Evidence supporting the use of: Folic Acid
For the health condition: Autism

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Folic acid, a synthetic form of the B-vitamin folate, has been investigated in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) primarily due to its role in neural development and methylation pathways. Several studies have examined whether folic acid supplementation might impact core symptoms or comorbidities associated with autism. Some small clinical trials and observational studies have suggested that children with ASD may have altered folate metabolism or lower folate levels in the central nervous system. Additionally, rare cases of cerebral folate deficiency, which can present with autistic features, have shown improvement with high-dose folinic acid (a bioactive form of folate, not folic acid specifically). However, the bulk of evidence supporting the use of folic acid or folinic acid for ASD is limited and inconsistent. A few randomized controlled trials have reported modest improvements in language and communication skills in subgroups of children with ASD, particularly those with documented folate receptor autoantibodies or genetic polymorphisms affecting folate metabolism. Nonetheless, large-scale, high-quality studies are lacking, and reviews by organizations such as the Cochrane Collaboration conclude that evidence is insufficient to recommend routine folic acid supplementation for ASD. In summary, while there is a scientific rationale and preliminary clinical evidence for the use of folate supplementation in certain subgroups of children with ASD, the overall evidence base is weak (rated 2/5), and folic acid is not a universally accepted or proven treatment for autism.

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