The vitamin D supplement scientists say could significantly improve core autism symptoms
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A FORM of vitamin D could significantly improve core autism symptoms, researchers claim.
Studies examining whether the common supplement could improve symptoms of autism have had inconsistent results.
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A vitamin D3 nanoemulsion was found to improve core autism symptoms
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But scientists from the National Research Centre in Cairo, Egypt, say a vitamin D3 nanoemulsion might help ease challenges with social interaction and restrictive or repetitive behaviours in young children.
There are at least 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, according to the National Autistic Society.
Autism is not an illness or disease - it influences how people experience and interact with the world.
People with the condition may find socialising confusing or tiring, and can become overwhelmed in loud or busy places.
They may have intense interests, prefer order and routine, and use repeated movements or actions to calm themselves or express joy.
Many mask their discomfort to try and fit in.
Previous research into the condition has linked autism to a lack of vitamin D - a vital nutrient the body relies on for various functions, including "brain development", the Egyptian researchers said.
Newborn babies with a vitamin D deficiency had a higher chance of developing ADHD, schizophrenia and autism, a University of Queensland study published in May found.
Earlier research from the university suggested vitamin deficiencies in mums could also play a part.
But studies looking into whether supplements could ease symptoms of autism have had mixed results.
World Autism Awareness Day: Everything you need to know
One found that giving children vitamin D3 "no influence on irritability or core autism spectrum disorder symptoms, yet it had a beneficial effect on hyperactivity", the Egyptian research team said.
"On the other hand, some studies reported improved core symptoms after supplementation with the marketed vitamin D3."
Instead of using regular vitamin D3 supplements, the new study used a nanoemulsion of vitamin D3.
It involves suspending tiny nano-sized droplets of vitamin D3 in a liquid so it can more easily absorbed used by the body.
"This study aims to investigate the influence of vitamin D3-loaded nanoemulsion supplementation on adaptive behaviour and language performance in a group of children with autism compared to the influence of the marketed product of vitamin D3," researchers wrote in LabMed Discovery.
The study involved 80 children with confirmed autism diagnoses, aged between three and six, who were randomly split into two groups.
One group took a nanoemulsion of vitamine D3 for six months, while the other group was given a commonly available standard supplement.
"The vitamin D3-loaded nanoemulsion was prepared in the pharmaceutical technology lab at the authors' institute by the pharmacists in the research team of this study," study authors noted.
What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an incurable, lifelong developmental condition that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others.
It affects around one in 100 people in the UK and is three to four times more common in boys than in girls.
Many people with ASD find it hard to understand other people's feelings and emotions, and they may have difficulty holding conversations.
When they are young, their language development may take longer and they can struggle to use facial expressions, using gestures to communicate instead.
They may also find it hard to connect with other people and to hold eye contact with unfamiliar individuals.
Many children with ASD like to follow a routine, and changes to this can cause distress.
High functioning autism is an informal term some people use to describe those on the autism spectrum disorder.
Researchers evaluated the children's vitamin D3 levels, as well social and adaptive behaviours and language development, both before and after the kids took supplements.
The children had "delays in social IQ and language abilities" when they were assessed at the start of the study.
But researchers found that the nanoemulsion raised vitamin D3 levels in the blood and seemed to significantly improve core autism symptoms.
'The supplementation of children with autism using the prepared vitamin D3-loaded nanoemulsion has led to a reduction in the severity of autism and a rise in the social IQ, especially fine motor performance and language abilities of the children with autism spectrum disorder, without adverse effects,' the researchers wrote.
The conventional supplement didn't improve autism symptoms, despite raising vitamin D3 levels in the blood.
The researchers said vitamin D3 is thought to play a role in memory, mood, behaviour and sleep regulation.
Not having enough vitamin D can disrupt the metabolism of fatty acids, which are needed for the quality and function of the membranes of cells such as neurons, they added.
"Children with autism have been reported to have gastrointestinal and sensory processing disorders, particularly those involving taste and smell, " study authors suggested.
"This makes them very prone to vitamin deficiency.
"Therefore, incorporating vitamin D3 in a nanoemulsion formulation can facilitate its absorption, its consumption at the cellular level, and its bioavailability to overcome intestinal and sensory processing disorders limiting the vitamin intake.
"This is very essential for enhancing the vitamin impact on the brain and other systems involved in adaptive behaviour."
Larger and more long-term studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore the difference in vitamin D response between girls and boys, the authors concluded.
Past research on vitamin D3 nanoemulsions has identified some concerns.
Manufacturing can be complex and expensive and the solution can become unstable.
On top of that, there is a risk of vitamin D toxicity, which can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness and kidney problems.
The NHS advises that everyone take a vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter, as our body can't make enough of the nutrient - 10 micrograms is what's recommended.
But babies and children aged one to four need to take a daily supplement throughout the year, between 8.5 to 10 micrograms.
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