Exploring Nutrition and Supplements for Autism
Overview: This article explores the research on specific diets and supplements and their use in managing autism symptoms.
The adage you are what you eat is a metaphorical expression that implies that our health and well-being are impacted by diet. This notion is scientifically proven for all people, but it especially holds for autistic individuals who are susceptible to dietary alterations due to genetic variations that can impact the intake, transport, and accumulation of vitamins and minerals in their bodies (Adams et al. 2011). These small changes can have a big impact on brain and body development, making the monitoring of food intake an essential part of care and treatment of potential symptoms.
As with all diet and supplement information available on the web, it is important to look to well-researched, double-blind studies to truly determine the impact of specific dietary approaches for managing autism. A quick scroll through social media is likely to show someone extolling the unique virtues of red meat consumption right next to someone explaining the deadly consequences of eating that same meat. Given that cacophony, for purposes of this article I relied solely on high quality research to discern the most reliable current scientific data without providing specific recommendations. The goal here is to provide reliable data that allows you to make the best decisions for you and your family.
Diets and Autism
New diets “pop” into pop-culture daily, but many if not most of them are not tested for their benefits for specific populations. Luckily, there has been a good amount of research into the impact of certain diets on autistic individuals. Much of the research focuses on the varying impact of fat, protein, carbohydrates, gluten, and dairy. As with any significant health decision, it is recommended that any dietary decisions are made with the assistance of a physician and/or dietician to ensure that all nutrition standards are met. Four major takeaways from this research are as follows:
Keto Diet
A high-fat, low-protein and low-carbohydrate diet that is usually followed for multiple years.
Shown to benefit the following symptoms for autistic people (Li et al, 2021; Cheng et al, 2017)
Behavioral improvements with less required energy
Better attention span, communication skills, and emotion regulation
Shifts in gene expression that may lessen challenging ASD symptoms
Gluten Free Diet
A diet that excludes gluten, which is a protein commonly found in wheat, barley, and rye.
Shown to benefit cognitive skills and behavioral regulation symptoms for autistic people (Catassi et al. 2013).
There is no health risk in trying a gluten-free diet.
A gluten-free diet is sometimes combined with a casein-free diet.
Gluten Free - Casein Free Diet
A diet that excludes gluten as well as casein, which is a protein commonly found in animal milk and milk products.
Research shows a varying impact on autism symptoms which suggests that more research is necessary (González-Domenech et al. 2020). However, there is no health risk in trying this diet if the rest of one’s diet is well balanced.
It is recommended that people who go casein free supplement their diet with calcium to avoid any potential dietary deficiencies.
Avoiding Artificial Food Dyes
A diet that excludes food dyes such as Blue 1 and 2, Green 3, Red 3, Yellow 5 and 6, Citrus Red 2, and Red 40.
Research suggests that consuming these colors can exacerbate autism symptoms, sleep issues, and attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms (Bakthavachalu, et al, 2020).
Vitamins and Minerals
Food supplements are also often touted as a universal panacea. The challenging issue with determining the benefits of vitamins and minerals is that every person has a different metabolism, diet, and genetic phenotype. This makes establishing a “one size fits all” vitamin and mineral regiment impossible for all autistic individuals. I am not a medical doctor and cannot provide medical advice on this matter. I can tell you, however, that there are studies, such as Adams et al. (2011) that suggest that a comprehensive vitamin/mineral supplement can reduce hyperactivity, emotional breakdowns, and problems with receptive language in autistic people. The medical criticism of this position, and other similar studies, is that it is difficult to control for the differences in individual diet, metabolism, genetics, and environmental factors.
If you or your family member would like to try to replicate some of these benefits using a multivitamin, it is recommended that you use a product that minimizes unnecessary dyes and sugars – the Clean Lebel Project (cleanlabelproject.org) does a good job of certifying such things. You may also want to explore 3rd Party tests that certify the ingredients in the vitamin from organizations like NSF International and US Pharmacopeia. Finally, when feasible it is best to seek out multivitamins that are from “whole foods.” Not the grocery store, but rather vitamins that are derived from actual food instead of being synthesized in a lab.
I recognize that the most likely approach is to try different products until one of them “feels” right, but there are individuals who want to know the exact impact of each individual vitamin or mineral. For those of you, I have included the below chart that summarizes the impact of each supplement on ASD symptoms. Note that this chart/article is merely an introduction to the research on food supplements and should not be the sole criteria for your decisions. As with any medical intervention, it is best to consult with your doctor about the best course of action for you or your family member.
Resources
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