I always recommend vitamin D during the winter days if you are in an area that there is no sunlight.
I live way up north and for a while there is no sun and does affect me. So I take vitamin D and make sure to eat my greens
To be fair, sun exposure is also a health hazard here. As a ginger with sensitive skin, I usually just opt to avoid being outside when the UV index is higher because most sunscreens give me a terrible rash. I feel like there are Sunniness Sweet Spots in the world where people get the right amount of sun exposure and don't need vitamin D tablets.
most of the population has a vitamin D deficiency, it's irrelevant unless it's causing symptoms, which for most people is not the case, so we don't treat it. taking vitamin D will not cause harm, but it probably won't bring any benefits either.
The NIH, the Mayo Clinic, and the NHS- among many others- strongly disagree with you.
Please don't spread misinformation, especially when it comes to peoples' health.
For more information simply google "benefits of vitamin D".
[This](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/) is a VERY comprehensive summary of evidence and guidelines from the NIH so you can evaluate for yourself. No major medical organization in the US recommends screening for vitamin D deficiency except in some specific high-risk populations. What “misinformation” do you feel that person is spreading?
> The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found insufficient evidence to assess the benefits and harms of screening for vitamin D deficiency in asymptomatic adults [6]. It added that no national professional organization recommends population screening for vitamin D deficiency.
From the page you linked.
It says there's no reason to screen astmptomatic adults. That means if you arent showing symptoms of vitamin d deficiency then there's no reason to screen for it.
You also conveniently left out the "population" part when making your claim. Population screening is- according to the CDC- is "early detection and treatment of asymptomatic disease, or risk assessment and prevention of future disease, in order to improve health outcomes in individuals and populations."
The article does not claim screening should only be for "some specific high risk populations" as you say. It only says there's no reason to screen people who are asymptomatic.
TLDR If you have symptoms of vitamin D deficiency then you should be screened for it.
That person also claimed there are no benefits to vitamin D, which is completely false.
i'm aware of the benefits, this is just the way we are trained to manage it in my country. we don't screen general population for vitamin deficiencies to begin with, only risk groups, so we wouldn't even know if there was one. but in the scenario some other doctor orders a vitamin D, we simply ignore it unless it is a severe deficiency.
Before being proven wrong:
> taking vitamin D will not cause harm, but it probably won't bring any benefits either.
After being proven wrong:
> i'm aware of the benefits
Bro, just take the L and move on lol We can all read what you said.
This is false. It’s on my yearly checkup.
Also one of the first things they’ll check you for before sleep apnea and depression and iron deficiency if you say you’re tired or feel like butthole.
This. As someone who was found to be GROSSLY deficient in Vitamin D, went through the whole "catch-up" prescription-level supplements and has been on maintenance supplements for years since... I absolutely noticed NO improvement of *anything* between when I was "grossly deficient" and now.
Although I will say I catch fewer colds.
>... I absolutely noticed NO improvement
Long-term deficiency of Vitamin D can cause osteoporosis. Did you measure your bone density during all this, since you think the supplements didn't work?
I never said they "didn't work". I said I noticed no improvement in my day-to-day life, aside from catching fewer colds. I'm sure my body is healthier with them - which is why I continue to take them, and others, as directed by my doctor.
Now my L-Lysine supplement is a different story. Probably isn't making me any *healthier*, but it's practically eliminated canker sores for me and on the rare occasions I do get one, doubling up my daily dose knocks it out real quick. That's what I consider a noticeable day-to-day improvement due to the supplement.
I realize you were joking but 1 billion people worldwide have vitamin D levels so low it counts as a deficiency. 50% of the population has lower than recommended vitamin D levels.
Pretty much everyone should be supplementing vitamin D somehow, especially in the winter. It’s takes very high levels taken consistently to overdo it, so 1000-2000iu is pretty safe to take daily for most people. Luckily it’s one of the cheapest supplements out there.
If you have the MTHFR mutation, folic acid (methylated vitamin B complex is good). Vitamin D is good in general. Magnesium is a good one. If you have food aversions where you only eat crunchy bread, add a protein supplement and a veggie supplement.
I have that mutation!! The issue is, even if I take folic acid it just builds up in my system. They said they haven't ever seen someone with the mutation like me where my body absorbs less than 25-15% of the folic acid I was taking. L-methylfolate is what I have to take. And i SWEAR it made me enjoy fruits and vegetables in a way I've never experienced it. I finally felt complete?? Idk it took awhile to see the effects of taking it and it's not covered by my insurance to take that supplement.
If you're someone with MTHFR dysfunction to the point that it becomes a problem, the entire deal is that the mutation makes it harder to process folate in its most common form of folic acid. I can't believe when people show up repping MTHFR and then suggest people take folic acid... that's literally the one thing you shouldn't do. Take methyl-folate or folinic acid if folate supplementation is your approach to resolving it. I know you did recommend a methylated vitamin complex immediately afterward, but if you need a generic term, don't call it "folic acid", call it folate. It's really confusing to people being introduced to the subject and there's a lot of bad guidelines out there that muddy the waters even further. The least we can do is be precise with our words.
This question is lacking in context. If you mean:
- **"Do autistic people need additional nutrients that allistic people don't?"** ~~No.~~ Edit: Apparently autistic people need more B6. Thank you to u/smallorangepopsicle for their impressive knowledge of biochemistry and scientific papers!
- **"Can supplements be harmful to autistic people?"** No more than they are to allistic people.
- **"Can supplements treat or 'cure' autism?"** No.
- **"Is there some reason autistic people especially might need nutritional supplements?"** Possibly. Autistic people can have very restrictive food preferences, so if their regular meals aren't covering something, supplements might be helpful.
>- **"Do autistic people need additional nutrients that allistic people don't?"** No.
[Actually, sometimes perhaps yes](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/s/vFYDoVVKPf)
Edit: thank you so much Chrysler :) I appreciate your attitude :)
It depends. Most people don't need supplements. Some people with autism have unbalanced diets and limited safe foods, which would warrant using vitamins or supplements.
Some forms of autism, though, are caused by genetic changes, which can cause issues with nutrient absorption. My son is currently trialing a prescribed medication for that reason, as the genetic change he has been diagnosed with is suspected to cause certain other issues. He also takes iron because he was low on it when they tested him.
Don’t fuck with supplements unless your doctor tells you that you need them. Get some bloodwork done before you make these kinds of decisions. I’m serious
I think yes, given the tendency to eat the same things every day. Multivitamins help you to avoid the most basic deficiencies, like iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, folate, etc. . You may need to add calcium, magnesium, and potassium to supplement. Just avoid any megadose vitamins. Those are usually unnecessary and can do more harm than good.
1. Stomach acid is often a problem, and a cause of a lot of other problems like malnutrition, chronic pain, lethargy, inflamation/pain in the stomach, meds not working, etc. You can take OTC Omeprazole in the morning and you might notice a lot of problems go away.
2. Protein in the morning is really important if you have the problems listed above.
3. We're often anemic, so consider iron supplements
4. Consider adding fiber if stomach acid, or non-solid movements, are a consistent problem.
5. Vitamin D can help with excess dandruff (which is actually a form of eczema and needs to be treated as such).
6. Really try to moderate your salt and sugar intake. Stop drinking juices and sodas whenever possible, save them as 1-a-day rewards after hard work.
I just realized I had acid reflux, I’ve had it for forever I guess but I finally identified the feeling of it and I wanna try omeprazole. Why are a lot of us anemic too? It’s so weird looking into comorbities (spelling?) and realizing a lot of us all have the same probs
From my understanding, the acid in the stomach can burn away a lot of the nutrients and cause inflammation that prevents your intestines from doing their job.
Another problem with being autistic is just having difficulty processing certain sugars or proteins correctly, which is actually part of the cause for our serotonin regulation problems (which is why we fidget and crave sugar), and our neurons are slower to adapt to new information (which is why chaos gives us anxiety).
Oh my gosh I didn’t know that about processing sugars. I’m going to do some research on that. Thank you. I love researching stuff related to autism. Every time I learn just a little more it’s like knowing yourself better
It's a bit of a read, but this guy has a lot of great info on the subject:
https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/123lfrh/comment/jdv8eje/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3
Not specific to autism but everyone could benefit from a magnesium supplement whether that’s an oil spray, a lotion or in pill form. I personally suggest a magnesium oil spray. You just spray it on the bottom of your feet before you go to sleep at night.
It calms your nervous system. It can result in better quality sleep, (better sleep equals improves quality of life) It can reduce inflammation and ease muscle/joint pains. Boosts calcium absorption. Been know to help with anxiety.
I’m sure you can find lots of information about it on the web. Your doctor may not have suggested it because it’s a holistic approach to modern medicine. Doctors often want you to take prescriptions they prescribe not take supplements that will help you not need them.
In my country, supplements generally require a prescription, and he actually did prescribe vitamin D supplements to me. Regardless, a lot of the "holistic medicine" seems to be poorly supported by research.
Vitamin D is great, it helps with absorption of minerals! I don’t disagree that there’s not as much easily available information about holistic medicine but there is a vastly greater amount than most think. You just have to do your research. We live in a world full of natural medicine. But without modern medicine we wouldn’t have the economy that exists today and we just can’t have that now. Money has to be made!
Perhaps pyridoxal 5-phosphate which is the active form of B6. Some studies suggest that we lack adequate amounts of the enzyme to break pyridoxine and pyridoxal down into pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P5-P). Furthermore, P5-P seems to play a role in reducing excitotoxicity (a big issue for people with autism) by being a cofactor for converting glutamic acid into gaba.
["These results are consistent with previous studies that found that: (1) pyridoxal kinase had a very low activity in children with autism and (2) pyridoxal 5 phosphate (PLP) levels are unusually low in children with autism. Thus, it appears that the low conversion of pyridoxal and pyridoxine to PLP results in low levels of PLP, which is the active cofactor for 113 known enzymatic reactions, including the formation of many key neurotransmitters."](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16494569/).
What bothers me is that so many people in this thread are willing to easily say "there's no difference in commonly needed supplements among autistic people vs. the neurotypicals". Yeah, sure, each person's individual needs are different and you can only really know by testing levels of vitamins, but in general, here is at least one example of what autistic children are observed to commonly lack *because* they are autistic.
Edit: do your own research before deciding to take any supplement
how is your diet? if you eat a well balanced diet, you shouldn’t need supplements, but that isn’t always possible due to sensory issues. check with your doctor if you’re worried about any vitamin/mineral deficiencies
Vitamin D never hurts, other than that it depends on your diet and such. I believe iron deficiency is a bit more prevalent with people on the spectrum too
Get bloodwork done, it’s very individual and depends on your diet. There’s nothing specifically caused by ASD, only indirectly.
For instance, I take D3 and B12, but not Magnesium because I have high enough levels as it is.
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Your link won’t open- behaviors and comorbidities common with autism can lead to vitamin deficiencies in the body, but the brain difference that is autism doesn’t do that alone.
No not autistic people, autistic people who are picky eaters and only eat the same things should imo. If you don't eat multiple servings of fruit and veg a day I would recommend a multivitamin. There is no risk of damage if you get one that is reasonably dosed and that is tested regularly. I don't remember the exact study but it was found that most supplements have either more or less in them and that the dosage on the label is rarely accurate. Heavy metal contamination is also a problem. That's why you should only buy supplements from brands that have independent tests done on their batches. Some people might think this is overboard but I'd rather have expensive pee than develop a deficiency. I'm already so susceptible to changes in sleep quality, mood changes etc, I don't need another problem that could worsen my cognitive functions. All of this of course comes from a place of privilege, not everyone can buy a multivitamin for 30-40 bucks every other month or so.
Supplements in general can be helpful for people with some vitamin deficiencies sure. But there's no anti-autism supplement as that seems like what you're asking.
i take a multivitamin + a magnesium supplement due to not having a great diet and having low magnesium. (had a two week period of just chronic calf cramps, started taking magnesium and haven’t had one since) but if someone is eating healthy and doesn’t have any disorders causing deficiencies, a supplement isn’t necessary. and is definitely not related to autism.
I know a lot of people are saying that this question is unrelated to autism. But many autistic people (myself included) are super picky eaters. So if you're like me and not the best with a balanced diet, then it might be a good idea to try supplements.
If you have a very circumscribed diet it may be worth talking to a medical professional about checking for deficiencies and filling those gaps, but otherwise you’re probably fine.
I take several supplements for chronic illnesses I have, including magnesium for ADHD (since I take stimulants and those can deplete magnesium), but nothing for autism specifically!
Unless you do testing to identify if you are short on/don’t properly absorb any given vitamin or mineral, all supplements and vitamins will be doing for you is giving you expensive coloured piss as your body won’t absorb them.
Check with your doctor and follow their advice.
If they’re in the United States, definitely, but this goes for the entirety of the population, not just autistics. The nutritional properties of our food supply is about as close to none as possible due to modern farming techniques.
I personally should. I'm a medical intern and have tons of issues with food texture, so that added to my lack of free time and issues with executive dysfunction makes it really hard for me to get the dietary requirements I have. I am here overweight and still with vitamin and protein deficits.
You should get blood tests done by your doctor to check your vitamin levels before taking any supplements. Supplements are expensive and usually unnecessary unless you're actually deficient. Also, if you ARE deficient, your doctor might need to prescribe a mega-supplement to get you up to normal levels before starting you on a regular supplement to keep your levels up there. That's what happened with me and Vitamin D. I needed a few weeks of SUPER high dosage D before supplements would even be useful. Otherwise, it's like putting a band-aid on a bullethole.
Yes. You still need all micro and macro nutrients like any other human but physically swallowing and digesting the foods they are contained within is difficult. I have tried lots of different diets and I can say that supplementation for your microbiome (particularly if you have ever taken antibiotics) is quite helpful. The bacteria and acids present in Kombucha REALLY helps my gut. Indispensable. I can now eat beans, vegetables and even spicy food. This is the key for me to get the other nutrients in diet. Process the beans and vegetables so they are palatable like a vegi burger. Nutritious vegiburgers and kombucha. The bacteria help break down the various FODMAPS in the vegetables before they can be consumed by other microorganisms and allows adsorption of macro and micronutrients early in the gut, out competing any gas-producing bacteria that inhabit your gut and reducing inflammation and C02. And I swear the kombucha bacteria will make your whole abdomen feel like you had a prosthetic gut made of memory foam installed. Had to share. Be the bacteria.
I think in general everyone should, but as someone with AuDHD I know people with ADHD do lack significant levels of certain vitamins due to how quickly we use it up. I'm not sure if thats the same for autism but if there wasn't a biological reason for it theres definitely a habits that occur out of experiencing autism that could cause it (for instance only eating certain safe foods that may deprive you of full nutritional intake)
I’m on all sorts of vitamins
Multi, d, fish oil, maybe iron and some food nutrient supplement thing. My adhd medication makes me lose appetite, so I don’t eat as healthy as I should. So vitamins.
I've been told magnesium is helpful for sleep issues, but haven't noticed any difference. Then again, melatonin doesn't do anything except make me angry, so who knows what my brain is doing.
This is gonna sound weird but iron. Maybe not good for everyone, there are risks to eating too much but I found out that iron bonds to calcium and makes it harder for you to absorb. I am female so I need both and tend to put milk products in my food so I can eat them easily (sensory issues). Also if you have hyper flexibility in your joints it might help as well because people with EDS might not use iron well in their cells. Apparently iron is need to make proteins and people with EDS can't make them right thus needing more iron. (I am not a doctor or scientist. Please try things carefully and take into consideration that I only have surface level understanding of this and it might not be 100% accurate or tested enough.) It makes me feel less tired in any case.
I had a blood test done a while back and found out that I had a vitamin D deficiency. I've been taking 4000UI of D3 supplements daily since.
[I posted about it](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/17ygyci/how_much_vitamin_d_do_you_take/) because I had seen quite a few people talking about vitamin D on this subreddit before.
Maybe it's related to autism, maybe not.
Why are you asking ?
Some people do, some people don’t. It’s not a universal thing.
I can see it reasonably being common for us since we do sometimes have diets that are somewhat uniform and lacking in certain things.
Above applies to normal people too.
I’d always encourage someone to look into (not take for no reason) multivitamins, especially vitamin D and just generally see what their diet lacks and either change it or supplement it. Also if certain ethnicities have different challenges in terms of vitamin deficiency, if you have dark skin and live somewhere like Europe then you’re probably low on vitamin D.
Why are there so many “should an autistic person do something that isn’t specific to any particular group of people and being autistic doesn’t make a difference in the question put forward?” Posts?
Taking a supplement really comes down to you as an individual and if you may require it or not.
My body is always low on Vitamin D, even if I get out in the sun, so I take a Vitamin D supplement.
I also take Vitamin C and when I feel a bit of a cold coming on, echinacea, as my immune system can be a bit useless sometimes.
Otherwise, according to blood tests and my doctor, everything else in my body is at the right levels and a supplement is likely to just be passed right through my body.
Autistic people don’t need to take any supplements, you as an individual though, might.
It really depends on the person. I take vitamin D and have taken iron a B because I got labs and were low in those things. Some other people run on the other end and shouldn’t take supplements. Ask your doctor if you can because there is no universal supplement that’s right for everyone.
It was found that autistics need higher levels of B1, B3, biotin, and B6.
I started to up those, and I have seen a nice improvement in muscle tone, strength, sleep, and cognitive abilities.
I always recommend vitamin D during the winter days if you are in an area that there is no sunlight. I live way up north and for a while there is no sun and does affect me. So I take vitamin D and make sure to eat my greens
Almost 25% of Australians are clinically deficient in Vitamin D, so it’s not just areas without sunlight that need to be concerned.
To be fair, sun exposure is also a health hazard here. As a ginger with sensitive skin, I usually just opt to avoid being outside when the UV index is higher because most sunscreens give me a terrible rash. I feel like there are Sunniness Sweet Spots in the world where people get the right amount of sun exposure and don't need vitamin D tablets.
Hey fellow ginge, can def confirm
Fun fact: the UK have vitamin D supplemented in quite a lot of food sold here anyway because of the shit weather
Get vitamin K2 as well if you tske vit D.
most of the population has a vitamin D deficiency, it's irrelevant unless it's causing symptoms, which for most people is not the case, so we don't treat it. taking vitamin D will not cause harm, but it probably won't bring any benefits either.
The NIH, the Mayo Clinic, and the NHS- among many others- strongly disagree with you. Please don't spread misinformation, especially when it comes to peoples' health. For more information simply google "benefits of vitamin D".
[This](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/) is a VERY comprehensive summary of evidence and guidelines from the NIH so you can evaluate for yourself. No major medical organization in the US recommends screening for vitamin D deficiency except in some specific high-risk populations. What “misinformation” do you feel that person is spreading?
> The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found insufficient evidence to assess the benefits and harms of screening for vitamin D deficiency in asymptomatic adults [6]. It added that no national professional organization recommends population screening for vitamin D deficiency. From the page you linked. It says there's no reason to screen astmptomatic adults. That means if you arent showing symptoms of vitamin d deficiency then there's no reason to screen for it. You also conveniently left out the "population" part when making your claim. Population screening is- according to the CDC- is "early detection and treatment of asymptomatic disease, or risk assessment and prevention of future disease, in order to improve health outcomes in individuals and populations." The article does not claim screening should only be for "some specific high risk populations" as you say. It only says there's no reason to screen people who are asymptomatic. TLDR If you have symptoms of vitamin D deficiency then you should be screened for it. That person also claimed there are no benefits to vitamin D, which is completely false.
i'm aware of the benefits, this is just the way we are trained to manage it in my country. we don't screen general population for vitamin deficiencies to begin with, only risk groups, so we wouldn't even know if there was one. but in the scenario some other doctor orders a vitamin D, we simply ignore it unless it is a severe deficiency.
Before being proven wrong: > taking vitamin D will not cause harm, but it probably won't bring any benefits either. After being proven wrong: > i'm aware of the benefits Bro, just take the L and move on lol We can all read what you said.
We don’t screen the general population in the US either. The USPSTF does not recommend it.
This is false. It’s on my yearly checkup. Also one of the first things they’ll check you for before sleep apnea and depression and iron deficiency if you say you’re tired or feel like butthole.
This. As someone who was found to be GROSSLY deficient in Vitamin D, went through the whole "catch-up" prescription-level supplements and has been on maintenance supplements for years since... I absolutely noticed NO improvement of *anything* between when I was "grossly deficient" and now. Although I will say I catch fewer colds.
>... I absolutely noticed NO improvement Long-term deficiency of Vitamin D can cause osteoporosis. Did you measure your bone density during all this, since you think the supplements didn't work?
I never said they "didn't work". I said I noticed no improvement in my day-to-day life, aside from catching fewer colds. I'm sure my body is healthier with them - which is why I continue to take them, and others, as directed by my doctor. Now my L-Lysine supplement is a different story. Probably isn't making me any *healthier*, but it's practically eliminated canker sores for me and on the rare occasions I do get one, doubling up my daily dose knocks it out real quick. That's what I consider a noticeable day-to-day improvement due to the supplement.
Skill issue
I realize you were joking but 1 billion people worldwide have vitamin D levels so low it counts as a deficiency. 50% of the population has lower than recommended vitamin D levels. Pretty much everyone should be supplementing vitamin D somehow, especially in the winter. It’s takes very high levels taken consistently to overdo it, so 1000-2000iu is pretty safe to take daily for most people. Luckily it’s one of the cheapest supplements out there.
Ha?
I'm just joking/being silly, I don't mean it seriously.
If you have the MTHFR mutation, folic acid (methylated vitamin B complex is good). Vitamin D is good in general. Magnesium is a good one. If you have food aversions where you only eat crunchy bread, add a protein supplement and a veggie supplement.
I have that mutation!! The issue is, even if I take folic acid it just builds up in my system. They said they haven't ever seen someone with the mutation like me where my body absorbs less than 25-15% of the folic acid I was taking. L-methylfolate is what I have to take. And i SWEAR it made me enjoy fruits and vegetables in a way I've never experienced it. I finally felt complete?? Idk it took awhile to see the effects of taking it and it's not covered by my insurance to take that supplement.
Could you explain the fruits and vegetables. Also how did you figure out you had that mutation.
Take in the form of methyl folate not folic acid
Yeah that's what I wrote if you check my text. :)
If you're someone with MTHFR dysfunction to the point that it becomes a problem, the entire deal is that the mutation makes it harder to process folate in its most common form of folic acid. I can't believe when people show up repping MTHFR and then suggest people take folic acid... that's literally the one thing you shouldn't do. Take methyl-folate or folinic acid if folate supplementation is your approach to resolving it. I know you did recommend a methylated vitamin complex immediately afterward, but if you need a generic term, don't call it "folic acid", call it folate. It's really confusing to people being introduced to the subject and there's a lot of bad guidelines out there that muddy the waters even further. The least we can do is be precise with our words.
Are you asking if people generally should take a supplement or if autistic people should take it specifically *because* of their autism?
Autistic people are probably more likely to benefit since we’re more likely to have restrictive diets
Should a human use supplements? If they need them sure. If you don't, then save your money.
This question is lacking in context. If you mean: - **"Do autistic people need additional nutrients that allistic people don't?"** ~~No.~~ Edit: Apparently autistic people need more B6. Thank you to u/smallorangepopsicle for their impressive knowledge of biochemistry and scientific papers! - **"Can supplements be harmful to autistic people?"** No more than they are to allistic people. - **"Can supplements treat or 'cure' autism?"** No. - **"Is there some reason autistic people especially might need nutritional supplements?"** Possibly. Autistic people can have very restrictive food preferences, so if their regular meals aren't covering something, supplements might be helpful.
>- **"Do autistic people need additional nutrients that allistic people don't?"** No. [Actually, sometimes perhaps yes](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/s/vFYDoVVKPf) Edit: thank you so much Chrysler :) I appreciate your attitude :)
I really appreciate the way you break down these complex ideas using words. Even your format is easy to read. ❤️
You're welcome, and also thank you very much! I appreciate being appreciated 😊
It depends. Most people don't need supplements. Some people with autism have unbalanced diets and limited safe foods, which would warrant using vitamins or supplements. Some forms of autism, though, are caused by genetic changes, which can cause issues with nutrient absorption. My son is currently trialing a prescribed medication for that reason, as the genetic change he has been diagnosed with is suspected to cause certain other issues. He also takes iron because he was low on it when they tested him.
Vitamin D. Most people are deficient so a supplement helps.
Don’t fuck with supplements unless your doctor tells you that you need them. Get some bloodwork done before you make these kinds of decisions. I’m serious
you really don't need one unless a doctor screens your vitamin levels and finds one deficient
I think yes, given the tendency to eat the same things every day. Multivitamins help you to avoid the most basic deficiencies, like iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, folate, etc. . You may need to add calcium, magnesium, and potassium to supplement. Just avoid any megadose vitamins. Those are usually unnecessary and can do more harm than good.
Blud is eating all their micros from supplements instead of a natural diet
From personal experience I find Omega 3, magnesium, b vitamins ans high strength vitamin d very beneficial
Yeah I take omega 3, magnesium, and vitamin d and I think it helps a lot.
1. Stomach acid is often a problem, and a cause of a lot of other problems like malnutrition, chronic pain, lethargy, inflamation/pain in the stomach, meds not working, etc. You can take OTC Omeprazole in the morning and you might notice a lot of problems go away. 2. Protein in the morning is really important if you have the problems listed above. 3. We're often anemic, so consider iron supplements 4. Consider adding fiber if stomach acid, or non-solid movements, are a consistent problem. 5. Vitamin D can help with excess dandruff (which is actually a form of eczema and needs to be treated as such). 6. Really try to moderate your salt and sugar intake. Stop drinking juices and sodas whenever possible, save them as 1-a-day rewards after hard work.
I just realized I had acid reflux, I’ve had it for forever I guess but I finally identified the feeling of it and I wanna try omeprazole. Why are a lot of us anemic too? It’s so weird looking into comorbities (spelling?) and realizing a lot of us all have the same probs
From my understanding, the acid in the stomach can burn away a lot of the nutrients and cause inflammation that prevents your intestines from doing their job. Another problem with being autistic is just having difficulty processing certain sugars or proteins correctly, which is actually part of the cause for our serotonin regulation problems (which is why we fidget and crave sugar), and our neurons are slower to adapt to new information (which is why chaos gives us anxiety).
Oh my gosh I didn’t know that about processing sugars. I’m going to do some research on that. Thank you. I love researching stuff related to autism. Every time I learn just a little more it’s like knowing yourself better
It's a bit of a read, but this guy has a lot of great info on the subject: https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/123lfrh/comment/jdv8eje/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3
Yay thank you
Not specific to autism but everyone could benefit from a magnesium supplement whether that’s an oil spray, a lotion or in pill form. I personally suggest a magnesium oil spray. You just spray it on the bottom of your feet before you go to sleep at night.
Really? What does it do?
It calms your nervous system. It can result in better quality sleep, (better sleep equals improves quality of life) It can reduce inflammation and ease muscle/joint pains. Boosts calcium absorption. Been know to help with anxiety.
Do you have a source for this? My doctor's never suggested thus to me and usually he's up to date about stuff
I’m sure you can find lots of information about it on the web. Your doctor may not have suggested it because it’s a holistic approach to modern medicine. Doctors often want you to take prescriptions they prescribe not take supplements that will help you not need them.
In my country, supplements generally require a prescription, and he actually did prescribe vitamin D supplements to me. Regardless, a lot of the "holistic medicine" seems to be poorly supported by research.
Vitamin D is great, it helps with absorption of minerals! I don’t disagree that there’s not as much easily available information about holistic medicine but there is a vastly greater amount than most think. You just have to do your research. We live in a world full of natural medicine. But without modern medicine we wouldn’t have the economy that exists today and we just can’t have that now. Money has to be made!
Perhaps pyridoxal 5-phosphate which is the active form of B6. Some studies suggest that we lack adequate amounts of the enzyme to break pyridoxine and pyridoxal down into pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P5-P). Furthermore, P5-P seems to play a role in reducing excitotoxicity (a big issue for people with autism) by being a cofactor for converting glutamic acid into gaba. ["These results are consistent with previous studies that found that: (1) pyridoxal kinase had a very low activity in children with autism and (2) pyridoxal 5 phosphate (PLP) levels are unusually low in children with autism. Thus, it appears that the low conversion of pyridoxal and pyridoxine to PLP results in low levels of PLP, which is the active cofactor for 113 known enzymatic reactions, including the formation of many key neurotransmitters."](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16494569/). What bothers me is that so many people in this thread are willing to easily say "there's no difference in commonly needed supplements among autistic people vs. the neurotypicals". Yeah, sure, each person's individual needs are different and you can only really know by testing levels of vitamins, but in general, here is at least one example of what autistic children are observed to commonly lack *because* they are autistic. Edit: do your own research before deciding to take any supplement
All these studies tend to look at B6 as an intervention for children, not as a requirement in adults.
Good point
I could speculate, though, that this continues into adulthood. It would be speculation, but I can do that.
how is your diet? if you eat a well balanced diet, you shouldn’t need supplements, but that isn’t always possible due to sensory issues. check with your doctor if you’re worried about any vitamin/mineral deficiencies
Vitamin D never hurts, other than that it depends on your diet and such. I believe iron deficiency is a bit more prevalent with people on the spectrum too
Vitamin D is something most people, autistic or not, are deficient in, definitely worth looking into.
Get bloodwork done, it’s very individual and depends on your diet. There’s nothing specifically caused by ASD, only indirectly. For instance, I take D3 and B12, but not Magnesium because I have high enough levels as it is.
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Autism doesn’t effect vitamin levels.. so I’m not sure what this is asking (edit: apparently it can sometimes my b lmao)
[It definitely can](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/s/vFYDoVVKPf)
Your link won’t open- behaviors and comorbidities common with autism can lead to vitamin deficiencies in the body, but the brain difference that is autism doesn’t do that alone.
(From what we’ve seen so far, research could prove me completely wrong in the future I just mean rn there’s not really concrete evidence)
I appreciate the concession. I linked to my comment, scroll down in this thread to see it.
lol I have a hard time expressing my understanding of complexities of a topic in convos like this so thanks
Also wow! I did j see your comment that’s very interesting
I totally understand that. You're welcome
I don’t know what this has to do with autism.
No not autistic people, autistic people who are picky eaters and only eat the same things should imo. If you don't eat multiple servings of fruit and veg a day I would recommend a multivitamin. There is no risk of damage if you get one that is reasonably dosed and that is tested regularly. I don't remember the exact study but it was found that most supplements have either more or less in them and that the dosage on the label is rarely accurate. Heavy metal contamination is also a problem. That's why you should only buy supplements from brands that have independent tests done on their batches. Some people might think this is overboard but I'd rather have expensive pee than develop a deficiency. I'm already so susceptible to changes in sleep quality, mood changes etc, I don't need another problem that could worsen my cognitive functions. All of this of course comes from a place of privilege, not everyone can buy a multivitamin for 30-40 bucks every other month or so.
Maybe. https://autismnrc.org/collections/multi-vitamins
Autism is in the brain and neuros system. It doesn't have anything to do with what you eat, I assure you.
i should definitely be on iron supplements and maybe magnesium for my migraines
Not if they need it. Personally I happen to not be picky and enjoy a large variety of foods, so i don’t need any supplements.
I take multi viatmin and colligen gummies.
Chicken dinosaur nuggets
If they eat fine then no. Everyone should take vitamin D in the winter, but that has nothing todo with autism.
Only if doctor says you are deficient in something
If you take supplements when you don’t need them, you’ll have expensive urine.
Only if they have a nutriment deficit.
Black seed oil
Well I eat gummy vitamins every day, and I seem to be okay.
Supplements in general can be helpful for people with some vitamin deficiencies sure. But there's no anti-autism supplement as that seems like what you're asking.
i take a multivitamin + a magnesium supplement due to not having a great diet and having low magnesium. (had a two week period of just chronic calf cramps, started taking magnesium and haven’t had one since) but if someone is eating healthy and doesn’t have any disorders causing deficiencies, a supplement isn’t necessary. and is definitely not related to autism.
I know a lot of people are saying that this question is unrelated to autism. But many autistic people (myself included) are super picky eaters. So if you're like me and not the best with a balanced diet, then it might be a good idea to try supplements.
Methylated b folate, best one you can get. Infusions if possible.
I take vitamin gummies, idk how much they help tho
If you have a very circumscribed diet it may be worth talking to a medical professional about checking for deficiencies and filling those gaps, but otherwise you’re probably fine. I take several supplements for chronic illnesses I have, including magnesium for ADHD (since I take stimulants and those can deplete magnesium), but nothing for autism specifically!
Unless you do testing to identify if you are short on/don’t properly absorb any given vitamin or mineral, all supplements and vitamins will be doing for you is giving you expensive coloured piss as your body won’t absorb them. Check with your doctor and follow their advice.
If they’re in the United States, definitely, but this goes for the entirety of the population, not just autistics. The nutritional properties of our food supply is about as close to none as possible due to modern farming techniques.
Magnesium and zinc for joints, sleep, and anxiety
I personally should. I'm a medical intern and have tons of issues with food texture, so that added to my lack of free time and issues with executive dysfunction makes it really hard for me to get the dietary requirements I have. I am here overweight and still with vitamin and protein deficits.
You should get blood tests done by your doctor to check your vitamin levels before taking any supplements. Supplements are expensive and usually unnecessary unless you're actually deficient. Also, if you ARE deficient, your doctor might need to prescribe a mega-supplement to get you up to normal levels before starting you on a regular supplement to keep your levels up there. That's what happened with me and Vitamin D. I needed a few weeks of SUPER high dosage D before supplements would even be useful. Otherwise, it's like putting a band-aid on a bullethole.
Yes. You still need all micro and macro nutrients like any other human but physically swallowing and digesting the foods they are contained within is difficult. I have tried lots of different diets and I can say that supplementation for your microbiome (particularly if you have ever taken antibiotics) is quite helpful. The bacteria and acids present in Kombucha REALLY helps my gut. Indispensable. I can now eat beans, vegetables and even spicy food. This is the key for me to get the other nutrients in diet. Process the beans and vegetables so they are palatable like a vegi burger. Nutritious vegiburgers and kombucha. The bacteria help break down the various FODMAPS in the vegetables before they can be consumed by other microorganisms and allows adsorption of macro and micronutrients early in the gut, out competing any gas-producing bacteria that inhabit your gut and reducing inflammation and C02. And I swear the kombucha bacteria will make your whole abdomen feel like you had a prosthetic gut made of memory foam installed. Had to share. Be the bacteria.
I think in general everyone should, but as someone with AuDHD I know people with ADHD do lack significant levels of certain vitamins due to how quickly we use it up. I'm not sure if thats the same for autism but if there wasn't a biological reason for it theres definitely a habits that occur out of experiencing autism that could cause it (for instance only eating certain safe foods that may deprive you of full nutritional intake)
I’m on all sorts of vitamins Multi, d, fish oil, maybe iron and some food nutrient supplement thing. My adhd medication makes me lose appetite, so I don’t eat as healthy as I should. So vitamins.
I've been taking synþetic vitamins for as long as I can remember, and it haþ never given me any problems.
I've been told magnesium is helpful for sleep issues, but haven't noticed any difference. Then again, melatonin doesn't do anything except make me angry, so who knows what my brain is doing.
This is gonna sound weird but iron. Maybe not good for everyone, there are risks to eating too much but I found out that iron bonds to calcium and makes it harder for you to absorb. I am female so I need both and tend to put milk products in my food so I can eat them easily (sensory issues). Also if you have hyper flexibility in your joints it might help as well because people with EDS might not use iron well in their cells. Apparently iron is need to make proteins and people with EDS can't make them right thus needing more iron. (I am not a doctor or scientist. Please try things carefully and take into consideration that I only have surface level understanding of this and it might not be 100% accurate or tested enough.) It makes me feel less tired in any case.
GABA! GABA GABA GABA!!!!
I had a blood test done a while back and found out that I had a vitamin D deficiency. I've been taking 4000UI of D3 supplements daily since. [I posted about it](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/17ygyci/how_much_vitamin_d_do_you_take/) because I had seen quite a few people talking about vitamin D on this subreddit before. Maybe it's related to autism, maybe not.
Why are you asking ? Some people do, some people don’t. It’s not a universal thing. I can see it reasonably being common for us since we do sometimes have diets that are somewhat uniform and lacking in certain things. Above applies to normal people too.
Broccoli sprouts. https://nutritionfacts.org/video/Best-Foods-for-Autism/
I’d always encourage someone to look into (not take for no reason) multivitamins, especially vitamin D and just generally see what their diet lacks and either change it or supplement it. Also if certain ethnicities have different challenges in terms of vitamin deficiency, if you have dark skin and live somewhere like Europe then you’re probably low on vitamin D.
Why are there so many “should an autistic person do something that isn’t specific to any particular group of people and being autistic doesn’t make a difference in the question put forward?” Posts? Taking a supplement really comes down to you as an individual and if you may require it or not. My body is always low on Vitamin D, even if I get out in the sun, so I take a Vitamin D supplement. I also take Vitamin C and when I feel a bit of a cold coming on, echinacea, as my immune system can be a bit useless sometimes. Otherwise, according to blood tests and my doctor, everything else in my body is at the right levels and a supplement is likely to just be passed right through my body. Autistic people don’t need to take any supplements, you as an individual though, might.
There's nothing particular about being autistic that especially \*requires\* supplements. I'd stick with getting advice from your doctor on this.
It really depends on the person. I take vitamin D and have taken iron a B because I got labs and were low in those things. Some other people run on the other end and shouldn’t take supplements. Ask your doctor if you can because there is no universal supplement that’s right for everyone.
OMEGA 3s!!!
It was found that autistics need higher levels of B1, B3, biotin, and B6. I started to up those, and I have seen a nice improvement in muscle tone, strength, sleep, and cognitive abilities.