The true cause of autism is still unknown, but the role of casein, a protein found in milk products like cheese and yogurt, and gluten, a wheat protein that gives bread dough its stretchy quality, is now under investigation as a possible culprit. These proteins, when digested, break into chains of amino acids that could, in theory, bind to the same receptors in the brain that link up with hormones and opiate drugs. Medical researchers have started looking at how a diet free of casein and gluten might be able to improve behavior in autistic children.
Opiate Effect
The term "opiate" can seem a bit confusing because it's normally associated with drugs like morphine, leading to the misperception that gluten and casein are creating a type of chemical addiction. "Opiate" is associated with all this because, as the thinking goes, the amino acid chains, or peptides, formed when these proteins are digested are sneaking through an unusually permeable intestine and possibly connecting with the same receptors in the brain that would bind to substances like hormones and opiate drugs. The receptors are known as opioid receptors. The University of Florida notes the idea behind this research is that replacing the normal hormones with these foreign peptides is somehow disrupting how the brain works and producing autistic behavior.
Leaky Gut
A theory known as leaky gut puts forth that those with autism have super-permeable intestines that allow these peptides to exit the gut and reach the brain. The BBC reported in 2008 that those with autism might not have leaky gut syndrome, but a Sunderland University researcher, Paul Whiteley, was quoted as saying that even if leaky gut wasn't an issue, the results of eating a diet free of casein and gluten still seemed to be promising.
Research
Whether gluten-free casein-free, or GFCF, diets actually work is unproven but advocated by many of those who have tried putting their autistic children on it. Clinical research isn't showing consistent, positive results. For example, a 2006 study in the "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders" found no statistically significant improvement after 12 weeks of a GFCF diet, but the study also noted the parents of some of the children on the diet reported a beneficial effect. On the other hand, a 2007 case study in the "Chang Gung Medical Journal" reported that a boy with autism and other conditions showed marked improvement within a few weeks of starting a GFCF diet. Interestingly enough, Washington State University reports that research from the 1980s in Salzburg, in which autistic children were given a drug that blocks opiates, showed some lessening of aloofness.
Cautions
GFCF diets are already followed by those who are both allergic to milk and who have celiac disease, but that doesn't mean you can remove milk and wheat from a diet without a second thought. Because casein and gluten can show up in nonwheat and nondairy foods, you must be very careful about what foods remain in the diet and that the person on the diet is still getting enough nutrients. Never start a GFCF diet without medical guidance. You risk depriving the person with autism of necessary nutrients like calcium, and you have to ensure you are approaching the diet correctly.
References
- Caldwell College; Elimination Diets; Jennifer Wertalik, et al.
- "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders"; The Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet in Autism: Results of a Preliminary Double Blind Clinical Trial; J.H. Elder, et al.; April 2006
- "Chang Gung Medical Journal"; The Effects of a Gluten and Casein-Free Diet in Children With Autism: A Case Report; C.L. Hsu, et al.; July-August 2009
- University of Hawaii at Manoa; Common Food Additives in Candy; A.S. Hodgson; April 2002
- BBC News; Leaky Gut Autism Theory Doubted; March 2008
- CoeliacUK: Autism Spectrum Disorder
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