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Daniel More, MD

Do Food Allergies Cause Autism?

By , About.com GuideDecember 24, 2007

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Lately, there has been a popular concept regarding the possible link between food allergies and autism. Proteins from common foods, such as dairy and wheat, have been implicated as a trigger for autism in children. These proteins, called casein and gluten, have been theorized to result in the production of inflammatory cytokines (cell signals) in children with autism. The inflammatory cytokines then result in brain abnormalities in genetically suspectible children, thus leading to symptoms of autism. Some studies suggest that following a gluten-free and casein-free diet may reduce symptoms of autism.

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  • Food Allergies and Autism
  • Casein-Free Diet
  • Gluten-Free Diet
  • Comments
    March 25, 2012 at 8:48 pm
    (1) dena says:

    I STRONGLY FEEL THAT AUTISM AND IT’S SPECTRUMS HAVE A FOOD RELATED ASPECT, EVEN THE WHOLE CAUSE. I THINK MUCH RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE DONE ON GLUTEN AND IT’S TOXIC EFFECTS OF THE DEVELOPING NERVOUS SYSTEM. I ALSO THINK THAT OTHER THINGS SUCH AS PRESERVATIVES MAY ACT AS A CATALYST. MY SON’S AUTISM SPECTUM DISORDER HAS ENTIRELY REVERSED WITHOUT GLUTEN, WOULD CONTINUING THIS HAVE CAUSED IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE? I AM VERY INTERESTED IN PURSUING THIS.

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