This article reviews research on whether gluten- and casein-free diets can help improve the behavior and/or health of children with autism, and concludes that, even though there is some evidence that a combined gluten- and casein-free diet can be helpful, more research is necessary.
Some researchers think that the symptoms of autism can be explained by high levels of protein by-products affecting the bodies and brains of children with autism. These by-products are made by the body from the proteins found in grains (gluten) and milk (casein). The purpose of this article is to critically review the research showing that gluten- and casein-free diets help improve the behavior of children with autism. As a result, the authors have very high standards for the types of studies they analyzed, and only one study published between 1965 and 2003 (Knivsberg et al. 2002) was up to the level of these standards. This study showed that a gluten- and casein-free diet helped children with autism improve in several behavioral areas over the course of a year. Because this study only included twenty children, the authors conclude that there is not enough evidence to support elimination diets, but that future research could provide more support for them.
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