1 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, to another edition of Wisdom Wednesdays. Today's topic 2 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: touches on something that affects millions of families around the world, 3 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: and it is autism spectrum disorder or ASD. Now, while 4 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: admittedly there's a hell of a lot that we don't know, 5 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: research is beginning to reveal some pretty fascinating insights into 6 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: how premaal nutrition and even childhood diet might play a 7 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: role in autism risk and symptoms. So let's start with 8 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: a big picture look at human pregnancy and supplements. So 9 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: autism affects about one percent of children globally, but it 10 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: is on the rise, and prevention strategies are pretty limited. 11 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: But a new umbrella review, which is a meta analysis 12 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: of meta analysis, has given us pretty compelling data. And 13 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: what these umbrella reviews do is they pull all the 14 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: data from different meta analysis and then we start to 15 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: get more confidence in the data that comes out of that. 16 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: And this one was conducted in Australia and it pulled 17 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: together eight systematic reviews covering over one hundred studies and 18 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: three million mother child perrs across the globe. So this 19 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: is a pretty good bloody sample size right here. And 20 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: their question was a simple one. Does taking pre natal 21 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:39,199 Speaker 1: supplements like folic acid or multi vitamins before or during 22 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: pregnancy reduce the risk of autism? And the results were 23 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: pretty interesting. Six out of the eight reviews found a 24 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: protective association, and across the board, using fullic acid and 25 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: or multi vitamins was linked to about a thirty percent 26 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: lower likelihood that a child would be diagnosed with autism. 27 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: And I just want to repeat that again, a thirty 28 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: percent lower likelihood, So that is pretty compelling stuff. And 29 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: when they looked at multivitamins alone, the reduction in risk 30 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: was roughly thirty four percent, and fullic acid alone showed 31 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 1: a similar trend, and that is really very significant. Now 32 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: let's explore why this might be, and it's really not 33 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: a surprise because nutrients and play crucial roles in early 34 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: brain development, and multivitamins support neurotransmitter production and neuron maturation. 35 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: Fullic acid helps run the biochemical machinery needed for the 36 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: brain and spinal cord to form properly. And there's even 37 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: a genetic twist. Some people carry variants that slow fullic 38 00:02:55,520 --> 00:03:01,239 Speaker 1: acid metabolism or inhibit it, leading to un metabolized folic 39 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: acid build up and lower unstable foliate, which has been 40 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: linked to poorer pregnancy outcomes. And a good work around 41 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: for this is to take methylated folio known as five 42 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 1: methal foliate, which bypasses this generic bottleneck entirely. And actually 43 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: other research has shown that people who take folic acid 44 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: supplements when they have that gene variant, it can actually 45 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: be a real negative for them because that unmetabolized folic 46 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: acid actually builds up and creates some damage. So we 47 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: shouldn't really be recommended everybody takes fullic acid supplements unless 48 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: we know their genetic variant. But anyway, that's a little 49 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: sidebar conversation. But the take home here is clear now 50 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: why this is mostly observational data and it can't prove causation, 51 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: And when you understand the plausible mechanisms at play, that 52 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: starts to make make a strong case for making sure 53 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: that women get the right nutrients at the right time, 54 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: ideally even before they get pregnant. Right now, I want 55 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: to jump sideways to another study. Now, this is a 56 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: mouse model, and I talk about my concerns about mouse models, 57 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: but it really is pretty interesting and it was a 58 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: recent study out of Taiwan and It looked at whether 59 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: specific nutritional supplements could improve brain function and behavior in 60 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: mice with autism like traits. So they weren't just any mice. 61 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: They carried genetic mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder. These 62 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 1: were genes like TBR one, NF one and ctt n 63 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: BP two if you really want to know. But what 64 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: the researchers did was they gave these mice who had 65 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 1: these autism spectrum disorder behaviors a blend of zinc el 66 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: seering and branch chain amino acids, loosine, isolucine, and valid 67 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: and they tested both short term which was one week 68 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 1: in adulthood, and long term, which is from juvenile to 69 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: adult interventions. And here's what happened. In the short term, 70 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: the nutrient blend excuse me boosted brain proteins involved in 71 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 1: synaptic communication, made overactive neurons behave more normally during social 72 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: interaction and improve social behavior. But only when the nutrients 73 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 1: were given as a blend. Interesting giving zinc sellin or 74 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: branching amino acids on their own didn't have the same effect. Now, 75 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 1: in the long term group, the mouse showed better learning 76 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 1: and memory, spent more time with other mice and preferred 77 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 1: social contact over objects all signs of behavioral improvement in 78 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: AST so it's worthwhile. As I said, this is a 79 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: mouse study, but they help us to generate hypothesis that 80 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: we then should go and test in humans. And it's 81 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: interesting to look at what's happening here. These nutrients help 82 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: the brain build and remodel synapses, the tiny junctions when 83 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: urons communicate, so zinc we know organize as receptor structures. 84 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: Sein gets converted to d celling to support those same receptors, 85 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: and branch gain amino acids, fuel protein synthesis, and activate 86 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: growth pathways like mTOR. Now this is early days, but 87 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: it does suggest that nutritional interventions could potentially support brain 88 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: circuitry in some forms of autism. And there are research 89 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: in humans that show that having good nutrition can actually 90 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 1: reduce the symptoms of people who do have autism. And 91 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: that leads us to something else. I think we have 92 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: to talk about ultra processed foods. And I've talked about 93 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 1: this before almost ad nauseum in the con texts of 94 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:06,679 Speaker 1: obesity and metabolic disease, but also mental health. But recent 95 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: evidence is now linking these foods to worsened autism symptoms. 96 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: And a study published in Scientific Reports found that exposure 97 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: to ultra processed food additives, so these are things like preservatives, 98 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: artificial sweeteners, and mulsifiers, flavor enhancers, exposure to them during 99 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: pregnancy or in early childhood may contribute to changes in 100 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: brain chemistry and gut microbiome that are linked with autism traits. 101 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: And then another twenty twenty three study in Nutrients reported 102 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: that children with higher intake of ultra processed foods had 103 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: worshened social responsiveness and communication. Now, it's not that these 104 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: foods cause autism, but it appears that they may exacerbate 105 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: symptoms or inter with existing vulnerabilities. So what can we 106 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: take from all of this. Look, First, micronutrient sufficiency before 107 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: and during pregnancy matters. We know that, and it matters 108 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: a lot. And Secondly, targeted nutritional supplementation may in the 109 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: future help support neurodevelopment and kids already diagnosed with autism. 110 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: And third, and this is really important, steering clear or 111 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: minimizing ultra process foods using my eighty twenty rule that 112 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: I talk about both during pregnancy and an early childhood, 113 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: and I actually think before pregnancy, and this may be 114 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: one more way that we can support brain health and 115 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: reduce both the incidents of autism happening in the first place, 116 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: but also the severity of it whenever kids are born 117 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: with it. Now, as always, we need more research, but 118 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: this is a pretty powerful reminder that the food that 119 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: we eat, and also when we eat that food, and 120 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,839 Speaker 1: the type of food that we eat in certain periods 121 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: has a profound influence on the body, the brain, and 122 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: even our children's future health. And for me, this really 123 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: adds to the whole stale story, particularly on ultra process 124 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: food consumption. We know that most developed nations are increasing 125 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: massively their consumption of ultra processed foods. We know that 126 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: in the United States and United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Australia, 127 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: New Zealand it's around our above fifty percent of all 128 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: calories consumed, and we know that for kids it's even worse. 129 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:47,839 Speaker 1: And to think that this is not affecting their brains, 130 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: you just have to be completely and utterly bonkers. And 131 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: it really does add some urgency here to do something 132 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 1: about these ultra processed foods, because they are killing us, 133 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: they're killing our kids, and there's increasing evidence that they're 134 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 1: causing neurodevelopmental disorders, and there's already very established evidence, class 135 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: one evidence that they dramatically increase the risk of mental 136 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: health conditions as well as things like cardiovascular disease. And 137 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: I have said it before and I will say it 138 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: again that this is the biggest health crisis of our 139 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: time and we really need to do something about it 140 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,719 Speaker 1: for both for our futures and our kids' futures. That's 141 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: it for this week, folks. Catch you next time.