Substances such as L-carnitine, sulforaphane, and active folic acid are even considered promising ‘medications’ for autism because they can effectively improve the core symptoms of autism: stereotyped behavior, social withdrawal, and difficulties with communication.
There is no standard treatment plan with exact guidelines for what you should take and how much. Everyone is different and has varying needs for certain nutrients, depending on which bodily functions are disrupted and to what extent. What produces fantastic results for one person might work far less well for another, or not at all.
Dietary supplements also rarely have a dramatic effect in the short term, unless there is a very specific deficiency that can be quickly corrected with sufficiently high dosages of a nutrient. Usually, it takes much longer for supplements to start working, especially compared to medications, which often have immediate or at least fairly rapid effects. It takes some time before all disturbed bodily functions are (fully) restored. If you choose nutritional therapy and supplements, it is important to keep this in mind, so that you don’t become disappointed or give up too soon.
In autism, more than one bodily system is usually disrupted, and there are multiple nutritional deficiencies. It is therefore advisable to opt for a broad approach, meaning a combination of all the important vitamins and minerals and other nutrients whose effects have been demonstrated in autism.
