Children with autism showed significant improvement in symptoms with vitamin D — but it has to be delivered this way

Researchers are over the moon about a special form of vitamin D for autism.

Studies indicate that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to have lower levels of vitamin D compared to their peers — the so-called “sunshine vitamin” is crucial for fetal brain development.

Unfortunately, research exploring the effects of traditional vitamin D supplementation on autism symptoms has produced mixed results.

Now, a new study out of Egypt suggests that a form of vitamin D3 known as nanoemulsion shows promise in improving symptoms.

“The vitamin D3-loaded nanoemulsion provided an effective and true influence on the adaptive behavior and language abilities of children with ASD, not only on the rise of vitamin D3 levels in the blood,” the researchers wrote in the June edition of the LabMed Discovery journal.

An estimated 1 in 31 US children 8 and older has been diagnosed with autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects learning, behavior, communication and social interaction.

In the new study, 80 children between 3 and 6 years old with autism were divided into two groups.

One group received the nanoemulsion of vitamin D3 while the other consumed a traditional vitamin D supplement for six months.

There are two main forms of vitamin D — vitamin D2, found in plants and fungi, and vitamin D3, found in milk and egg yolks and synthesized in the skin when it’s exposed to sunlight.

Vitamin D3 is generally considered more effective at raising vitamin D levels in the blood than vitamin D2.

For children up to age 12, the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 400 international units.

A blood test can reveal if someone is getting enough of the micronutrient.

The new study found that the nanoemulsion — where tiny droplets of vitamin D3 are suspended in a liquid medium — significantly improved vitamin D3 levels and 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 ASD, without adverse effects,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers noted that vitamin D3 is widely believed to play a role in memory, mood, behavior and sleep regulation.

Vitamin D3 has also been shown to enhance the activity of glutathione peroxidase 1, a potent antioxidant.

And 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.

Past research on vitamin D3 nanoemulsions has identified some concerns, including a complex and costly manufacturing process, potential instability of the solution and the possibility of vitamin D toxicity, which can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness and kidney problems.

The authors of the new study said more research is needed, especially evaluating the difference in vitamin D response between girls and boys. 

Researchers have long tried to understand the causes of autism, exploring genetics, environmental factors and brain development to devise potential treatments as diagnosis rates skyrocket.