Antioxidant Levels May be Linked to Autism
(HealthDayNews, 4/3/05)

S. Jill James of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and the biochemical genetics laboratory at Arkansas Children's Hospital Research, and team, compared the blood of 90 autistic children to that of 45 normal children. The researchers found that autistic subjects had much lower levels of the active form of glutathione and its precursors. James’ team also examined the DNA of 233 autistic children and 183 unaffected children and found that three gene variations associated with abnormalities in metabolizing glutathione are more common in autistic children. Since glutathione plays a major role in clearing environmental toxins from the system, reduced levels of this antioxidant may leave the body vulnerable to cell-damaging free radicals. Scientists, therefore, speculate that exposing children whose bodies are genetically incapable of properly eliminating heavy metals to toxins (like the mercury preservative that was commonly used in vaccines) might trigger autism. The results of this study also suggest that antioxidant supplementation may benefit autistic children.

(American Society for Nutritional Sciences' at the Experimental Biology conference, San Diego, March 2005)