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Exploring Dietary Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorder - PubMed

️Mon Jan 01 2024

Review

Exploring Dietary Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Ingrid Daniela Pérez-Cabral et al. Foods. 2024.

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves social communication difficulties and repetitive behaviors, and it has a growing prevalence worldwide. Symptoms include cognitive impairments, gastrointestinal (GI) issues, feeding difficulties, and psychological problems. A significant concern in ASD is food selectivity, leading to nutrient deficiencies. Common GI issues in ASD, such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, stem from abnormal gut flora and immune system dysregulation. Sensory sensitivities and behavioral challenges exacerbate these problems, correlating with neurological symptom severity. Children with ASD also exhibit higher oxidative stress due to low antioxidant levels like glutathione. Therapeutic diets, including ketogenic, high-antioxidant, gluten-free and casein-free, and probiotic-rich diets, show potential in managing ASD symptoms like behavior, communication, GI issues, and oxidative stress, though the evidence is limited. Various studies have focused on different populations, but there is increasing concern about the impact among children. This review aims to highlight the food preferences of the ASD population, analyze the effect of the physicochemical and nutritional properties of foods on the selectivity in its consumption, GI problems, and antioxidant deficiencies in individuals with ASD, and evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic diets, including diets rich in antioxidants, gluten-free and casein-free, ketogenic and essential fatty acids, and probiotic-rich diets in managing these challenges.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; diets; food selectivity; gastrointestinal disorders; nutrition; oxidative stress; vitamins.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Impact of gastrointestinal symptoms on autism spectrum disorder symptoms. Figure created by the authors. ↑ means increase; ↓ means decrease.

**Figure 2**
Diagram of affected activities in increased oxidative stress in children with autism spectrum disorder. Figure created by the authors.

**Figure 3**
Chemical structures of carotenoids, phenols, and main antioxidant vitamins. Figure created by the authors.

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Exploring Dietary Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorder - PubMed