Galan and Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy and Benoit Chassaing and Bernard Srour and Mathilde Touvier},
journal = {The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101462},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05764181v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Food additive and naturally occurring glutamate and risk of cardiovascular diseases in the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort
AU - Anaïs Hasenböhler
AU - Guillaume Javaux
AU - Marie Payen de la Garanderie
AU - Fabien Szabo de Edelenyi
AU - Laurent Bourhis
AU - Cédric Agaësse
AU - Alexandre De Sa
AU - Inge Huybrechts
AU - Fabrice Pierre
AU - Xavier Coumoul
AU - Chantal Julia
AU - Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot
AU - Benjamin Allès
AU - Léopold K Fezeu
AU - Serge Hercberg
AU - Pilar Galan
AU - Mélanie Deschasaux-Tanguy
AU - Benoit Chassaing
AU - Bernard Srour
AU - Mathilde Touvier
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
DO - 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101462
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05764181v1
AB - Background The potential cardiac toxicity of glutamate is debated and has been suggested by some epidemiological and experimental studies. To our knowledge, none have investigated the links between both naturally occurring and food additive glutamate and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Objectives Our objective was to assess the associations between intakes of total, food additive, and naturally occurring glutamate and risk of CVD, including cerebrovascular (CVA) and ischemic heart diseases (IHDs), in a large population-based study. Methods Participants {n = 108,932, NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort, 2009–2023, France, mean age = 42.4 y [standard deviation (SD) = 14.5], 79.3% females} completed repeated 24-h dietary records [mean = 21 (SD = 18), ≤84], including brands of industrial food consumed. Exposure to food additive glutamate was evaluated through multiple composition databases and ad hoc laboratory assays in food matrices. Associations between time-dependent continuous exposures to total, naturally occurring, and food additive glutamate and risk of CVD, CVA, and IHD were investigated using multivariable Cox models. Results During follow-up (median = 7.92 y), 2397 CVD, 1113 CVA, and 1284 IHD cases were diagnosed. Higher intakes of food additive glutamate [hazard ratio (HR) per 200 mg/d: 1.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.09; P = 0.02], naturally occurring glutamic acid (HR3000 mg/d: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.25; P = 0.009), and total glutamate (HR3000 mg/d = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.26) P = 0.004) were associated with higher risks of IHD. For CVD, corresponding HRs were 1.03 (1.00, 1.06; P = 0.07), 1.09 (1.01, 1.18; P = 0.02), and 1.10 (1.02, 1.18; P = 0.01). No association was detected for CVA (all P ≥ 0.5). Residual confounding cannot be entirely ruled out, and causality cannot be established based on this single observational study. Conclusions This large prospective study showed positive linear associations between higher glutamate intakes and increased risks of CVD. In particular, food additive glutamate, naturally occurring glutamic acid, and total glutamate intakes were all associated with higher IHD risk. This adds to previous experimental data showing a role of glutamate in regulating heart functioning at physiological doses, while also suggesting heart rate dysfunction at higher exposures.
SN - 0002-9165
SN - 1938-3207
ER -