Vitamin D supplements may benefit children with autism spectrum disorder

Date: November 21, 2016

Source: Wiley

Summary:

Vitamin D supplementation improved symptoms of autism in a recent trial, report researchers.

Vitamin D supplementation improved symptoms of autism in a recent trial.

Studies have shown an association between the risk of autism spectrum disorder and vitamin D insufficiency. In this latest study, 109 children with autism spectrum disorder were randomized to receive four months of vitamin D3 supplementation or a placebo.

"Autism symptoms -- such as hyperactivity, social withdrawal, and others -- improved significantly following vitamin D3 supplementation but not after receiving placebo," said Dr. Khaled Saad, lead author of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry study.

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Journal Reference:

Khaled Saad, Ahmed A. Abdel-Rahman, Yasser M. Elserogy, Abdulrahman A. Al-Atram, Amira A. El-Houfey, Hisham A. K. Othman, Geir Bjørklund, Feiyong Jia, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mohamed Gamil M. Abo-Elela, Faisal-Alkhateeb Ahmad, Khaled A. Abd El-Baseer, Ahmed E. Ahmed, Ahmad M. Abdel-Salam. Randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2016; DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12652

Cite This Page:

Wiley. "Vitamin D supplements may benefit children with autism spectrum disorder." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 November 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161121110956.htm>.