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Treating Autism with Vitamin B6

Pyridoxine & Magnesium Supplements for Autistic Spectrum Disorders

© Jennifer Copley

 

Jun 6, 2008

 

Studies indicate that vitamin B6 and magnesium supplements can have profoundly beneficial effects on those suffering from autistic spectrum disorders.

 

Many studies have been carried out to examine the effects of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and magnesium supplements on autistic spectrum disorders. Research indicates that 50% or more of those treated make significant improvements, often within just a few days.

 

Remarkable Results

A 1968 study of 16 autistic children with serious behavioral problems found that 75% made dramatic improvements with high doses of vitamin B6, 3 of them actually speaking for the first time ever. The subjects also made better eye contact, showed greater interest in interacting and had fewer outbursts of emotion or temper. While not entirely cured, their functioning was significantly higher. Overall, studies suggest that treatment with high doses of vitamin B6 along with normal doses of magnesium may be more effective than medication for some autistic people who have difficulty controlling their behavior.

 

Parents rate vitamin B6 and magnesium highly as a treatment for autistic spectrum disorders. Of 321 parent ratings provided to the Autism Research Institute, 50% saw improvements with vitamin B6 and magnesium supplementation, while 45% saw no effects and 5% said that their children grew worse. Magnesium on its own was not as effective, with improvements noted in just 16% of cases.

 

How it Works

It is believed that those with autistic spectrum disorders may suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B6 and magnesium, given the significant benefits achieved through supplementation. Research shows that levels of magnesium in their blood are lower than those of children without autism. Interestingly, magnesium has also proven beneficial for some children with ADHD.

 

Safety

Minor side effects of large doses of vitamin B6 may include nausea, diarrhea or hyperactivity. However, these effects are uncommon and more likely to occur only when the dose is too high or increased too rapidly. Nausea can also result from taking B vitamins on an empty stomach, so children should take vitamin supplements with meals. A very small number of children taking large doses of B6 suffer peripheral neuropathy, which causes numbness or tingling of the feet and hands. However, side effects are rare, and taking magnesium with vitamin B6 lowers the risk of them occurring.

 

Overall, studies indicate that vitamin B6 and magnesium supplementation is safe when overseen by a family doctor or pediatrician. However, the British National Formulary warns that the effects of long-term use of high doses of vitamin B6 are not known.

 

Required Dose

Dr. Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute recommends approximately 8 mg of vitamin B6 per pound of body weight each day, or 500 mg for a 60-pound child. Magnesium can be toxic at high doses and so only average dosing should be used. Parents should consult a physician to establish the correct dose for their children, as there may be other medical issues to take into consideration.

 

Dr. Stephen M. Edelson at the Center for the Study of Autism notes that B6 and magnesium supplements should be taken in conjunction with a children’s multivitamin, as this will help in their metabolism. Also, he emphasizes that when choosing vitamins, it is important to avoid those that contain Aspartame (Nutrasweet), as this substance has been linked to neurological damage.

 

Treating Depression and Anxiety

Those with autistic spectrum disorders often suffer from depression or anxiety as well. Because vitamin B6 has the beneficial effect of increasing the levels of GABA and serotonin in the blood, it can reduce dysphoric or unhappy mental states. While these are preliminary findings and more research is needed, given that vitamin supplementation is relatively safe, B6 could be useful in treating the problematic emotional states of those who have autism or Asperger’s syndrome.

 

Consult a Physician

This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you are interested in using vitamin and mineral supplements to treat autism, depression or other conditions, you should consult your family physician.

 

 

http://autism-therapy.suite101.com/article...with_vitamin_b6

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Treating Autism with Vitamin B6

Pyridoxine & Magnesium Supplements for Autistic Spectrum Disorders

© Jennifer Copley

 

Jun 6, 2008

 

Studies indicate that vitamin B6 and magnesium supplements can have profoundly beneficial effects on those suffering from autistic spectrum disorders.

 

Many studies have been carried out to examine the effects of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and magnesium supplements on autistic spectrum disorders. Research indicates that 50% or more of those treated make significant improvements, often within just a few days.

 

Remarkable Results

A 1968 study of 16 autistic children with serious behavioral problems found that 75% made dramatic improvements with high doses of vitamin B6, 3 of them actually speaking for the first time ever. The subjects also made better eye contact, showed greater interest in interacting and had fewer outbursts of emotion or temper. While not entirely cured, their functioning was significantly higher. Overall, studies suggest that treatment with high doses of vitamin B6 along with normal doses of magnesium may be more effective than medication for some autistic people who have difficulty controlling their behavior.

 

Parents rate vitamin B6 and magnesium highly as a treatment for autistic spectrum disorders. Of 321 parent ratings provided to the Autism Research Institute, 50% saw improvements with vitamin B6 and magnesium supplementation, while 45% saw no effects and 5% said that their children grew worse. Magnesium on its own was not as effective, with improvements noted in just 16% of cases.

 

How it Works

It is believed that those with autistic spectrum disorders may suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B6 and magnesium, given the significant benefits achieved through supplementation. Research shows that levels of magnesium in their blood are lower than those of children without autism. Interestingly, magnesium has also proven beneficial for some children with ADHD.

 

Safety

Minor side effects of large doses of vitamin B6 may include nausea, diarrhea or hyperactivity. However, these effects are uncommon and more likely to occur only when the dose is too high or increased too rapidly. Nausea can also result from taking B vitamins on an empty stomach, so children should take vitamin supplements with meals. A very small number of children taking large doses of B6 suffer peripheral neuropathy, which causes numbness or tingling of the feet and hands. However, side effects are rare, and taking magnesium with vitamin B6 lowers the risk of them occurring.

 

Overall, studies indicate that vitamin B6 and magnesium supplementation is safe when overseen by a family doctor or pediatrician. However, the British National Formulary warns that the effects of long-term use of high doses of vitamin B6 are not known.

 

Required Dose

Dr. Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute recommends approximately 8 mg of vitamin B6 per pound of body weight each day, or 500 mg for a 60-pound child. Magnesium can be toxic at high doses and so only average dosing should be used. Parents should consult a physician to establish the correct dose for their children, as there may be other medical issues to take into consideration.

 

Dr. Stephen M. Edelson at the Center for the Study of Autism notes that B6 and magnesium supplements should be taken in conjunction with a children’s multivitamin, as this will help in their metabolism. Also, he emphasizes that when choosing vitamins, it is important to avoid those that contain Aspartame (Nutrasweet), as this substance has been linked to neurological damage.

 

Treating Depression and Anxiety

Those with autistic spectrum disorders often suffer from depression or anxiety as well. Because vitamin B6 has the beneficial effect of increasing the levels of GABA and serotonin in the blood, it can reduce dysphoric or unhappy mental states. While these are preliminary findings and more research is needed, given that vitamin supplementation is relatively safe, B6 could be useful in treating the problematic emotional states of those who have autism or Asperger’s syndrome.

 

Consult a Physician

This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you are interested in using vitamin and mineral supplements to treat autism, depression or other conditions, you should consult your family physician.

 

 

http://autism-therapy.suite101.com/article...with_vitamin_b6

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vitamin B12 is supposed to be a good supplement too. But the important thing here is that you give the supplements under consult of a physician because any of these (especially vit B6) can be pretty toxic if overdosed. I imagine they would help a lot if the kids had a real deficiency in these, but not all of them do.

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  • 1 year later...

Adding an interesting tidbit or two.

 

* 1. I found that older medical literature describes treating Sydenham's Chorea successfully with vitamin B6. (NOT suggesting anyone forgo antibiotics for strep related issues, but it's an interesting footnote.)

 

Sydenham's choreaPreliminary report of three cases successfully treated with vitamin B6 The Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 19, Issue 2, Pages 201-204

 

Spain is currently conducting studies on B6/Mag in relation to TS.

 

http://www.trialsjournal.com/content/10/1/16

 

Per Sherry Rogers ? - B6 helps regulate histamine.

 

http://www.ihavetics.com/Members/Blogs/tab...19/Default.aspx

 

In addition, some recommend balancing B vitamins by taking a B complex, vs. taking B6 alone.

Edited by Laurensmom
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We use B-6 with Magnesium per our dr but we only use 50 mg of B-6 due to the toxicity issue.

 

Dr. Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute recommends approximately 8 mg of vitamin B6 per pound of body weight each day, or 500 mg for a 60-pound child. Magnesium can be toxic at high doses and so only average dosing should be used. Parents should consult a physician to establish the correct dose for their children, as there may be other medical issues to take into consideration.
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Laurensmom,

 

Sydenham's chorea: Preliminary report of three cases successfully treated with vitamin B6
That's pretty interesting! I see this one too, which I feel doesn't get enough attention. We have had a couple of reports of parent or close family members with this on the TS forum

 

Is Sydenham's chorea an antiphospholipid syndrome?

 

What I really found interesting when this thread came up, was thinking back to Bonnie Grimaldi's hypothesis years ago (it's been a couple of years since I read it again). I think she touches on most of the things that are discussed here, including strep, histimine, etc. We found her vitamins to be very beneficial. Like Cheri, we have been putting together our own supplements that are a little more personalized, but I truly think they were the thing that kept rx meds out of the picture here. We were not the classic abrupt onset, clear cut PANDAS type symptoms tho.

 

 

Bonnies 1996 Paper

Tourette Syndrome, B6 dependency, allergy

http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/neur-sci/1996...ary/022416.html

 

http://www.bonniegr.com/ HOME

http://www.bonniegr.com/Interview%20with%20Bonnie.htm Interview with Bonnie

Edited by kim
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When we started the bio medical approach with our son the first supplement we used was Kirkmans Super Nu Thera. This is a high b-6 mag multivitamin. We saw a significant change in our son. It was like the light went on!!! After almost 4 years doing bio-medical this vitamin and Co Q-10 have made the most changes in him. I always recommend Super Nu Thera!!!!

 

 

 

 

Laurensmom,

 

Sydenham's chorea: Preliminary report of three cases successfully treated with vitamin B6
That's pretty interesting! I see this one too, which I feel doesn't get enough attention. We have had a couple of reports of parent or close family members with this on the TS forum

 

Is Sydenham's chorea an antiphospholipid syndrome?
What I really found interesting when this thread came up, was thinking back to Bonnie Grimaldi's hypothesis years ago (it's been a couple of years since I read it again). I think she touches on most of the things that are discussed here, including strep, histimine, etc. We found her vitamins to be very beneficial. Like Cheri, we have been putting together our own supplements that are a little more personalized, but I truly think they were the thing that kept rx meds out of the picture here. We were not the classic abrupt onset, clear cut PANDAS type symptoms tho.

 

 

Bonnies 1996 Paper

Tourette Syndrome, B6 dependency, allergy

http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/neur-sci/1996...ary/022416.html

 

http://www.bonniegr.com/ HOME

http://www.bonniegr.com/Interview%20with%20Bonnie.htm Interview with Bonnie

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Kim, JohnsMom - It's amazing how Bonnie's discovery puts the pieces of the puzzle old and new, together so neatly.

 

The following addresses TS/OCD/ADD. The diagnosis would lie

in the degree of vitamin B6 dependency/deficiency, and how long

the person has been in this state. Carl Hansen, Jr. M.D. of

Minneapolis describes celiac disease in several of his TS patients.

This could be a pathway to vitamin B6 deficiency via malabsorption.

Streptococcal infections have also been associated with TS. This

could be a combination of the hyaluronidase's (an enzyme produced

by the hemolytic strep that depolymerizes the ground substance of

tissue) or streptokinase's actions on the blood brain barrier, the

drain of vitamin B6 from the bacteria's own useage, the body's

requirement of B6 for immunity, and the antibiotic's B6 antagonistic

properties. A pre-exising B6 dependency/deficiency could be uncovered.

 

I read that long ago, but it makes much more sense to me today, than it did when I was overwhelmed with a new diagnosis. Unfortunately until Merck can make some dough off of the histamine connection, this will continue to be poo-pooed by many in the "scientific" community. It seems the new genetic studies fit very well into Bonnie's theory and the notion of an autoimmune connection regardless.

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When my son had his first real serious episode, BG's supplements were the first thing we tried out of sheer desperation. Supplements did nothing for my son's major symptoms/tics. Magnesium MAY have helped relax him before bedtime. They are very expensive and there is nothing special in them that cannot be obtained in supps off the grocery shelf.

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When my son had his first real serious episode, BG's supplements were the first thing we tried out of sheer desperation. Supplements did nothing for my son's major symptoms/tics. Magnesium MAY have helped relax him before bedtime. They are very expensive and there is nothing special in them that cannot be obtained in supps off the grocery shelf.

 

I based my son's initial treatment plan on Bonnie's research, long before she had her own Bontech range, and based on a "recipe" she had posted on her then single paged website on what she had been giving her child.

 

The ingredients in the Bontech supps are designed for people with Tourette Syndrome, so unless a child has TS, it is unlikely that they will be fully effective

 

I know that for my son it was like night and day the difference that giving him similar supps to Bonnie's made!

 

Even tho I havent ever used the Bontech supps for my son, but I do know many people who do use them and they feel that they are really worth the money as they are very pure and also correctly formulated. yes, one can get all of the ingredients oneself, tho I do try to be careful of some of the additives in the grocery store shelf brands! and so I have been very careful to pick equivalent ingredients but in forms that have minimal fillers etc

 

Magnesium has been a key ingredient in stabilizing what were once very very severe tics in my son, and the P-5-P he takes for his B6 is essential to his well being too

 

Anyway, felt I needed to also add a bit of cheerleading as I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Bonnie Grimaldi for so freely publishing her treatment plan all those years ago as it truly was a life saver for my son!

 

it is great to see her research also now being helpful re this histamine info :)

Edited by Chemar
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Admittedly, I do not purchase supplements from Bonnie G. directly. However, I also appreciate her sharing the info on what to try etc. We have started a multi (again) and a b complex with c. I'm considering adding lecithin. I've used inositol in the past (with some success) but found out that Puritan Vitamins was using a Chinese source for the raw materials. That made me uncomfortable, frankly. So, we're trying to get as much from food as we can.

 

It's very difficult to say what may help given the waning/waxing nature of TS. Regardless, I do firmly believe there is an autoimmune issue at play, along with a genetic propensity of course.

 

it is great to see her research also now being helpful re this histamine info

 

Agreed! :)

Edited by Laurensmom
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