Treating Autism Symptoms with Vitamins and Supplements (Part 2)

Part 2: Vitamins and Supplements that Treat the Nervous System and Boost Immunity

Certain vitamins and supplements have proven to be beneficial in treating certain symptoms and behaviors prevalent in autistic children. We are increasingly encouraged by the recovery and progression of autistic children treated with vitamins and supplements. These therapies can be very safe when used in the correct doses and under a physician's supervision. Here we will discuss a few of the most commonly used vitamins and supplements that target the nervous and immune systems of autistic individuals.

Nervous System: B vitamins directly contribute to the health and development of the nervous system. Combined with magnesium, vitamin B6, in particular, shows a great reduction in stemming behaviors for a lot of autistic individuals. Furthermore, studies and parents report more eye contact as well as a noticeable increase in language cognition and speech. This combination of vitamin B6 and magnesium works, in part, because it has a calming effect on the brain and nervous system, which helps relieve hypersensitivity to light, sound and touch.

Magnesium helps with enzymatic pathway deficiencies seen in many autistic children and it helps neurotransmitters function properly. Magnesium is deficient in a lot of U.S. farm soil due to overuse and there may not be a high enough concentration of magnesium in the vegetables that you purchase. Therefore, magnesium should be given in supplement form whenever possible and under a physician's advice.

You should be aware that B vitamins need to be given in balanced doses. Getting too much of one B vitamin may cause a deficit in another, causing the nervous system to become more sensitive or agitated. Correct doses of B vitamins can make a neurological problem much better, while high doses can make it much worse. It is believed that this is why some people report worse symptoms while supplementing B vitamins.

Besides dosage, autistic children, particularly with food sensitivities or allergies, can have a negative reaction to synthetic forms of B vitamins. Look for B vitamins that are not synthetically derived, or try to get the right dosage through natural food sources. Additionally, if you see no changes, you may want to check for yeast overgrowth in the gut. Yeast can keep B vitamins from absorbing into the system while it uses them to help itself grow. Yeast overgrowth is associated with antibiotic use and can live in the body for decades. You can treat yeast overgrowth with probiotics or, if need be, with prescription medications.

Immune System: In studies, di-methyl-glycine (DMG) has shown significant improvement in about half of autistic children. DMG significantly decreases the severity and frequency of seizures while supporting and boosting function in the malfunctioning immune system that is so often seen in autistic individuals. Drastic improvement in undesirable behaviors has been documented for many study participants and children supplemented with DMG.

Combining DMG with folic acid is recommended to improve the effectiveness of the treatment and also helps to avoid agitation or hyperactivity. Zinc and Selenium also help contribute to immune system health and are often combined with DMG and folic acid.

"Part 3" of this series addresses preventing and treating the oxidative stress that most autistic children endure. Through the use of vitamin C, children can show drastic improvement in health, cognition, language, speech and behavior. As a precaution, you should always talk to a doctor about a vitamins and supplements regiment before you begin.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health. For more information about C-Salts, otherwise known as the best Vitamin C, or about other Vitamin C powder products, visit http://www.nutri.com where you can buy Vitamins and Supplements of the highest quality.