Off topic: methyl B12 helps autism.

Quite a lot of us have children or relatives with autism, and many of us have had B12 issues. This study, pub in Feb this year, lead Robert Hendren, easily found on Google, gave 25 asd children B12 injections and 25 a placebo injection. There were measurable improvements in the B12 group, and bloodwork showed improved cellular methylation.

There has been a lot of anecdotal evidence of B12 helping a substantial proprtion of ASDs, and one study found low B12 in ASD brains. As with us, no doubt getting all nutrients optimal will help, including D and iron, and many say B12 should be taken with a good B complex. But it may be worth trying sublingual B12 with the B complex on an ASD child and seeing if there is improvement, this study adds weight to the idea that it is worth a go. I thought with my son that there was an improved eye contact with methyl folate, which I gave first, and that there were marked improvements with B12. But these things are very subjective and behaviour is changeable anyway. Hope this helps someone.

[Marz]

Have not managed to look at the research - however I have read that the B12 status of the Mum whilst carrying - can have a big effect on the health of the child. Sorry I do not have any links - however it is well covered in the book by Sally Pacholok - Could it Be B12 ?

[Hidden in reply to Marz]

Really interesting, Marz, I think the low levels of D, B12, iron etc in undiagnosed pregnant women with Hashis could well account for some cases of ASD.

[Marz in reply to Hidden]

Yes I am sure. Also the other problem is that giving pregnant women Folic Acid actually masks B12 Deficiency I have read. Same with adding Folic Acid to foods - not a good idea long term.

[shaws]

Thanks for posting. It will be helpful to lots of people. I believe the recommendation in our blood for B12 is now 1,000 but many GPs are satisfied if its 'somewhere' in the range.

[Marz in reply to shaws]

....and only 20% of that result of 1000 will reach the cells where it is needed. It is the transcobalamin that travels to the cells. Doctors are not aware of this and hence why a result at the top or over the range is good.

[shaws in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz. That's good to know and I should as I have P.A. Blood test due in two weeks.

[Marz in reply to shaws]

B12 testing if you are receiving injections is of little or no value as the results will be skewed. This is mentioned in the Guidelines that GP's should have read ..... Make sure your Folate levels are good as you probably know B12 and Folate work together in the body

bcshguidelines.com/document...

[Hidden]

Have just been looking, there is a Johns Hopkins study saying unusually high levels of folate and B 12 in pregnancy are associated with increased ASD risk. As usual, no one asks the women, and I wonder if those women were supplementing because of thyroid problems.

[faith63]

They also say most Autism, can be reversed thru dietary changes. See the GAPS Diet.

[Hidden in reply to faith63]

I don't believe for one moment, personally, that any diet reverses autism, and I don't trust Natasha McBride. She claims her son was cured - evidence? Great for selling books. But if Johns Hopkins has done a study that shows it does work, then I am interested.

[faith63]

As someone made ill by mainstream medicine and having an a child made ill too, i researched the corruption of big pharma, especially in the US, who "own" our medicinal schools and runs our government and teach our doctors and have read about the studies, that were covered up, so they could get their products into the public and how they make people ill and keep them ill, for profit. Doctors are offered free lunches and lavish resorts for lectures, if they accept a drug reps pills and use them. I will try anything reasonable, for myself and child, that is not mainstream. What can dietary changes hurt, if it makes us well? Why not try it and see what happens. What has mainstream medicine ever really offered you? They gave me synthoid and said that is all i can do for hashimotos, that hashimotos has no symptoms. My son is a whole other story. My life is Hell.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/206...

[Hidden in reply to faith63]

I agree that it is worth trying dietary interventions so long as they are not damaging, and your research link suggests a g free diet might help ... not cure ... a sub section of ASDs. So many parents report this that it must be the case. It is established in Harvard studies that the incidence of lactose intolerance is higher in ASDs. I think all ASD children ideally would be checked for this. However, ASD is not an ideal world, and it can be hard to get these children to do tests or even enter a clinic, let alone follow a diet, move from their highly restricted limited food choices, or take supplements.

When I tried g free on my own son he became much worse. Repeated extensive Research has failed to stand up the g free diet as an aid for a sub section in ASD, however I think this may be because children with GI symptoms were excluded from the studies, and I suspect this is the group likely to benefit.

However I think the research so far has at least established that autistic children without GI symptoms will not benefit from a g free diet.

if a g free diet is undertaken it has to be with the greatest care to supply nutrients. One US study on bone density found the bones of children on a g free and lactose free diet to be five per cent thinner, which I speculate might be due to lower D and calcium, D being added to milk in the US tho not in GB. An excellent ASD US gastro has also said that he often finds low iron levels in children on a g free diet, probably because they are not getting the iron added to normal bread and cereals.

I agree that there is much wrong with medicine, but not all is bad. And I think the money motive you condemn in Big Pharma also motivates many quacks, and I don't trust Natasha McBride more than Big Pharma.

I am very sorry you are having such a hard time. You are not alone. I refuse all medical checks for womb and breast cancer because I would like life to end, and I would refuse treatment if I was diagnosed. It is difficult to live with the constant sight of a suffering child.

[faith63]

The being worse gluten or dairy free is temporary..

nutritionaltherapy.com/the-...

As for low iron because we are off of grains..that is because they are added to the cereal, but are readily found naturally in meat and vegetables. B vitamins in grains, are easily replaced thru supplements and also, meats, fruit and vegs. Grain is extremely inflammatory. Did you know there are people who have gluten induced psychiatric disorders.. they go crazy, after eating gluten. There is huge amount of evidence of the dietary link to Alzheimer's. In the us our food is not what it once was.

here is a good link and website to what we eat effecting our brains..

kellybroganmd.com/two-foods...

Medicine is not all bad, it has helped many, but in general, most everything here is terribly corrupt. I am not happy about being a US citizen anymore.

I am sorry that you are struggling too.

I am refusing all mammograms and no more scoping, 4 is enough!! of the gi tract, at this time. No mammograms except one, over 15 years ago, i can't even remember. I have read bad studies on all of it and it was painful. My breasts get swollen and sore. All this is due to my messed up pituitary, hashimotos etc..which need attention now.

Do you feel so bad that you are struggling to continue on? What is happening? I understand. I am just warn out, with all of the deaths and illness..i am unable to enjoy anything because of symptoms.