Autism and the GFCF Diet

The opioid-excess theory of autism proposes that when someone with autistic spectrum disorder eats gluten or casein it affects their behaviour. The theory says that when they eat products containing these proteins, they are not converted properly and opioid peptides are produced, which leak into the brain. These opioids, can then cross the blood-brain barrier and cause neurological damage. This does not happen in neuro-typical persons.

The initial theory was proposed when scientists found these opioid peptides in the urine of children with autism, but they were not present in the children who were developing normally. A study by H. Class et al could not find the opioids in the children's urine, but later studies with more sensitive equipment found that it was in fact true, that autistic children do display elevated levels of these opioids. Further more, they concluded that the data showed the higher the level of CM-7 in the child's urine, the more severe the child's symptoms of autism were.

A Randomized, Controlled Study of Dietary Intervention in Autistic Syndromes

Twenty children with autism were randomly assigned to be in either a dietary intervention group (no gluten or casein) or in a control group and observations were done before and after a period of one year, and those in the diet group did better. A lot better.

Here's the break down of how

Resistance to communication

In the control group, two got better, two got worse and six stayed the same. In the GFCF group all of the children got better.

Social Isolation

In the control group, five got better, five got worse. In the GFCF group, everyone got better.

While none of the changes were statistically significant in the control group, significant positive changes were registered in the GFCF group regarding peer relationships (p < 0.008), anxiety (p < 0.025), empathy (p < 0.025) and physical contact (p < 0.046).

In summary

The studies don't prove causation, and you'd be hard pressed to make the case that gluten and casein cause autism, but they clearly are not tolerated well by the bodies of people with autism. With that in mind, I recommend that families with a child with autism, take them both off the menu, or at least cutting down how much you consume.

You can make simple changes to help you start, for example cheese contains up to 10x more casein than milk (hence it's addictive quality) so maybe cut that first. A2 milk barely contains any casein, and is a much better choice for people who struggle to process it than A1 milk commonly found in stores (you can often find A2 milk in larger supermarkets). Pasteurisation increases the release of casomorphin from milk, so choose raw whenever you can.

Gluten is becoming easier to avoid as more of the population are becoming intolerant, but don't make the mistake of going to the 'free-from' aisle at your local supermarket. 'Gluten free' processed foods contain all kinds of other nasty chemicals designed to make you think they have gluten. You are much better off sticking to foods that would naturally be gluten free, rather than trying to buy alternatives.

If you need to 'cheat' on the gluten free or casein free diet, you (your child) should take a broad spectrum enzyme containing DPP-IV with the meal/snack. If you need help buying enzymes, do pop me an email and I can send you a link to the ones I recommend.

And finally, stick at it. The studies all agree that it took a minimum of three months to start noticing changes and one year to see improvements in all children.

Don't get discouraged.