Autism and Candida Yeast Overgrowth

A visitor named Bethany asks the following question:

What information do you have about Candida yeast overgrowth and Autism?

Hi Bethany,

Yes, Candida yeast overgrowth also known as Candidiasis is often a contributing factor in Autism. Dr. Crook talks about it in the Yeast Connection book and most enlightened practitioners are aware as well. Poor bowel ecology is commonly found in autistic children and Candida is one of the culprits. However keep in mind that main stream physicians are not informed about Candida and will deny it has any role. You must find a knowledgeable alternative health care provider.

Some physicians believe Candida is a primary cause of Autism, while others believe it is one of many factors that exacerbates Autism. Whatever the case may be, most autistic children respond favorably to Candida treatment and achieve improvement in symptoms. For some, improvement may be mild while for others it may be drastic. I have counseled people who have seen dramatic improvements in their Autistic children by following a strict Candida diet, taking antifungals and probiotics.

One of the main organs that Candida impacts is the brain, which results in neurological and behavioral symptoms that are often seen in Autism. However, most often Candida is just one nail in the shoe. There are usually a variety of factors involved, such as unidentified food allergies or food sensitivities, environmental toxins and vaccinations, gluten intolerance, nutritional deficiencies, leaky gut, bacterial overgrowth, parasites, and heavy metal toxicity. Jenny McCarthy had an Autistic child and she wrote a book about how she healed him completely by addressing the aforementioned issues. It’s called “Mother Warriors” if you want to look it up.

One of the biggest contributors to Autism is a build up of toxins in the body that come from vaccinations, additives and preservatives in food, flu shots, pesticides in food and the environment etc. Children are being exposed to too many toxins and their body can’t detox them. These toxins build up in the body and the brain and cause behavioral and neurological symptoms. Mercury is one of the most common toxins to be accumulating and believed to play a major role in Autism.

In addition to addressing Candidiasis, many people see great improvements and complete healing in their autistic children by using a variety of natural chelating methods, like clay baths and natural oral chelation supplements. These methods pull the mercury and other toxins out of the body. Specific supplements like glutathione and magnesium are also crucial. You can find a very successful protocol that incorporates all these methods and gives you some magnificent education on the topic over at Even Better Now’s Autism Therapies page. I urge you to take a look at it.

It is also believed that an imbalance or malfunctioning of neurotransmitters in the brain, especially glutamate and GABA, but dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine as well, play a major role in autism. Neurotransmitter imbalances can be restored to balance with the proper diet and supplementation of amino acids and a variety of other nutrients.

Best
Cynthia