Autism

Autism is a disorder that causes young children to not develop normal social relationships, and can begin from the age of two. An autistic child also behaves in compulsive and ritualistic ways, and often communicates in an abnormal manner.

High levels of antibodies to gluten and casein (a protein in milk products), have consistently been found in autistic children. Compelling research reveals that a gluten-free and casein-free diet can dramatically reduces the symptoms of autism.

A specialist in autism and schizophrenia from the University of Oslo in Norway, Karl-Ludwig Reichelt, M.D. – a paediatric researcher there, purports autistic children do not produce enough peptidases. Peptidases are enzymes that break down the peptides (amino acid chains) of casein and gluten. Consequentially, the partially digested peptides from casein and gluten enter the bloodstream through a compromised gut wall, then migrate to the brain, where they affect the individual’s cognition and behaviour. However, there are also other factors involved in the development of autism. For example, vaccinations and mercury toxicity have been involved, perhaps compromising gut integrity which allows casein and gluten peptides to pass into the bloodstream, attacking the central nervous system.

To investigate just how effective a gluten-free and casein-free diet is, a study by Reichelt in 1995 placed 15 autistic children on this diet for four years. Each autistic child, exhibited improved cognitive skills, social behaviour, and communication abilities – except on occasions when they ate foods containing gluten and casein. J. Robert Cade M.D., from the University of Florida, Gainesville, has also conducted similar research. One of his studies, found that 81 percent of autistic children he treated with a gluten-free, casein-free diet displayed improvements in their behaviour.

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9 Years of Non-Communication

A 9 year old boy was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. The boy never started talking, found it difficult to stay focused, and had trouble responding to communication. From the age of 7 he finally started saying words spontaneously. When the boy was 9 his parents started him on a Gluten Free/Casein Free diet after advice from friends. Within the first 4 months the boy had become potty trained, started reading, was talking in long and sophisticated sentences and he was even able to interact with other children and adults.

Tantrums and more

A 10 year old boy who had been diagnosed with autism when he was 4 years old, had typical autistic behaviour including; temper tantrums, biting himself, kicking, pushing and screaming. His mother started him on a Gluten Free/Casein Free diet on her own. Within 3 weeks the boy was talking clearly in long sentences, his temper tantrums had diminished and he became friendly and lovable.

A 2 year trial.

A mother reported that her baby boy appeared completely normal at birth and his development was “by the book” for the first 5 months. At 6 months of age however he stopped developing and actually regressed in his behaviour. He did not move around on his own until close to 11 months old, or walk until he was 18 months old. At 18 months old he had only one word in his vocabulary: dog. His mother heard about the benefits for a Gluten Free/Casein Free diet shortly after her son’s second birthday. Within 2 weeks of starting the diet, the boy had started talking and his development is continuing. Now at 4 years old he is enrolled in a normal pre-school and “fits in fine”. He is potty-trained, speaks conversationally, has a sense of humour and plays games.

How do these miracles happen? Researchers have found that children with autism excrete more opioid peptides, naturally occurring peptides that have a pain relieving and sedative effects, then non-autistic children and that some of these peptides are derived from gluten, gliadin and casein.

The implication of this discovery is that the presence of these peptides may cause the symptoms and signs of autistic disorders and that too many peptides from undigested gluten and casein exert a significant toxicity.

A study from 2004 found that autistic children had significantly higher levels of gluten antibodies in over 80% of the cases. The researchers concluded: “The results of these studies further support dietary intervention, including a gluten-, gliadin-, and casein-free diet for autistic children”.

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The most common type of anaemia is Iron Deficiency Anaemia. Iron is an important part of haemoglobin which is the oxygen-carrying pigment in the blood.

Your blood usually gets iron from the food you eat and by reusing the iron in old blood cells. When your blood is not gathering enough iron from you food you become anaemic, symptoms of anaemia include being easily tired, fatigued, or prone to other illnesses.

Well before the sensitive blood tests that we have today, that detect gluten sensitivity and coeliac disease, some doctors realised that iron deficiency anaemia could be caused by coeliac disease. A case from 1994 demonstrates this.

A 40 year old woman ha suffered from iron deficiency anaemia for 2 years without her doctors being able to determine the cause. Multiple endoscopic examinations had not revealed any abnormalities of her gastrointestinal system. Iron supplements had no effect, and eventually her doctor performed a biopsy revealing she had coeliac disease. She started a strict gluten free diet and her bloods iron levels increased. Her anaemia went away.

Researchers reported in 2001 that coeliac disease was diagnosed in 13.7% (26 out of 190) of people who had iron deficiency anaemia. These individuals were put on a gluten free diet, to determine there progress they were tested at 6, 12 and 24 months after going on the diet.

After 6 months on the gluten free diet, 77.8% of the patients had recovered from anaemia; only 27.8% had reversed their iron deficiency. After 12 months all but one patient recovered from anaemia and 50% had recovered from iron deficiency. After 24 months only one individual was still anaemic.

These results lead the researchers to conclude that screening for coeliac disease should be done in adults with iron deficiency anaemia. Adhering to a gluten free diet allows the intestine to heal, and as a result the anaemia goes away after 6-12 months.

A more recent study published in 2004 discovered a different rate of coeliac disease, 2.8% of 105 people with iron deficiency anaemia then the first study. The authors make a similar conclusion, that the ability to treat coeliac disease is why it should be a suspected cause of unexplained iron deficiency anaemia.

So, are you are tired and possibly achy all the time, and can’t figure out why? Go gluten free and see what happens.

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