Autism and the Ketogenic Diet

There has been a rise in autism spectrum disorders within the last forty years. It is difficult to find the cause or a good treatment, since children that have autism spectrum disorder have different symptoms. Each case of autism is different and vary, hence the word “spectrum”. There are different causes that increase the chance of a child developing autism spectrum disorder. Children with autism spectrum disorder that stick to Ketogenic diet show signs of improving. Another diet that seems to improve autism spectrum disorder symptoms is a gluten-free casein-free modified Ketogenic diet. Make sure the child gets plenty of protein and calories in their diet but limit long chain saturated fats and supplement with carnitine, coenzyme Q10, thiamine, and lipoic acid.

Key Takeaways:

Each case of autism is unique and falls on a spectrum of symptoms, thus it is referred to as spectrum disorder.
A combination of genetic and environmental factors cause autism. Nutrition might or might not be a cause but researches show it can be a part of treatment.
A gluten free, cassein free, modified ketogenic diet is a promising treatment option for autism. Especially for mild cases.

“Due to the inconsistent results and the complexity of the disease, it is difficult to say if the ketogenic diet or ketone supplements will help all children with autism.”