Article Summary:
- Children with ASD symptoms often display stimming behavior to adapt to an unfamiliar environment or to calm themselves.
- Nutritional supplements for autism support help fill nutrient gaps in children with ASD.
- Tesseract’s innovative butyric acid supplementation promotes gut health in affected children.
Stimming — short for self-stimulatory behavior — refers to repetitive movements or actions that a person engages in to regulate their sensory input or emotional state is commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Stimming is considered a coping mechanism among affected children to adapt to an unfamiliar environment, to decrease sensory overload, or to calm themselves. Examples of stimming behavior include rocking, flapping, spinning, humming, or repeating the same sets of words over and over.
Stimming behavior can pose challenges in building social relationships for children with ASD, as these behaviors may be misunderstood, stigmatized, and seen as disruptive. While these behaviors aren’t something that needs to be suppressed or eliminated, there are times when frequent or intense stimming can interfere with daily comfort, communication, or social interactions. Traditional approaches, such as medications or behavioral therapies, are sometimes used to support regulation. However, the efficacy of these standard interventions can vary, resulting in many families and individuals exploring additional supportive strategies—such as targeted nutritional supplements—that may help soothe the nervous system and promote overall well-being.
So far, multiple nutritional supplements and medical foods have shown promise, including Korean Red Ginseng, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, sulforaphane, butyric acid, folinic acid, probiotics, and digestive enzymes. This blog post explains some of the popular supplements and medical foods for autism and why you should consider an advanced formulation to help manage ASD symptoms.
Supplements for Autism: An Overview
The gut-brain axis, a network of nerves connecting the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract that sends signals back and forth, is increasingly being recognized as a key factor in influencing the expression of ASD symptoms.
Many children on the autism spectrum experience food selectivity or unique eating patterns, which can sometimes contribute to nutrient gaps. These nutritional imbalances may play a role in intensifying certain symptoms—such as sensory sensitivities or increased stimming—making dietary support and supplementation an important consideration. Supplements and medical foods for autism support are designed to fill the nutritional gaps in the diet of affected children and promote healthy neurological function and gut function.1
| Common Nutritional Supplements for Autism Support | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3 fatty acids | Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for healthy brain structure and function. Omega-3’s produce the lipid-based signaling molecules necessary for cellular communication and immune regulation. | |||
| Vitamin B12 | Vitamin B12 plays a significant role in inhibiting the toxicity of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide toxicity may cause irreversible inactivation of vitamin B12, which poses a risk factor in ASD. | |||
| Vitamin D3 | Vitamin D plays a crucial role in brain development, especially in early childhood. A vitamin D deficiency may cause adverse neuropathologies2.* | |||
| Butyric acid | Butyric acid is an intracellular signaling molecule and energy substrate for colon cells. Studies indicate that butyric acid benefits gene expression in ASD3.* | |||
| Folinic acid | The reduced form of folate stabilizes cerebrospinal fluid folate concentrations, which can improve the neurological symptoms associated with ASD4. | |||
| Probiotics and digestive enzymes | The current medical literature supports that certain probiotic strains can modulate the gut microbiota, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, and may help restore microbial diversity after disruptions such as antibiotic or chemotherapy-induced dysbiosis5. Digestive enzymes aid in the breakdown and absorption of macronutrients—fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Current evidence suggests that some children with autism spectrum disorder and gastrointestinal symptoms may have lower intestinal enzyme activity6. |
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The efficacy of nutritional supplements and medical foods for autism support and the gut-brain axis depends on the bioavailability and absorption of the product’s active nutrients. Before selecting the most suitable supplement or medication for ASD support, it is important to consider the active nutrients and delivery system used in the formulation.
Considering An Advanced Medical Food for Autism Support
Palatability and bioavailability are the two major challenges when considering a sodium butyrate supplement for autism support. Butyrate is well-known for its unpalatable flavor and odor, and its poor absorption and bioavailability impact its efficacy.
Tesseract Medical Research’s AuRx® is a gold-standard medical food for ASD support. AuRx features a stabilized butyric acid complex delivered as a palatable powder. AuRx can be easily blended with foods, such as applesauce, to ensure user compliance.
This hypoallergenic medical food is designed to help restore key nutrients that support the gut-brain connection. Addressing these imbalances may contribute to easing challenges such as irritability, language delays, and certain behavioral changes sometimes experienced by children on the autism spectrum. AuRx’s proprietary CyLoc® – DexKey® nutrient delivery nanotechnology enables targeted delivery of its butyric acid molecules at the desired point in the intestinal tract for unprecedented absorption. Consult a health-care professional before incorporating dietary changes to an ASD management plan.
AuRx® is butyric acid supplementation reimagined, making it one of the best medical foods for autism support.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing solubility, bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing of multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Shop products on our website and learn more about how they support neurological health.
Reference:
1Adams JB, et al. Journal of Personalized Medicine vol. 11,9 878. 31 Aug 2021, doi:10.3390/jpm11090878
2Li, Maxwell, and Katharine W Lai. The Permanente journal vol. 28,3 (2024): 180-184. doi:10.7812/TPP/24.026
3Nankova, Bistra B et al. PloS one vol. 9,8 e103740. 29 Aug. 2014, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103740
4Hoxha, Bianka et al. Cells vol. 10,8 1976. 3 Aug. 2021, doi:10.3390/cells10081976
5Plaza-Diaz J et al. Mechanisms of Action of Probiotics. Adv Nutr. 2019;10(suppl_1):S49-S66. doi:10.1093/advances/nmy063
6Horvath K et al. J Pediatr. 1999;135(5):559-563. doi:10.1016/s0022-3476(99)70052-1
