Dietary and Supplement-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Previous literature has shown that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is steadily increasing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little data is currently available regarding its use, safety, and efficacy in children with ASD. Thus, the purpose of this study is to describe the use of supplement-based CAM therapies in children between the ages of 4 to 17 years with ASD. This population-based, cross-sectional study evaluated children with ASD regarding supplement use. A total of 210 participants were recruited from a variety of sources including educational and physical activity programs, and social media to complete a questionnaire. Primary caregivers provided information on current supplement based CAM use. Data evaluated the proportion of children that used supplement therapies, the types of supplements used, reasons for use, perceived safety, and demographic factors associated with use (e.g. income, parental education, severity of disorder). Seventy-five percent of children with ASD consumed supplements with multivitamins (77.8%), vitamin D (44.9%), omega 3 (42.5%), probiotics (36.5%), and magnesium (28.1%) as the most prevalent. Several supplements, such as adrenal cortex extract, where product safety has not yet been demonstrated, were also reported. A gluten free diet was the most common specialty diet followed amongst those with restrictions (14.8%). Health care professionals were the most frequent information source regarding supplements; however, 33% of parents reported not disclosing all their child’s supplements to their physician. In conclusion, the use of supplement therapies in children with ASD is endemic and highlights the need for further research concerning public health education surrounding safety and efficacy.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Feeding Problems and Their Associations with Dietary Interventions, Food Supplement Use, and Behavioral Characteristics in a Sample of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…We have not found a correlation between GI problems and diets, thus it does not seem that GI problems were a significant cause for putting the child on a diet. Evidence shows that in a sizeable proportion of individuals with ASD, the dietary intervention is a form of complementary and alternative medicine, i.e., practices and products that are not part of conventional Western medical care [ 51 ]. Implementation of a GFCF (gluten-free/casein-free) diet is the most used dietary intervention in ASD [ 23 , 52 ].…”

“…Generally, an increasing trend in food supplement use among children and adolescents has been observed [ 57 ], that are given mainly to prevent or treat illnesses [ 58 ]. A study that involved children with ASD reported that the top reasons of parents for giving supplements were also to enhance the child’s diet, and to promote immune system function [ 51 ]. Evidence shows that the most frequently used forms of supplements are vitamins and minerals in a variety of combinations; also in the ASD population [ 47 , 51 , 57 ].…”

“…A study that involved children with ASD reported that the top reasons of parents for giving supplements were also to enhance the child’s diet, and to promote immune system function [ 51 ]. Evidence shows that the most frequently used forms of supplements are vitamins and minerals in a variety of combinations; also in the ASD population [ 47 , 51 , 57 ]. Interestingly, there are reports that supplements were given to prevent or treat conditions for which there is only limited evidence of their efficacy [ 58 ].…”

“…Although vitamins and minerals were frequently used both in ASD and control sample, concerning other types of supplements, we found significant differences between the samples. This may result from the fact that supplements are in ASD commonly given as a form of complementary and alternative therapy with the aim to reduce the behavioral symptoms, such as repetitive behavior, to increase social skills, or to improve sleep [ 51 ]. In our study, we observed weak negative correlations of supplement use with age and verbal skills indicating that younger and non-verbal children were more likely to use food supplements.…”

Nutraceuticals and Nutrition Supplements: Challenges and Opportunities

“…We have invited international experts, researchers and authors to submit original research and review articles that address the progress and our current understanding of nutraceuticals/supplements from in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as from clinical trials describing the benefits/adverse effects with underlying mechanisms. This Special Issue presents a compendium of excellent laboratory and clinical studies using plant extracts [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ], purified compounds [ 21 , 22 , 23 ], modified formulations [ 22 , 24 ], and probiotics [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ] to improve many health conditions, including metabolic disorders [ 17 , 20 ], cardiovascular disease [ 29 ], muscle metabolism [ 18 , 25 ], obesity [ 16 , 17 , 20 ], neurological disorders [ 30 ], infectious diseases [ 26 , 27 ], aging [ 23 ], and cancers [ 18 , 21 , 24 , 31 ].…”