AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)
Perhaps one of the more common alternative medical approach to treating autism is the gluten free/casein free diet. And alternative means–not demonstrated to be beneficial and, very often, not even well founded on sound reasoning. And by common, it appears that about 17% of parents have opted for some form of special diet, so GF/CF in particular is likely less than that.
The GF/CF diet (as it is often known) was first proposed based on the “opiod excess” theory and the “leaky gut” theory. Neither theory has shown itself to be valid.
A previous review found that “Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support instituting a gluten-free diet as a treatment for autism.” The clinical trial just published appears to be based on a study presented at IMFAR a few years ago.
The study was fairly simple–they put children on a GF/CF diet. They then gave the children snacks. Some contained gluten and/or casein. Some did not. The parents didn’t know which snacks were which. The behavior of the children was recorded and correlated against the inclusion of gluten or casein. And no benefit was observed. Here’s the study:
The Gluten-Free/Casein-Free Diet: A Double-Blind Challenge Trial in Children with Autism.
and abstract:
To obtain information on the safety and efficacy of the gluten-free/casein-free (GFCF) diet, we placed 14 children with autism, age 3-5 years, on the diet for 4-6 weeks and then conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled challenge study for 12 weeks while continuing the diet, with a 12-week follow-up. Dietary challenges were delivered via weekly snacks that contained gluten, casein, gluten and casein, or placebo. With nutritional counseling, the diet was safe and well-tolerated. However, dietary challenges did not have statistically significant effects on measures of physiologic functioning, behavior problems, or autism symptoms. Although these findings must be interpreted with caution because of the small sample size, the study does not provide evidence to support general use of the GFCF diet
The study group is small, so it is possible they missed some benefit. But if the parent survey often quoted were correct and 69% of children showed a benefit, this study should have picked that up.
There are, of course, people who are sensitive to various foods. People both autistic and not. So some fraction of the population will benefit from elimination diets. But the idea that many promote of elimination diets as the first thing to try, no matter what (and there are people who do), is flawed at best.
—
By Matt Carey
SOURCE: http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/20...-and-autism-studied-and-no-sign-of-a-benefit/
RELATED: http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/20...me-focusing-on-kids-with-a-sign-of-leaky-gut/
Perhaps one of the more common alternative medical approach to treating autism is the gluten free/casein free diet. And alternative means–not demonstrated to be beneficial and, very often, not even well founded on sound reasoning. And by common, it appears that about 17% of parents have opted for some form of special diet, so GF/CF in particular is likely less than that.
The GF/CF diet (as it is often known) was first proposed based on the “opiod excess” theory and the “leaky gut” theory. Neither theory has shown itself to be valid.
A previous review found that “Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support instituting a gluten-free diet as a treatment for autism.” The clinical trial just published appears to be based on a study presented at IMFAR a few years ago.
The study was fairly simple–they put children on a GF/CF diet. They then gave the children snacks. Some contained gluten and/or casein. Some did not. The parents didn’t know which snacks were which. The behavior of the children was recorded and correlated against the inclusion of gluten or casein. And no benefit was observed. Here’s the study:
The Gluten-Free/Casein-Free Diet: A Double-Blind Challenge Trial in Children with Autism.
and abstract:
To obtain information on the safety and efficacy of the gluten-free/casein-free (GFCF) diet, we placed 14 children with autism, age 3-5 years, on the diet for 4-6 weeks and then conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled challenge study for 12 weeks while continuing the diet, with a 12-week follow-up. Dietary challenges were delivered via weekly snacks that contained gluten, casein, gluten and casein, or placebo. With nutritional counseling, the diet was safe and well-tolerated. However, dietary challenges did not have statistically significant effects on measures of physiologic functioning, behavior problems, or autism symptoms. Although these findings must be interpreted with caution because of the small sample size, the study does not provide evidence to support general use of the GFCF diet
The study group is small, so it is possible they missed some benefit. But if the parent survey often quoted were correct and 69% of children showed a benefit, this study should have picked that up.
There are, of course, people who are sensitive to various foods. People both autistic and not. So some fraction of the population will benefit from elimination diets. But the idea that many promote of elimination diets as the first thing to try, no matter what (and there are people who do), is flawed at best.
—
By Matt Carey
SOURCE: http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/20...-and-autism-studied-and-no-sign-of-a-benefit/
RELATED: http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/20...me-focusing-on-kids-with-a-sign-of-leaky-gut/
