mB12 and folinic acid: GSH redox status in children with autism

[Guest guest]

S Jill , Stepan Melnyk, Fuchs, Tyra Reid, Stefanie Jernigan,

Oleksandra Pavliv, Hubanks, and W Gaylor

*Efficacy of methylcobalamin and folinic acid treatment on glutathione

redox status in children with autism*

Published December 3, 2008; doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.26615

[Abstract] <http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2008.26615v1>

[PDF] <http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/rapidpdf/ajcn.2008.26615v1>

*Background:* Metabolic abnormalities and targeted treatment trials^

have been reported for several neurobehavioral disorders but^ are

relatively understudied in autism.^

*Objective:* The objective of this study was to determine whether^ or

not treatment with the metabolic precursors, methylcobalamin^ and

folinic acid, would improve plasma concentrations of

transmethylation/transsulfuration^ metabolites and glutathione redox

status in autistic children.^

*Design:* In an open-label trial, 40 autistic children were treated^

with 75 /µ/g/kg methylcobalamin (2 times/wk) and 400 /µ/g^ folinic acid

(2 times/d) for 3 mo. Metabolites in the

transmethylation/transsulfuration^ pathway were measured before and

after treatment and compared^ with values measured in age-matched

control children.^

*Results:* The results indicated that pretreatment metabolite^

concentrations in autistic children were significantly different^ from

values in the control children. The 3-mo intervention resulted^ in

significant increases in cysteine, cysteinylglycine, and^ glutathione

concentrations (/P/ < 0.001). The oxidized disulfide^ form of

glutathione was decreased and the glutathione redox^ ratio increased

after treatment (/P/ < 0.008). Although mean^ metabolite concentrations

were improved significantly after^ intervention, they remained below

those in unaffected control^ children.^

*Conclusions:* The significant improvements observed in

transmethylation^ metabolites and glutathione redox status after

treatment suggest^ that targeted nutritional intervention with

methylcobalamin^ and folinic acid may be of clinical benefit in some

children^ who have autism.

This trial was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov^ as

NCT00692315.^

Received for publication June 29, 2008. Accepted for publication

September 23, 2008.