Nutrient Therapies for Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Mitochondrial dysfunction is an extremely common problem in patients with autism spectrum disorder, with the vast majority of ASD patients exhibiting abnormal energy metabolism indicating that brain mitochondrial function in particular may not be working optimally. Mitochondrial dysfunction in autistic patients may manifest as symptoms like fatigue, poor coordination, muscle weakness, seizures, gastrointestinal upsets, and delayed growth and development, among others.
Some ASD patients may develop mitochondrial dysfunction as a result of neurodevelopmental or genetic abnormalities, while others may develop this dysfunction as a direct result of nutrient deficiencies. For some, mitochondrial dysfunction may be caused partly by abnormalities and partly by deficiencies. In any case, supplementation with the appropriate nutrient supplements can help support mitochondrial function and relieve autism symptoms. L-carnitine and CoQ10 are two of the most important nutrients for autistic individuals to take as supplements.
L-Carnitine Supplements for Autism
L-carnitine is a conditionally essential amino acid. This means that, in times of health, the body can produce L-carnitine on its own from other nutrients and essential amino acids in the diet. But, as a conditionally essential amino acid, there are times when a person needs to consume this amino acid either via a supplement or in the diet in order to maintain or restore health. Autism is one of these conditional situations where L-carnitine becomes particularly important.L-carnitine is known for its role in energy production, fatty acid metabolism, and mitochondrial function and detoxification. Various studies suggest that autistic individuals tend to suffer from some kind of mitochondrial disorder in addition to having decreased levels of L-carnitine. Supplementation with L-carnitine in children with autism has been found to significantly improve scores on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale 2 (CARS-2) and the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale. Significant improvements in cognition and smaller improvements in speech were also observed in autistic patients who took the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) after receiving L-carnitine therapy.
L-carnitine has been found to be an effective treatment even for cases of autism where genetic factors are suspected. Some of the specific situations where L-carnitine has been studied are in cases of autism combined with the following genetic disorders:
- Trimethyllysine hydroxylase epsilon (TMLHE) deficiency
- Mitochondrial diseases II-IV
- Hyperlactacidemia
- Propionic acidemia
- Primary carnitine deficiency
- 4q-syndrome
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In young male patients with fragile X syndrome, which often results in autism-like symptoms, administration of the L-carnitine derivative, acetyl-L-carnitine, specifically improved social behaviors and reduced hyperactivity. In other patients with autism (with or without accompanying genetic disorders), supplementation with L-carnitine may help improve muscle tone, IQ, language skills, and some autistic features.
For autism treatment, L-carnitine can be given at a daily dose of 50-200mg/kg of bodyweight. As with any new nutrient supplement, start with a low dose and wait 1-2 weeks before increasing the dose. If your child demonstrates improvements in their symptoms, consider increasing the dose incrementally as long as these improvements continue. Be aware that higher doses of L-carnitine (beyond 100mg/kg of bodyweight) may cause gastrointestinal upsets and strong skin odor in some people; if this happens, reduce the dose to a level that’s comfortable for the autistic person.
Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation for Autism
CoQ10 is another supplement that supports mitochondrial function and reduces oxidative stress in children with autism. One study done on a group of 24 autistic children between the ages of 3-6 years old found that the administration of CoQ10 (as ubiquinol) at a dose of 50mg given twice daily produced notable improvements in the children’s symptoms. CoQ10 supplementation improved the following symptoms:- Communication with parents (in 12% of subjects)
- Verbal communication (in 21% of subjects)
- Interest and participation level in children’s playtime (increased in 42% of subjects)
- Insomnia (sleep improved in 34% of subjects)
- Food rejection (decreased in 17% of subjects)
Read in-depth about Coenzyme Q10 as a nutritional supplement for babies and children specifically in this article (note that the information in this article also largely applies to adults; adjust the dosing information accordingly based on the age/weight of the autistic person).
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Sulfur Supplementation for ASD
Sulfur is a mineral that is highly deficient in the food supply throughout the world. As poor farming practices and the consistent use of organophosphates and other chemicals continues, the quantity of minerals like sulfur, magnesium, and lithium (besides a long, long list of other important minerals) is decreasing in the soil, and thus is less available in the food that we eat. Sulfur is a major mineral though, meaning that our body needs quite a bit of it in order to survive and thrive.Sulfur deficiency is linked to many different autoimmune diseases and other major health problems. Read more about sulfur deficiency in depth in this article about sulfur and autoimmunity, or in this article about sulfur and the gallbladder.
According to multiple studies, patients with autism are likely to have a sulfur/sulfate deficiency. Autistic individuals also tend to have problems converting sulfite to sulfate in the mitochondria, which can sometimes lead to the appearance of a deficiency even when there may not be one. Research has found that a supplement containing 50mcg of molybdenum, a trace mineral, can improve urinary sulfite and sulfate levels, and appears to at least partially restore the autistic person’s ability to convert sulfite to sulfate effectively.
Because of this difficulty with converting sulfite to sulfate, people with autism may need extra sulfate and sulfur from the diet and other sources, in addition to a molybdenum supplement, as described above. Epsom salts baths (which are made of magnesium sulfate salts) are a good way to gently increase sulfate levels. Topical DMSO applications can also be a good option for some people (read more about how to use DMSO correctly in this article). N-acetylcysteine or regular cysteine supplements, when administered as granules mixed into food or drinks, are also a good choice to naturally and safely increase sulfur levels.
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