The causes of autism remain a mystery, but research is shedding light on factors that may play roles in the development of this condition. While folic acid is necessary for health, there are questions as to whether too much of the vitamin is related to autism. Talk with your doctor about healthy folic acid levels before altering your diet or vitamin supplementation.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, another name for vitamin B-9, helps the body metabolize fat and protein. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, which is naturally found in foods. This vitamin helps with the production of DNA and RNA, and is necessary for healthy brain function, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Folic acid intake is especially important during pregnancy, because this vitamin helps with proper development of the neural tube, which turns into the brain and spinal cord. Not enough folic acid can increase the risk of your fetus having neural tube defects like spina bifida, anencephaly and cleft palate. If you are not sure you are getting enough folic acid, talk with your doctor to see if supplementation is needed.
Autism
Autism is actually a term for a group of disorders, called autism spectrum disorders. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke describes these disorders as neurodevelopmental, with features like trouble communicating, impaired social skills and repetitive, overly focused patterns of behavior. Individuals with autism may display socially avoidant behaviors in infancy, like not responding to other people. Autism can vary in its symptoms and severity, and a diagnosis is typically made by a multidisciplinary team of doctors, psychologists, neurologists and other professionals after extensive screening. Autism is typically treated with medications to address symptoms like anxiety, and educational and behavioral therapies.
Research
While a lack of folic acid contributes to neural tube defects like spina bifida and anencephaly, some researchers hypothesize that excess folic acid may damage tissue, resulting in autism. A 2011 assessment of data, published in "Medical Hypotheses," found correlations between high doses of folic acid during pregnancy and the incidence of autism, but this does not imply causation. The researchers state this is merely a starting point of developing further research. Conversely, a 2011 study in the Polish journal "Acta Biochemica Polonica" found that autistic children had higher levels of homocysteine in their urine than non-autistic children, indicating a deficiency of folic acid. More research is needed on the relationship between folic acid and the development of autism.
Considerations
There is no proof that too much folic acid or not enough causes autism, and you should not alter your folic acid intake without first talking with your doctor. Autism is not curable, and if you child has autism, the focus is usually on helping him adapt to his surroundings and meet his social and emotional needs.
References
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Autism Fact Sheet; June 2011
- "Medical Hypotheses"; Is Excess Folic Acid Supplementation a Risk Factor for Autism?; CM Beard et al; 2011
- "Acta Biochimica Polonica"; Homocysteine Level in Urine of Autistic and Healthy Children; J. Kaluzna-Czaplinska et al; 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid); Dr. Steven Ehrlich; May 2009
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