Two years ago, I told you about clinical trials using probiotics to ease the gut and psychological problems associated with autism. Seems, a clinical trial conducted in the UK on 40 autistic children (ages 4-8) was so successful, it had to be cancelled.
Why? When parents realized their children weren't receiving a placebo -- the effect of probiotics on their little bodies was that profound -- almost half of the kids dropped out of the trial because their parents refused to make the switch to a placebo.
Although the collapse of the trial prevented scientists from drawing firm conclusions, many parents reported a daily probiotic resulted in better concentration and behaviors, with one reporting it was heartbreaking to stop taking it.
Total health begins in the gut, folks. If your GI tract isn't functioning very well, it's guaranteed your overall health will be compromised. Although I am not a big fan of nutritional supplementation, probiotics are the exception, and the only supplement I recommend for ALL new patients (unless of course they are already on one). I don't believe they need to stay on it the rest of their lives, but one to three months are usually beneficial until they are able to improve their diets.
One disappointment about the report: Scientists continued to discredit the grave contribution thimerosal-laced vaccines make to autism.
The Scotsman September 5, 2006