The Shocking TRUTH About Vitamin B for Autism

Introduction to Folate Therapy for Autism 0:00

In this video, you're going to learn about a promising B vitamin therapy for helping kids with autism. I'm going walk you through the type of folate being used to treat autism and why it can be helpful. I'm Dr. Mark Stengler. I've researched and written 20 books on nutrition and functional medicine, and I have been in practice for over 30 years. So let's dive in. You know, there's a core problem with having a shortage of folate in the brain. Now, this has created both excitement and confusion, especially about the different forms of this vitamin.

Folate Receptors and Cerebral Folate Deficiency 0:34

So folate, also known as vitamin B9, is an essential nutrient for brain development and function. Now folite plays a critical role in many processes in the body. It's involved producing the brain's chemical messengers. Its needed to build DNA. it's also needed maintain healthy brain cells. You can see how this is all tying in, in terms of brain function and autism. But here's the thing, for folates to work, it must first be transported from the bloodstream Now this is managed by special proteins called folate receptors and they act kind of like gates into the brain cells and so they decide what can come in and what cant.

What they have found is that in a significant portion of individuals with autism and some studies suggest about 70% the immune system mistakenly attacks these gates or these receptors. And it creates what's known as folate receptor autoantibodies. And these autoanthobodies, or these antibodies against receptors, block or disable the receptors in the brain for folates. This results in a condition called Cerebral Folate Deficiency, also known CFD.

Choosing the Right Folate Form 1:36

where the brain basically is starved of folate even if blood levels are normal. Now, this deficiency can disrupt brain function and contribute to developmental delays and features associated with autism. So, what is the right type of Folate to use in these types of cases? Well, it's very important. The type B vitamin, the type folates used is very imporant. You see, not all forms of Foliate are created equal and using the wrong one can be ineffective. Let's talk about folic acid. This is a synthetic form found in most fortified foods and basic supplements.

Again, a SYNTHETIC form. And the body must convert folac acid through many metabolic steps to convert it into its usable form, so for people of common genetic variants, like MTHFR, this conversion process is slow and can be inefficient. Then we have methylfolate, 5MTHF, and this is the final most active form of folate. It requires is no conversion at all. While highly effective for many body processes, its ability to bypass the specific antibody blockade in CFD is still being studied and being compared to Follinic Acid.

Now Follenic acid, which has been in the news, also known as Leucovorin, is a more biologically active form of folate. And it's the form that can get the folite into the brain even when primary gates are blocked by the antibodies I just told you about. So for individuals with foliate receptor antibodies, Folic acid or again the prescription form is Leucovorin is the form recommended by the FDA based on research.

Leucovorin and the Research Evidence 2:51

In fact, the FD recently approved a prescription drug called Leucovorn, which I mentioned, for the treatment as CFD. Because CFT is an underlying issue in many with autism, not all, but many, this therapy is now being used to address their symptoms. So let's talk about what does the research show with Filanic Acid. And this is active area of scientific investigation. Now, in a fairly recent 2024 randomized controlled trial published in the European Journal of Pediatrics, this study demonstrated that oral or supplemental folinic acid, and remember, glucovorin folicic is available in injection form too.

Supplementation of folinc acid provided significant benefits for children with autism spectrum disorder. So this is exciting news. And the study showed it improved communication and social interaction skills compared to those kids given a placebo. Let's look at the big picture of all this. While flenic acid therapy is a groundbreaking medical treatment for those with CFD, it's not a one-shot cure for autism. You see, autism is complex condition with many contributing factors. However, flinic-acid therapy or even methylfolate is powerful example where an integrative approach using a specific biological treatment being identified and used can be very effective.

But the best outcomes for autism are achieved through a comprehensive plan that addresses multiple factors.

Comprehensive Autism Care and Closing Remarks 4:12

You have to consider things like a child's overall nutrition and their diet. Gut health is very important for absorption and inflammation in the body and the brain. The effective crock of infections, genetic variations, and genetic issues as well as environmental factors So if you suspect this issue may be relevant to someone in your care or someone close to you, it's essential that they work with a knowledgeable doctor. Neurologists, developmental pediatricians, and especially integrative doctors specializing in autism can perform the necessary tests to check for folate receptor antibodies and determine if this therapy is appropriate.

As well, integrate doctors will look at all those other factors which could be contributing to problems. Now remember, Leucovorn is a prescription medication and dosing must be carefully managed by a qualified medical professional. Fallenic acid is also available as a nutritional supplement and methylfolate, which is really the form I use the most with patients, is readily available too. So using targeted nutritional therapy can make a difference for these kids with autism because you're addressing the underlying biological issues.

Well, I hope you found this information helpful. If you did, please hit the like button and subscribe for more. Share this video with someone who might need it. Thanks for watching.