Vitamin A and Autism
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Type(s) : Diets and supplements
Introduction
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is found in animal sources, such as eggs, meat, fish, milk, cheese.
Beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, is found in vegetable sources such as carrots, squashes, and most dark green, leafy vegetables.
Some people believe that individuals with autism don’t have enough vitamin A in their bodies, or that their bodies are poor at making use of the vitamin A available to them.
These people believe that these nutritional deficiencies may be the cause of some of the problems faced by people with autism – such as problems with vision, sensory perception, language processing and attention.
They also believe that some of these problems can be overcome by taking supplements of vitamin A – often alongside other vitamins and minerals.
Opinion
We are currently reviewing the research evidence for the use of vitamin A for people with autism. So far we have been unable to identify any studies on this topic published in peer-reviewed journals.
Further information
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Disclaimer
Please read our Disclaimer about this intervention.
Last Updated : 27/03/2013 Back to Top
