Research shows a gluten free diet helps with autism

1. Autism Gluten Free Diet News & The Casein Free Diet
Dysfunctions in the autism spectrum are categorized as
developmental disorders which affect children by impacting their
communication and social interaction skills. In their fight against
these symptoms, parents often resort to alternative treatments,
such as specialized diets.
Nutrition has a great impact on physical and mental development, and convincing
clinical studies support the idea that an unbalanced diet influences autism in children.
Over the past years, the autism gluten free and casein free diet gained popularity
claiming to help relieve or even eliminate the symptoms completely.
What Is An Autism Gluten Free Diet?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, oat, rye, barley, and all foods that use these cereals.
Gluten is also present in semi-prepared foods, products containing artificial colors, soy
sauce, bread, and pastry. Make sure you always read the label carefully to identify the
presence of gluten.
Gluten sticks to the walls of the intestines, thus preventing optimal nutrient absorption at
an intestinal level. The worst case scenario is when the body cannot receive vital
nutrientsanymore and becomes incredibly weak. This is known as the Celiac disease.
Gluten intolerance symptoms:
abdominal cramps and constant bloating;
diarrhea;
out of control weight loss and developmental disorders;
nausea;

2. constipation;
iron deficiency;
fatigue, due to the lack of nutrients;
ulcers;
osteoporosis
What is casein?
Beta-CM7, the protein in milk and dairy products, also known as casein, is considered
one of the main promoters of autism symptoms together with gluten. Read the labels
carefully to see whether the product contains casein or not. Casein intolerance is more
violent and easier to recognize.
Casein intolerance symptoms:
skin reactions, such as rashes or itches;
tongue, face, or throat swelling, which can cause breathing difficulties;
vomiting.
In order to have a clearer picture of how your kid reacts to certain foods, keep a diary.
Write down the meal and reactions within two hours after eating.
What is metallothionein?
William J. Walsch M.D., biochemistry professor and researcher at the Pfeiffer Treatment
Center in Illinois, conducted a research that showed that a congenital defect in
metallothionein production may be the primary cause of autism. In his opinion, all

3. autims problems, both immunological and mental, can be explained by the poor
functioning of metallothionein.
Metallothionein is a protein that regulates the body’s vital functions. Large
concentrations are found in the intestinal mucose membrane, where it serves as a
contact agent between zinc and heavy metals. When living in such a polluted
environment, ingesting mercury, lead, aluminium, and platinum is almost inevitable,
hence the essential role of metallothionein. This is why a metallothionein deficiency can
cause a series of problems in children’s development.
In most cases, autism is a genetic disease, lurking inside the body, triggered when the
system is overbusy. The determining factor might be a vaccine, a bacteria, or a viral
infection assisted by antibiotics. Autism has a growth rate that is simply too high for a
genetic disease. In the United States alone, incidence grew from 1:180,000 to 1:180,
even 1:150 in certain states. Thankfully, “genetic” is not a synonym for “incurable” or
“hopeless.”
What is the link between autism and gluten and casein intolerance?
Approximately 85 % of children suffering from autism present intestinal and digestive
disorders, mainly due to excessive fungal growth, food allergies, and hypersensitivity. If
there’s not enough metallothionein in the intestines, heavy metals like lead and mercury
will bind to the sulfhydryl groups. Inside enzymes, sulfhydryl groups are responsible for
breaking casein and gluten apart. Therefore, a metallothionein deficiency will cause an
enzyme deficiency and a gluten and casein allergy. More than 85% of children suffering
from autism are gluten and casein intolerant and such an allergy may be the triggering
factor for the autism lurking inside.
What is the autism gluten-free casein-free diet?

4. It is believed that all those suffering from hyperactivity, destructive behavior, inflamed
bowels, constipation, lack of attention, violence and sleep disorders can find relief in a
gluten-free casein-free diet. All these symptoms are frequently encountered in patients
suffering from autism. Studies linking autism to gluten-free and casein-free diets began
in the 1990s, when it was proved that when eliminating these proteins from their diet,
behavior of patients suffering from autism was much improved. Cognitive functions,
general behavior, speech patterns, and well-being in children with autism also showed
great improvement.
The diet eliminates casein and gluten sources one by one. Results begin to show three
weeks after interrupting casein intake and three months after eliminating gluten. It is
recommended to eliminate products containing casein first, and eliminate gluten
afterward. The body flushes casein out easier and faster. One month after completely
removing casein from the diet, begin to cut out gluten, too. It takes longer or the body to
eliminate gluten.
Click here for more autism diet tips.