STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON AUTISTIC BEHAVIOR

CONCEPT AND NEED

Autism is a developmental disorder. In many people with autism, the developmental disorder has been observed physiologically. Biochemists have been able to identify, monitor and study certain 'physiological impediments' that are known to obstruct, block, hamper and complicate normal and anticipated development. The psychological behavior defined and accepted as 'autism' might be, in many if not all cases, a manifestation of a correlating physiological development disorder. This paper limits itself to possible 'physiologically-induced triggers', not necessarily 'deep-grounded causes' that might lead toward autistic behavior.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to determine whether or not a balanced composition of essential nutrients in the body improves the overall quality of life in people with autism.

METHOD

A battery of bio-medical tests is used to measure specific physiological elements against known and accepted values. Such tests include, but are not limited to, the amino acid test, the indican test, the minerals and trace elements test, essential fatty acid test, the vitamin test, the gut permeability test, test(s) for gut flora, organic acid test, the peptide test, etc.

The obtained values are stored in a database together with pertinent correlating environmental data collected by other means such as parent questionnaires and clinical observations.

During therapy, the clinical condition is monitored including the body status of the nutrients.

The main goal of this study is to determine under which conditions which supplements /diets/environmental changes have the most effect.

Also the study may give information to develop preventative measures by identifying possible diet/environmental conditions that might eventually lead to the prevention of autism.

Preliminary results from the first 40 patients indicate that these patients have multiple deficiencies of essential nutrients. Deficiencies of essential nutrients tend to confirm immune dysfunction. In autism immune deficiencies might prevail.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVED INDICATORS:

The first 20 patients frequently showed low levels of vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, biotine, amino acids, EPA, DGLA, selenium, zinc, magnesium {50% of the patients for each vitamin}.

Vitamin B-6 was decreased in only 25-30 % of the cases. This is probably due to the high intake of vitamin B6 in many of these patients.

The function of B-6 {amino acid analysis} was disturbed in almost all patients (even with supplementation).

Amongst the patients there was clear individuality.

Also deficiencies were observed of semi-essential nutrients. Taurine, biopterin and carnitine were decreased in more than 50 % of the tests.

Indications of abnormal gut flora were found in organic acid /indican/amino acid analysis of urine and yeast/bacterial analysis of faeces generally in more than 50% of the cases.

Information of improper protein digestion was observed in amino acid analysis in 40% of the cases. The percentage of patients who show improper protein digestion is 70% in the subgroup tested for caso/gliado-morfine.

AMINO ACID TEST (URINE)

Key observations

* 11 of the 20 patients showed too low values of taurine, an important stabilizing factor in the brain also needed to minimize the risk of epilepsy.

* 19 of the 20 patients showed amino acid disorder that confirms vitamin B-6 dysfunction.

* 16 of the 20 patients showed amino acid disorder that confirms magnesium dysfunction.

* 15 of the 20 patients showed amino acid disorder that confirms folic acid and vitamin B-12 dysfunction.

* 9 of the 20 patients showed amino acid disorder that confirms intestinal flora dysfunction.

* 8 of the 20 patients showed amino acid disorder that confirms reduced protein breakdown.

Essential amino acids:

low in 9 of 20 patients
16 essential amino acids are low of which:
Threonine low in 8 of 20patients
Phenylalanine low in 5 of 20 patients

Protein amino acids low in 10 of 20 patients
Of which:
Tyrosine low in 4 of 20patients

Protein amino acids high in 6 of 20 patients
Of which:
Glutamine high in 6 of 20 patients
(Indicator of ammonia toxicity)

VITAMINS (BLOOD TEST)

Vitamin A low in 11 of 15 patients
B-carotene low in 11 of 15 patients
Vitamin B1 low in 8 of 12 patients
Vitamin B2 low in 5 of 16 patients
Vitamin B3 low in 9 of 15 patients
Vitamin B5 low in 13 of 16 patients
Vitamin B6 low in 4 of 15 patients*1 high in 4 of 15 patients*2
Folic acid low in 5 of 13 patients
Vitamin B12 low in 6 of 15 patients
Vitamin C low in 2 of 11 patients
Vitamin E low in 6 of 14 patients
Biotine low in 14 of 15 patients
Total choline low in 3 of 13 patients
Free choline low in 7 of 13 patients*3
Biopterine low in 9 of 12 patients
Inositol low in 2 of 9 patients
Free carnitine low in 9 of 12 patients

*1 Just about all patients show a vitamin B-6 dysfunctioning (recommend P5P)
*2 Higher values of vitamin B-6 might be a result of intake of vitamin B-6 supplementation
*3 More related to brain activity

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

Omega-3

Linoleic acid low in 7 of 18 patients
EPA low in 16 of 18 patients
DHA low in 5 of 18 patients

Omega-6

Linoleic acid low in 9 of 18 patients
Gamma-linoleic acid low in 13 of 18 patients
DGLA low in 11 of 18 patients*4
Arachidonic acid high in 14 of 18 patients

*4 DGLA is the precursor of PGE-1 that stimulates the immune system

Omega-9

Trans fatty-acids high in 5 of 18 patients*5
Long chain fatty-acids high in 7 of 18 patients*6

*5 These acids inhibit the conversion of linoleic acid to gamma linoleic acid which can be converted to DGLA.

*6 Reduced fatty acid breakdown.

ELEMENTS IN BLOOD

Selenium low in 7 of 14 patients
Lead high in 1 of 14 patients
Zinc (intracellular) low in 8 of 14 patients
Magnesium (intracellular) low in 2 of 14 patients, 'low-normal' in 8 of 14 patients
Copper (intracellular) low in 4 of 14 patients, high in 1 of 14 patients

ORGANIC ACIDS URINE

Lactic acid high in 3 of 20 patients
Vitamin C low in 12 of 20 patients*7, high in 3 of 20 patients
Metabolics from yeast high in 14 of 20 patients*8
Metabolics from bacteria high in 10 of 20 patients

*7 Blood values mostly normal.
*8 ß-glutaric acid 7x; arabinose 10x (increases the need for B-6,
biotin and lipoic acid)

INDICAN IN URINE:

In 10 of 16 patients, the indican values were increased. Increased indican indicates a dysfunctioning intestinal flora.

FAECES

pH level under 6.2 low in 14 of 14 patients

bacterial flora not optimal in 14 of 14 patients

yeast (usually candida albicans) found in 6 of 14 patients.

MORPHINES IN URINE

Casomorfine high in 7 of 9 patients
Gliadomorfine high in 7 of 10 patients

ALLERGY TESTS IGG-4 IN BLOOD

Over-sensitivity to milk products high in 5 of 6 patients
Over-sensitivity to gliadine / grain products high in 3 of 6 patients

GENERALIZATIONS
1. The key preliminary observations indicate that just about all patients have one or more deficiencies of essential nutrients, which may reflect or lead toward an impaired or deficient immune system.
2. Almost all patients sustain dysfunctional intestinal flora.
3. Almost all patients sustain vitamin B-6 dysfunction.
4. Almost all patients showed too low pH levels in faeces.
5. Most patients sustain magnesium dysfunction.
6. Many patients showed abnormal concentrations of metabolic toxicityin the urine.
7. Many patients showed abnormal concentrations of caso-gliado morphines in the urine.

PROPOSAL FOR BIO-MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC PRE-SCREEN
Amino Acid Test (urine)
Indican Test (urine)

PROPOSAL FOR FURTHER BIO-MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC SCREENINGS

Minerals and trace elements
Gut permeability test
Essential fatty acids
Vitamin test (blood)
Gut permeability test (urine)
Organic acid test (urine)
Peptide test (Urine)

PROPOSAL ADVANCED BIO-MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS (FOR DISCUSSION)
Immune System Test
Secretine Test
Acylcholine Test
Other tests: Sulfur status, DMG status, TMG / EDHD status,
Catacholamines

PRELIMINARY BIO-MEDICAL TREATMENT (PREVENTIVE AND PROPHYLACTIC)
A cocktail of bio-medical remedies might be recommended to treat the underlying multi-factorial deficiencies, the possible physiological triggers of autism. These may be administered all or in part, contingent upon biomedical test and environmental data and other diagnostic data and criteria, usually in small dosages, three times a day, unless otherwise specified for the individual patient.

This, for each person's specific treatment may also be compared or combined with other existing treatments such as colostrum, TMG, DMG, gamma globulin, secretine, etc.

STUDY REPLICATION
In conjunction with Stichting A.S.K. and a number of other organizations in Europe and in North America, it is hoped that this study can rapidly be replicated with an expanded population base of participants.

INTERNATIONAL FORUM
Final data will be presented at an international forum expectedly co-sponsored by a senior government ministry in The Netherlands.

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Emar F. Vogelaar, Ph. D.