Amino Acids in Autism
Amino Acids (AAs) are very important to health and it is important that all 20 are within the reference ranges, or there can be serious consequences. Inborn errors of amino acid metabolism do exist and there are metabolic disorders which impair either the synthesis and/or degradation of amino acids . It has been suggested that a lack of certain amino acids might underlie some people’s autism. This seems to be the basis of one new autism drug, CM-AT, being developed in the US, but this idea remains somewhat controversial. In those people who have normal levels of amino acids, potential does exist to modify their level for some therapeutic effect. Examples include:- · Using histidine to inhibit mast cells de-granulating and so reducing symptoms of allergy · Using the 3 branch chained AAs to reduce the level of the AA, phenylanine, which can drive movement disorders/tics · ...