Vitamin D and Autism

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), male children have a 1 in 54 chance of developing autism by age 8, and the epidemic is growing at almost 20% per year. 

In 2007, a medical doctor, John Cannell, published a study proposing that a poor genetic vitamin D processing system in certain humans (specifically low vitamin D receptors), combined with declining vitamin D levels over the last 30 years, has lead to damage to the most sensitive of all organs requiring vitamin D, the developing brain.  Other components of the vitamin D system, such as the amount and activity of the enzyme that activates vitamin D, the 1-hydroxylase, is also inherited.  We either have small amounts of this enzyme or a significant amount, with most people getting somewhere in between.  The same is also true of the vitamin D breakdown enzyme, the 24-hydroxylase.  If breastfeeding mothers have very low vitamin D levels due to lack of sunlight exposure and the abstinence of vitamin D-rich foods, have both low vitamin D receptors and low 1-hydroxylase enzyme activity and then wean their child on vitamin D-less 100% pure fruit juice and other foods void of vitamin D, these children could have no source of vitamin D and their inherited vitamin D physiology will interact with the low vitamin D levels to injure their developing brain.  The same mechanism can happen in utero. 

How can you ensure that you are getting enough vitamin D for your body?

• Get outside: During the summer months, expose your skin to 20 minutes of sunlight exposure for a minimum 3 times per week.  Exposure is best between 10am and 2pm.
• Eat foods rich in vitamin D.  This includes cod liver oil, fish, shellfish, butter, lard and egg yolks.
• Supplementation:  During the fall, winter and spring seasons, supplement with vitamin D3.  Adults should take a minimum of 2,000 IU/day.