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Autism Linked to Alcohol and Sugar Intake
Author(s) -
Shamberger Raymond Joseph
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.902.1
Subject(s) - autism , medicine , demography , environmental health , alcohol consumption , alcohol , zoology , biology , psychiatry , biochemistry , sociology
The rate of autism is increasing 10–15% per year. The cause of autism is unknown. Autism usually appears in children ages 2 to 4. Because one cannot follow the usual nutrition over several years, nutritional epidemiology was applied from two sources. The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington published a study “Where America Drinks”. They have determined the percentage of alcohol consumed in every county of the United States except Hawaii and Alaska. In addition to the counties, an average intake was calculated for each state. They divided the alcohol consumption to one drink or less per month and the other to more than one drink per month. They also published an average amount of alcohol per state. This result was correlated to the amounts of autism among 8 year olds per state. The autism and alcohol consumption correlated r=0.519 and p<0.001. Horizontal trend lines were found for many of the states (45–48). Alcohol consumption was also compared to multiple sclerosis among war veterans r=0.610 and p<0.0001. Horizontal trend lines between the alcohol curve and those with multiple sclerosis were also found (40–48). The USDA has measured the B‐vitamin content of human breast milk from 279 mothers, After calculating the average amount that the babies drink, comparisons can be made to the MDR (Minimal Daily Requirement). With the exclusive breast feeding that is recommended for the first six months it is possible that there could be a B‐vitamin deficiency, All of the B‐vitamins were acceptable except thiamine which was well below the MDR for the first four months. Part of this deficiency can credited to the excess sugar intake in America, Thiamine is needed for the first step of the Krebs cycle and excess sugar could cause a thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is also decreased by alcohol. Support or Funding Information No funding or support.