Autism and diet — are gluten and milk protein harmful to a child?

Sources: 5 · Article: 9 029 characters

Hubert Czerniak — Dieta dla autystycznych dzieci
Henryk Różański — Gluten w pożywieniu
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the benefits of a gluten-free diet and/or casein-free diet for children with autism spectrum disorder. · Nutr Rev 2022
Efficacy of gluten- and casein-free diets on autism spectrum disorders in children. · Saudi Med J 2020
Comprehensive Nutritional and Dietary Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder-A Randomized, Controlled 12-Month Trial. · Nutrients 2018

Hubert Czerniak believes that a gluten- and casein-free diet produces very good results in children with ASD.

He says that 75–80% of children with ASD show an immune overreaction to gluten and casein.
He recommends a diet free of gluten, casein, and soy, although he lists milk among foods that may be given; if the child does not respond to the diet, he recommends a stricter version.
Henryk Różański writes that gluten can slow the passage of digestive contents and sometimes make digestion difficult, and recommends low-gluten or gluten-free foods for people with certain health problems, including celiac disease and chronic constipation.

What the authors write

Hubert Czerniak

According to Hubert Czerniak, a gluten- and casein-free diet produces very good results in children with ASD.

„Children with ASD had previously been unable to detoxify, perhaps because they lacked certain enzymes, or because they received too large a dose of heavy metals too early and their detoxification mechanism was damaged. Dr. Kalle Reichelt and Dr. Paul Shattock studied autistic children and found that a gluten- and casein-free diet produces very good results. It turns out that 75–80% of children with ASD show an immune overreaction to gluten and casein.”Dzieci z ASD nie potrafi ły się wcześniej oczyścić, może dlatego, że brakowało im pewnych enzymów, albo dlatego, że zbyt wcześnie dostały zbyt dużą dawkę metali ciężkich i mechanizm oczyszczania uległ uszkodzeniu. Dr Kalle Reichelt i dr Paul Shattock zajmowali się tematem dzieci autystycznych i stwierdzili, że dieta bez glutenu i kazeiny daje bardzo dobre efekty. Okazuje się, że 75-80% dzieci ASD wykazuje nadreaktywność immunologiczną na gluten i kazeinę.

Dieta dla autystycznych dzieci

Hubert Czerniak

Hubert Czerniak says that 75–80% of children with ASD show an immune overreaction to gluten and casein.

Dieta dla autystycznych dzieci

Hubert Czerniak

Hubert Czerniak recommends a diet free of gluten, casein, and soy.

„So in this situation, we start using a diet free of gluten, casein, and soy. And what are our children taught at school? They are shown the so-called health pyramid, with gluten at its base. No one says that it is genetically modified.”Więc w takiej sytuacji zaczynamy stosować dietę bez glutenu, bez kazeiny i bez soi. A czego uczą nasze dzieci w szkole? Pojawia się tam tzw. piramida zdrowia, u podstaw której stawia się gluten. Nikt nie mówi o tym, że jest modyfi kowany genetycznie.

Dieta dla autystycznych dzieci

Hubert Czerniak

Hubert Czerniak lists milk among the foods that can be given to children on a diet free of gluten, casein, and soy.

„So what can you give children who cannot have gluten, casein, or soy? Potatoes in any form, corn, lentils and other peas, eggs and mayonnaise (provided the children are not allergic to any of the ingredients), nuts, beans, milk, rice milk, and almond milk.”Co więc dać dzieciom bez glutenu, bez kazeiny i bez soi? Ziemniaki we wszelkich postaciach, kukurydzę, soczewicę i inne groszki, jaja i majonez (pod warunkiem, że dzieci nie są uczulone na któryś ze składników), orzechy, fasolę, mleko, mleko ryżowe i migdałowe.

Dieta dla autystycznych dzieci

Hubert Czerniak

When children do not respond to a diet free of gluten, casein, and soy, Hubert Czerniak recommends a stricter diet.

„If there are children who do not respond to a diet free of gluten, casein, and soy, we have to use an even stricter diet: the diet according to Elaine Gottschall. Her book Breaking the Vicious Cycle describes a diet that completely excludes grains, sucrose, and lactose.”Jeżeli są dzieci, które nie reagują na dietę bez glutenu, kazeiny i soi, to musimy zastosować jeszcze bardziej rygorystyczną dietę. Dietę wg Elaine Gottschall. Jej książka „Przerwanie błędnego koła” to dieta bezwzględnie pozbawiona ziaren, sacharozy i laktozy.

Dieta dla autystycznych dzieci

Henryk Różański

Henryk Różański writes that gluten can slow the passage of digestive contents and sometimes make digestion difficult.

„Gluten slows the passage of digestive contents and sometimes makes food harder to digest by interfering with the penetration of bile and digestive enzymes into the food mass. A higher amount of fiber in flour-based dishes (for example, bran) offsets gluten’s unfavorable properties. It has been estimated that 36,000 people in Switzerland cannot tolerate gluten.”Gluten spowalnia pasaż treści pokarmowej, niekiedy utrudnia trawienie pokarmu, przez zakłócanie penetracji masy pokarmowej przez żółć i enzymy trawienne. Większy udział włókna w potrawach mącznych (np. otręby) niweluje niekorzystne cechy glutenu. Oszacowano, że w Szwajcarii 36 000 osób nie toleruje glutenu.

Gluten w pożywieniu

Henryk Różański

Henryk Różański says that people with the listed health problems, including celiac disease and chronic constipation, should eat low-gluten or gluten-free foods.

„People with inflammation of the intestinal lining, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, celiac disease, chronic constipation and bloating, and obesity should eat low-gluten and gluten-free foods. Gluten slows the passage of digestive contents and sometimes makes food harder to digest by interfering with the penetration of bile and digestive enzymes into the food mass.”Niskoglutenowe i bezglutenowe potrawy powinny konsumować osoby cierpiące na stany zapalane błony śluzowej jelit, na zespół jelita drażliwego, zapalenie uchyłków jelita, celiakię i przewlekłe zaparcia i wzdęcia oraz otyłość. Gluten spowalnia pasaż treści pokarmowej, niekiedy utrudnia trawienie pokarmu, przez zakłócanie penetracji masy pokarmowej przez żółć i enzymy trawienne.

Gluten w pożywieniu

Research from PubMed · Europe PMC

We selected 3 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.

Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 67.

A meta-analysis found that a gluten-free and casein-free diet may reduce stereotypical behaviors and improve cognitive function in children with autism.

Aim of the study: It has been suggested that a gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) diet may alleviate the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and facilitate neurodevelopment in children with ASD. Studies to date have been inconclusive. This study aimed to evaluate, through quantitative meta-analysis, the efficacy and safety of a GFCF diet for children with ASD. To our knowledge, this is the first time such an analysis has been carried out.

Results: The current meta-analysis showed that a GFCF diet can reduce stereotypical behaviors and improve cognition in children with ASD. Although most of the included studies were single-blind, the indicated benefits of a GFCF diet are promising. Further large-scale studies are warranted.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the benefits of a gluten-free diet and/or casein-free diet for children with autism spectrum disorder. · Nutr Rev 2022

Money for the studyuniversity or foundation · Non–profit Central Research Institute Fund of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Autism Special Fund of the Peking Union Medical Foundation, CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Science

Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated

Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown

Type of studycombined analysis of many studies (meta-analysis)

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

In five of the nine studies, a gluten-free and casein-free diet was associated with improvement in some autism symptoms, although the evidence is insufficient to recommend it.

Aim of the study: Food containing gluten and casein could play a role in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms. The present review aimed to update the evidence about the role of the gluten- and casein-free diet (GCFD) in the management of ASD.

Results: In total, 9 RCTs were included (521 participants), with ages ranging from 2 to 18 years. Four of these studies did not show a significant improvement in ASD symptoms. The remaining studies (n=5) showed improvement in communication, stereotyped movements, aggression, language, hyperactivity, tantrums, and signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder compared with the control group. Therefore, the data remain insufficient to support the use of GCFD to improve ASD symptoms in children.

Efficacy of gluten- and casein-free diets on autism spectrum disorders in children. · Saudi Med J 2020

Money for the studynot stated

Do the authors have ties to companies?no — the authors say so

Did a manufacturer help with the study?NO

Type of studyreview of many studies

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

A multi-component nutritional intervention that included a gluten-free and casein-free diet was associated with improvements in nonverbal IQ, autism symptoms, and nutritional status.

Aim of the study: This study involved a randomized, controlled, single-blind 12-month treatment study of a comprehensive nutritional and dietary intervention. Participants were 67 children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ages 3–58 years, from Arizona, and 50 non-sibling neurotypical controls of similar age and gender.

Results: Based on semi-blinded assessment, the treatment group showed significantly greater improvement in autism symptoms and developmental age than the non-treatment group. The treatment group also had significantly greater increases in EPA, DHA, carnitine, and vitamins A, B2, B5, B6, B12, folic acid, and coenzyme Q10. The positive results of this study suggest that a comprehensive nutritional and dietary intervention is effective in improving nutritional status, nonverbal IQ, autism symptoms, and other symptoms in most individuals with ASD. Parents reported that vitamin/mineral supplements, essential fatty acids, and the HGCSF diet were the most beneficial.

Comprehensive Nutritional and Dietary Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder-A Randomized, Controlled 12-Month Trial. · Nutrients 2018

Money for the studygovernment, public institutions · NIGMS NIH HHS, Autism Research Institute, Zoowalk for Autism Research

Do the authors have ties to companies?yes — the authors reported it

Did a manufacturer help with the study?YES

Type of studystudy with random allocation to groups (RCT)

“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.

Pisaczek does not judge who is right. It shows what was written and where to read it. Every sentence above has its source.