This article provides a systematic overview of the research testing whether the behavior of children with autism can be improved by high doses of vitamin B6 and magnesium. The authors conclude that while some children may be helped by the treatment, more well-controlled studies must be done.

This article reports on a thorough search of the research studies on B6 and magnesium supplementation as an alternative therapy for autism. The authors find twelve studies published before 1995, most of which suggested that B6 and magnesium can help improve the behavior of about half of children who have been diagnosed with autism. The authors note, however, that there are several problems with the designs of these studies. These problems include: not measuring long-term effects of supplementation, using only small numbers of children in each study, and not defining precise behavioral outcome measures.