Vitamin D for Autism

Julian Whitaker, MD

John is a seven-year-old autistic boy from the Northeastern US. John’s mother has noticed distinct seasonal variations in his symptoms—he gets better during the summer, when he spends a lot of time outdoors, and regresses during the winter. His vitamin D blood level was low (25 ng/mL), so his mother consulted John Cannell, MD, founder of the Vitamin D Council.

Dr. Cannell recommended that John stop all supplements containing vitamin A and begin taking 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day, cutting back to 2,000 IU per day after two weeks. Within a week, John had improvements in language and was no longer afraid of being alone. Over the next three weeks, his language continued to get better, he used the toilet on his own, he could count to 10 and spell his name, and his muscle strength increased. John continues to take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, and his family is thrilled with his progress.

Dr. Cannell cautions that this is only a case report and does not prove a permanent treatment effect. However, I want to get the word out about the potential benefits of this safe and well-studied nutrient.

Recommendation

• To learn more about vitamin D for the treatment of autism and other conditions, read the June 2008 newsletter on vitamindcouncil.org.

Modified from Health & Healing with permission from Healthy Directions, LLC. Photocopying, reproduction, or quotation strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher. To subscribe to Health & Healing, click here.