Autism Gut/Brain connection

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Interesting research taking place......on mice http://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/autisms ... tion/33302

I used to read case studies, dating back to the 1940s and 1950s even, where people with classic autism also frequently had gut problems. There was a belief, even then, that gut problems and autism were interrelated in some way.

I had gut problems as a young child, too. And continue to have mild gut problems to this day, though less serious as time proceeds.

On "faith," I believe there is an association between gut problems and autism, though by no means is it universal.

That study actually makes sense.
A more normal gut resulted in better behaviors. Presumably the mice were less stressed when they have a normal gut.

"But the treated mice remained aloof when a new mouse was placed in their cage. “This is a real limitation in the conclusions from this study as, in many ways, social interaction deficits are at the core … of autism,”

One may also presume that the picky diets preferred by those on the spectrum are a big factor in what is in their guts.
For instance, plain hamburgers obviously don't have that wide variety of condiments contained in normal hamburgers.

Dairy issues are often a sign of lactose intolerance. One scientific way to find out is to see if using "Lactaid" products will also eliminate the gut issues. One can also substitute cheeses with low lactose content.

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/lacto ... statistics
65% of the population has issues after infancy. This goes up to 90% for certain ethnic groups.

I truly feel that gut issues, even in the absence of exacerbating factors, could very well be part and parcel of ASD's, at least in some people.

http://www.drgourmet.com/askdrgourmet/l ... LRRIz-knYA
There can also be lactose hidden in baked goods. You may not expect chocolate chip cookies to be a source of lactose.

I have IBS and I'm also lactose intolerant. Have stomach problems pretty often - not sure, however, if it's as a consequence of stress and anxiety, and higher levels of anxiety than those of an average person.

I strongly believe that ASD people who have gut trouble of any kind and who have issues with anxiety ought to be taking some kind of probiotics.

There are studies on both ASD and neurotypical humans (not just mice!) which show the positive emotional benefit from taking probiotics. This goes together with the hygiene hypothesis found in psychiatry circles which asserts that modern developed countries have become too hygienic - we've upset the balance of microbes in our guts, and we suffer mood disorders as a result. (no doubt that ASD people suffer more than anyone else..)

You can buy probiotics from any pharmacy. Though if you get the fridge-free type you need to be careful with how you store it, because if it is too hot or too moist the bacteria will activate inside the bottle and starve to death, and you'll have wasted your money. Or you can buy special probiotic yogurt or fermented milk.

I have read a few different posts about this topic, it's quite interesting.
For the past 6months or so I've been trying to improve my gut health, and have noticed my ASD symptoms do "improve" when I'm being proactive towards my health.

Our diets today also lack fermented foods, which help the digestive system so this is also something to look into. (Kombucha tea, is an example). I still need to purchase probiotics, but haven't been able too as of late.

I have always been prone to acid reflux and tried most over the counter medications for indigestion, acid etc, before progressing to prescription drugs like omeprazole. What actually worked was Prozac, because it lowered my anxiety levels! People forget that a permanently anxious state, which lets face it, is pretty common to us on the spectrum directly effects your stomach. I still get problems occasionally, but pre-prozac used to get stomach problems everyday.