The treatment of Autism is a multimodal approach with one of the cornerstones being nutritional therapy. This entry is a summary of some of the common treatments and recommendations for utilization of these therapies. Parents should understand that there is not a single recipe for success and what works for one child may not work for another. It is also important to note that nutrition is only a part of successful therapeutic intervention for Autism, albeit a very important one.

First is Vitamin B12 injections. The common dose is 1000 micrograms 2-3 times per week for the first 4-6 weeks then gradually diminish to maintenance levels on a monthly basis. Parents should note there has never been a reported case of B12 toxicity and high doses can be administered safely.

Intramuscular Magnesium has been shown to be helpful although there are reported cases of increased agitation during its use. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral of the body and is used in over 300 functions in the humans.

Colloidal Silver is a suspension of silver particles in water. It has been show to be an immune system booster and may be helpful in systemic disorders.

Pancreatic enzymes are a common treatment but have been shown to have mixed effects on the children. Starting these enzymes should be done seperately as to observe its effect on the patient. Common ones are Creon and Cotazym.

I believe some of the most important supplements are Omega-3 fatty acids. ALA, EPA and DHA are critical fats in a number of tissues. They are important for decreasing systemic inflammation by their effect on the Cox 2 enzyme. They are also important in the cell membrane stabilization of neurons in the central nervous system. Dosage ranges from higher than 10 grams during initial therapies to maintenance levels of 1 gram per day. I recommend 3-5 grams for my patients at the beginning of treatment.

Dimethylglycine (DMG) in a non-protein amino acid that is found naturally in animal and plant cells and is an intermediate in the metabolism of choline to glycine. It is often described as an “oxygenator” when supplemented and there have even been cases reported of DMG stopping drug resistant seizures. Dosage depends on age but it is common to start with one 125mg capsule per day.

Calcium supplemenation has been shown to have beneficial effects on sleep related problems associated this syndrome.

There is research surfacing about the effect of Vitamin A with the idea that Autism is a related to a defect in the G-Alpha Protein. This theory is tied into the D.P.T. vaccine and inserting a G-Alpha Protein into genetically at risk children. This is the Pertussis Toxin of the D.P.T. vaccine and has been demonstrated to seperate the G-Alpha protein from retinoid receptors. It is believed that natural Vitamin A may help with the reconnection of retinoid receptors critical for vision, sensory perception, language perception and attention. Typical dosage is 5000 IU (2500 IU B.I.D.). Those most at risk have at least one parent with a history of a G-Alpha Protein defect, exhibited in disorders such as night blindness, pseudohypoparathyroidism and adenomas of the thyroid or pituitary gland.

Another treatment protocol to discuss with your physician is the promotion of Metallothionein (MT).  This involves a combination of Zinc preloading followed by introducing MT promoting supplements.  This is accomplished by a combination of multiple 14 amino acids, Selenium and GSH.  Again, this should be monitored with lab testing and is typically done in conjunction with elimination diets.

The elimination recommendations typically entail two important food groups, those containing Gluten and Casein. The most common test for tolerance is a simple Urinary Peptide test that detects by-products of incomplete digestion of Gluten and Casein. It is recommended that even without positive test findings, Autistic children should eliminate these two. Gluten is found in foods such as wheat, barley, rye and oats. Casein is found in dairy such as milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream.

It is believed that when these proteins are broken into peptides they can pass through imperfections in the lining of the gut, commonly referenced as “leaky gut syndrome” and have a negative autoimmune response on the body.

Parents report dramatic effects from eliminating these products. It should not be done “cold turkey”, but rather a gradual withdrawal of Gluten and then Casein products.

There are many other potential and lesser known nutritional therapies that I haven’t discussed in this post, but this is a summary of the more common recommendations that have shown to be successful in the treatment of Autism.  The aforementioned topics can be used as a general guideline to discuss with your physician in treating Autistic Spectrum Disorders.  Outcomes will vary from individual to individual, but nutritional therapies are vital in promoting improved neurophysiology and biochemistry in Autism disorders.