The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

We will provide a summary of research studies on nutritional abnormalities in autism and how to treat them. This will include vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids, including our studies of over 150 children with autism compared to controls. We will also provide recommendations to families. Learning Objectives: 1) Gain a basic knowledge of the nutrients essential to human life (vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids) 2) Learn which nutrients have abnormal levels in autism, and some possible reasons why they are low 3) Learn the effects of nutrient supplementation on the symptoms of autism based on the results of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies

Content: 1) Overview of key nutrients (vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids) 2) Present results of studies (from ourselves and others) on the level of those nutrients in people with autism compared to control groups. This will include: A) Our work on vitamin C and vitamin B6, which found statistically significant abnormal levels of both nutrients in children with autism compared to controls. B) Our work on the abnormal activity of the enzyme for converting vitamin B6 to its active form P5P, and on the abnormal activity of several P5P-dependent enzymes which are needed to make key neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, GABA). Altogether, these results on very low activity of P5P-dependent enzymes explains clearly why people with autism often have a need for high levels of vitamin B6. C) The role of vitamin B6, zinc, and magnesium in pyrroluria, which is observed in 30-50% of people with autism, and the results of a 15-month treatment study which demonstrated normalization of kryptopyrrole levels after supplementation. D) Our work on the evaluation of vitamin/mineral status of over 150 children with autism compared to 50-100 controls. This data demonstrates that children with autism have statistically significant reduced levels of most vitamins and minerals. Also, we will present data on the effects on nutritional supplementation on the vitamin/mineral levels, and demonstrate that commonly-used supplements are only partially effective in improving vitamin/mineral status. E) Two studies which found low levels of essential fatty acids in children with autism, as well as a brief overview of similar findings for several other psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, depression, post-partum depression, bipolar, ADD/ADHD)

3) Present a summary of the results of many double-blind, placebo-controlled autism treatment studies using nutritional supplements, including: A) One treatment study with vitamin C. B) Eleven treatment studies with vitamin B6/Magnesium. C) Our treatment study with a multivitamin/mineral supplement which found statistically significant improvements in 2 of 8 areas (GI and sleep problems). This study was funded by the ASA Foundation. D) Our recent treatment study, involving 100 people with autism from 3 ASA chapters (Delaware, Nashville, and Milwaukee), on the effects of essential fatty acid supplementation. (We will be completing this study in March, and will be ready for presentation by July).

4) Recommendations for nutritional supplementation, based on evaluations of nutrient levels and clinical treatment studies.

5) Question/Answer period at end

Content Area: Medicine and Research