Are Special Diets Useful for Autism?

A systematic review found little support but did not examine evidence for supplementation with folinic acid or vitamin D or some positive data on omega-3 fatty acids.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially when children have moderate-to-severe language and social impairments, frequently seek nutritional and dietary approaches. This review, commissioned by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, covered the literature from January 2010 to September 2016.

A systematic literature search yielded close to 6600 publications; 19 randomized, controlled studies, each with ≥10 participants, met inclusion criteria (N=732). Dietary approaches included supplementation with digestive enzymes, vitamin B₁₂, and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as diets free of dairy, gluten, and gluten/casein. Analyses examined outcome, bias, and strength of evidence in the studies. Overall, all publicati…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Are Special Diets Useful for Autism?

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Reviewing Author