Dietary Supplements and Autism Ranking:

History

According to Nye and Brice (2005)

“The use of mega-vitamin intervention began in the early 1950s with the treatment of schizophrenic patients (Rimland 1964). Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) was first reported to improve speech and language in some children diagnosed with "autism syndrome" when Bönisch observed that some participants showed improvement in speech and language (Bönisch 1968). Other researchers (Ananth 1973; Bucci 1973; Greenberg 1970) also reported improved behavioural or biochemical functioning with schizophrenic participants given large doses of vitamin B6. These studies, along with individual anecdotal observations of parents and professionals, led Rimland and colleagues (Rimland 1978) to assess the effectiveness of this orthomolecular treatment. Rimland had recognised that large doses of vitamin B6 produced several undesirable side effects (including irritability, hypersensitivity to sound and enuresis, which could be countered with doses of magnesium [Mg]). Over the next 19 years, a number of investigators published studies in which attempts had been made to assess the effects of vitamin B6-Mg on a variety of characteristics such as verbal communication, non-verbal communication, interpersonal skills, and physiological function, in individuals with autism”.

Updated

16 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Apr 2017

Next Review

01 Aug 2023