Autism and the Gut
Dear Friends
Its been two weeks now since we’ve come back from the Integrative Healthcare Symposium in Florida. It was a great conference, highlighting the human microbiome and its critical importance to our health. One of the important diseases covered in detail was ASD—Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Did you know that the United Nations estimates that up to 70 million people worldwide are now dealing with ASD. It is a pandemic in the modern industialized societies, while not so amongst rural indigenous peoples still living off the land. What is going on?
We need to look at the gut-brain connection. Here are some research based facts:
- In 2012, researchers at NIH evaluated children with autism and found that constipation was seen in 85 percent of them and gastrointestinal distress noted in 92 percent. (1)
- The CDC estimates that children with autism are more than 3.5 times more likely to experience chronic diarrhea and constipation than their peers who do not have autism. (1)
- Other research has determined that a pattern of autism exists among many individuals with leaky gut syndrome. They found higher levels of the endotoxin LPS in their systemic circulation. (2)
- The bottom line is the GI tract ecosystem of individuals with autism is dramatically different from that of people without autism. (3)
In particular individuals with autism tend to have higher levels of clostridial species and clostria produce too much of the short chain fatty acid propionic acid (PPA). PPA is toxic to the brain if allowed into the bloodstream, causes the immune system to overreact and aggravates the neurological system.(4)
How and what synbiotic formulas from BioImmersion can help? See the Clinical Notes.
(1) Gorrindo et al. (2012). Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Autism: Parental Report, Clinical Evaluation, and Associated Factors. Autism; 5(2):101-89.
(2)Magistris et al. (2010). Alterantions of the Intestinal Barrier in Patients with Autism Spectrum Diorders and in their First-Degree Relatives. J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutrd.; 51(4):418-24.
(3) Parracho et al. (2005). Differences between the Gut Microflora. J. Med. Microbiol.; 54(10):987-91.
(4) MacFabe et al. (2012). Short-Chain Fatty Acid Fermentation Products of the Gut Microbiome: Implications in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Microb. Ecol. Health Dis.;23:doi: 10.3403/mehd.v23i0.19260, eCollection.
Sincerely yours,
Seann Bardell
BioImmersion Inc.
Clinical Notes:
Three products to consider: The Original Synbiotic and the Supernatant Synbiotic have been used successfully by many doctors in supporting the reduction of inflammation in the GI tract of Autistic patients, and the LactORN, our newest probiotic formula that came into the market 4 month ago offers great promise in helping to downregulate the overreaction by the immune system to LPS transiting into the systemic circulation due to leaky gut.
Both the Original and the Supernatant have the ability is inhibit and even retard the Clostridial gut populations. The Original is a powdered format and the Supernatant is a capsule. Both will work well with autistic patients, and by rotating them over time you increase the diversity of good bugs coming into the gastrointestinal tract. A feature that can’t be overemphasized. A diversity of probiotic organisms adds a healthy resiliency and redundancy to the functionality necessary to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal ecosytem.
Green Facts
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