Research: The Effect of High Doses of Vitamin B6 on Autistic Children: A Double-Blind Crossover Study

This article suggests that the behavior of children with autism may be improved by vitamin B6 supplementation.

In this influential article, the authors set out to determine whether a group of autistic children who had been taking vitamin B6 as a result of one of their earlier studies would be affected if they stopped taking the supplement. Sixteen children with autism (ages not given) were compared over time in their behavioral responses to treatment with either vitamin B6 or placebo. Vitamin B6 was given at doses that depended on the previous dose determined for that child, ranging from 2-94 mg/kg body weight per day (36-1710 mg for a 40-pound child). Placebo replaced vitamin B6 on different schedules for each child, and parents and teachers of each child rated his or her behaviors over the treatment period. Overall, there was a significant effect of treatment between children receiving placebo and those continuing vitamin B6 treatment. The authors briefly discuss that B6 might improve behavior by altering metabolism and/or neurotransmitter production.