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Cited by 91Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchCeliac Disease Research and ManagementChild Nutrition and Feeding Issues

The relationship of autism and gluten

Open access
Buie, Timothy·2013·Clinical Therapeutics
DOI 10.1016/j.clinthera.2013.04.011
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Abstract

Background Autism is now a common condition with a prevalence of 1 in 88 children. There is no known etiology. Speculation about possible treatments for autism or autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has included the use of various dietary interventions, including a gluten-free diet.Objective The goal of this article was to review the literature available evaluating the use of gluten-free diets in patients with autism to determine if diet should be instituted as a treatment.Methods A literature review was performed, identifying previously published studies in which a gluten-free diet was instituted as an autism treatment. These studies were not limited to randomized controlled trials because only 1 article was available that used a double-blind crossover design. Most publish reports were unblinded, observational studies.Results In the only double-blind, crossover study, no benefit of a gluten-free diet was identified. Several other studies did report benefit from gluten-free diet. Controlling for observer bias and what may have represented unrelated progress over time in these studies is not possible. There are many barriers to evaluating treatment benefits for patients with autism. Gluten sensitivity may present in a variety of ways, including gastrointestinal and neurologic symptoms. Although making a diagnosis of celiac disease is easier with new serology and genetic testing, a large number of gluten-sensitive patients do not have celiac disease. Testing to confirm non-celiac gluten sensitivity is not available.Conclusions A variety of symptoms may be present with gluten sensitivity. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support instituting a gluten-free diet as a treatment for autism. There may be a subgroup of patients who might benefit from a gluten-free diet, but the symptom or testing profile of these candidates remains unclear.

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  • It has not been shown that children with ASD suffer from an increased incidence of celiac disease, wheat allergy or milk allergy.

    “It has also not been shown that children with ASD suffer from an increased incidence of celiac disease, wheat allergy or milk allergy 46.”

    From Gastrointestinal Issues and Autism Spectrum Disorder (2020) · cites this paper as [46]

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. Asperger VH, Belp BE. Die psycho- pathologie des coeliakiekranken kindes, Coeliakie-Symposium. Ann Paediat. 197:346 -351, 1061.
  2. Di Sabatino A, Corazza GR. Nonce- liac gluten sensitivity: sense or sensi- bility? Ann Intern Med. 2012;156: 309 -311.
  3. Panksepp J. Theory in psychophar- macology. In: Cooper SJ, ed. Brain Opioids: A Neurochemical Substrate for Narcotic and Social Dependence. Vol. 1. London, UK: Academic Press; 1981.
  4. Shattock P, Kennedy A, Rowell F, Berney T. Role of neuropeptides in autism and their relationships with classical neurotransmitters. Brain Dysfunction. 1990;3:328 -345.
  5. Knivsberg AM, Wiig K, Lind G, et al. Dietary intervention in autistic syn- dromes. Brain Dysfunction. 1990;3: 315-327.
  6. Whiteley P, Rodgers J, Savery D, Shattock P. A gluten-free diet as an intervention for autism and associ- ated spectrum disorder. Autism. 1999;3:45-65.

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Authors
Buie, T.
Affiliations
Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
Buie, Timothy
Venue
Clinical Therapeutics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-05
Volume
35
Issue
5
Pages
578-583
ISSN
0149-2918 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.clinthera.2013.04.011
OpenAlex
W1995823992
Cited by
91
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 5
FWCI
0.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Clinical Therapeutics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Celiac Disease Research and Management
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, gluten-free diet, gluten sensitivity, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, dietary intervention, autism treatment, observer bias
MeSH terms
Autistic Disorder, Child, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Female, Glutens, Humans, Male, Prevalence, Diet, Gluten-Free

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