Cited by 267Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchChild Nutrition and Feeding IssuesTrace Elements in Health

Comprehensive Nutritional and Dietary Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder—A Randomized, Controlled 12-Month Trial

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Adams, James, Audhya, Tapan, Geis, Elizabeth, Gehn, Eva, Fimbres, Valeria, Pollard, Elena, Mitchell, Jessica, Ingram, Julie +9 more·2018·Nutrients

Abstract

This study involved a randomized, controlled, single-blind 12-month treatment study of a comprehensive nutritional and dietary intervention. Participants were 67 children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) ages 3–58 years from Arizona and 50 non-sibling neurotypical controls of similar age and gender. Treatment began with a special vitamin/mineral supplement, and additional treatments were added sequentially, including essential fatty acids, Epsom salt baths, carnitine, digestive enzymes, and a healthy gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free (HGCSF) diet. There was a significant improvement in nonverbal intellectual ability in the treatment group compared to the non-treatment group (+6.7 ± 11 IQ points vs. −0.6 ± 11 IQ points, p = 0.009) based on a blinded clinical assessment. Based on semi-blinded assessment, the treatment group, compared to the non-treatment group, had significantly greater improvement in autism symptoms and developmental age. The treatment group had significantly greater increases in EPA, DHA, carnitine, and vitamins A, B2, B5, B6, B12, folic acid, and Coenzyme Q10. The positive results of this study suggest that a comprehensive nutritional and dietary intervention is effective at improving nutritional status, non-verbal IQ, autism symptoms, and other symptoms in most individuals with ASD. Parents reported that the vitamin/mineral supplements, essential fatty acids, and HGCSF diet were the most beneficial.

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  • Large epidemiological studies have implicated dietary factors in some psychiatric disorders as risk factors and potential therapies.

    “a number of large epidemiological studies have implicated dietary factors in some of these disorders [1–5], both in terms of risk factors [6] as well as potential therapies [2, 5, 7].”

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  1. [37]Chang R. Chemistry 9th ed. McGraw-Hill New York, NY, USA 2007 52

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Authors
Adams, J., Audhya, T., Geis, E., Gehn, E., Fimbres, V., Pollard, E., Mitchell, J., Ingram, J., Hellmers, R., Laake, D., Matthews, J., Li, K., Naviaux, J., Naviaux, R., Adams, R., Coleman, D., & Quig, D.
Affiliations
  • Arizona State University (US)
  • Span Diagnostics (India) (IN)
  • Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences (US)
  • Arizona Allergy Associates, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
  • Dana Laake Nutrition, Kensington, MD 20895, USA
  • Nourishing Hope, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
  • University of California San Diego (US)
  • Doctor’s Data, St. Charles, IL 60174, USA
Corresponding author
Adams, James
Venue
Nutrients
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2018-03-17
Volume
10
Issue
3
Pages
369
ISSN
2072-6643 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2792168441
Cited by
267
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 11
FWCI
15.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nutrients (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Autism Research Institute
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R25GM099650)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Trace Elements in Health
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, dietary intervention, vitamin and mineral supplementation, essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA, L-carnitine, digestive enzymes, nonverbal intelligence, autism symptoms, developmental age, nutritional status, children and adults with autism
MeSH terms
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Diet, Healthy, Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Adult, Arizona, Caseins, Child, Child Behavior, Child Development, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Intelligence, Male, Middle Aged, Nutritional Status, Time Factors, Single-Blind Method, Treatment Outcome, Diet, Protein-Restricted, Dietary Supplements, Soybean Proteins, Adolescent Development, Diet, Gluten-Free, Young Adult

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