Research shows that Methyl-B12 therapy has tremendous treatment potential in children with autism.
A member of the B12 family of vitamins, Methyl-B12 encourages a biochemical process called methylation. Methylation helps create the cells in the body. Impaired methylation, however, is linked to many symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. These include Methyl-B12 speech delays and associated developmental delays.
This article will offer a breakdown of Methyl-B12, as well as an overview of Methyl-B12 therapy for autism treatment and recovery. In addition, we will explore how Methyl-B12 is often misdiagnosed as autism spectrum disorder and go over the developmental delays associated with methylation issues.
What Is B12?
B12 is a family of five different forms of vitamins. Each one affects the body in its own way.
These five forms of B12 vitamins include:
- Cyanocobalamin
- Hydroxycobalamin
- Adenosylcobalamin
- Glutathionylcobalamin
- Methylcobalamin (Methyl-B12)
B12 deficiency developmental delays are prevalent, with some B12 deficiencies misdiagnosed as autism. Alongside folic acid, B12 helps build the body’s cells. To summarize, it helps create red blood cells, metabolize fats and amino acids, and maintain the myelin sheaths that surround the nerves.
Dietary sources of B12 include meat, fish, and dairy products like yogurt and cheese. In addition, B12 can be taken in tablet or supplement form. All five forms of B12 are absorbed at the end of the small intestine. This part of the bowel is often inflamed in people with autism—which experts believe can prevent the absorption of B12.
Methyl-B12 may be given subcutaneously or in injection format to bypass the gut wall for optimal absorption.
Before we discuss this, let’s review the specifics surrounding Methyl-B12.
Methyl-B12 is the only B12 vitamin that has been shown to directly activate the body’s methionine/homocysteine chemical pathway. In other words, it is the only vitamin in the B12 group that can create the additional pathways needed to increase activity and synapses in the brain.
Essentially, Methyl-B12 helps increase the amount of “fuel” in the brain. With more fuel, autism patients tend to see improvements in their speech, language, cognitive, and social abilities.
Perhaps most importantly, Methyl-B12 is integral to a biochemical process known as methylation. Methylation is the process of adding genetic material to the body’s cells. Children with autism have a higher rate of methylation problems than their neurotypical counterparts. This is why methyl-B12 deficiency is known to cause delays in speech.
According to a study from the University of Arkansas, 90% of children with autism have methylation defects. Plus, patients with autism have 80% less glutathione in their cells. Glutathione is the body’s most important antioxidant. This means children with autism are not getting enough fuel delivered to the brain to detoxify the harmful substances they may have in the body. This causes a number of speech, language, and developmental delays.
Ultimately, researchers have found that Methyl-B12 therapy can help. This therapy has significant potential in treating children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Patients can address symptoms like spatial awareness issues, focus and attention problems, difficulty maintaining eye contact, and speech delays. This is where an appropriate Methyl-B12 dosage for autism comes in.
What Is Methyl-B12 Therapy?
Methyl-B12 therapy is considered an effective treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder. Generally, it consists of Methyl-B12 supplements or injections. This safe and effective solution works by promoting healthy methylation, which is critical to the interaction of environmental factors with genetic expression in autism risk.
Research shows that methylation impairment is a key factor in the challenges families experience in treating their child’s autism. Methyl-B12 facilitates methylation and contributes to a healthy brain and body.
In addition, Methyl-B12 plays a role in the folate cycle. It converts folic acid from the diet into its active forms (methyl folate and folinic acid). These active folates support healthy development, including the sufficient production of serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters optimize spatial awareness, language processing, and social and cognitive skills in children with autism.
Methyl-B12 supports methylation by:
- Producing proteins and cell membranes
- Producing and repairing the genetic material (RNA and DNA)
- Producing glutathione (the body’s main antioxidant)
- Detoxifying heavy metals and other harmful substances
- Regulating the immune system
- Maintaining vitamins E and C in their active form
- Reducing inflammation
Methyl-B12 supports autism recovery by:
- Improving spatial awareness and responsiveness
- Elevating focus and attention
- Encouraging playful interaction
- Increasing eye contact and social etiquette
- Lessening self-stimulatory, aggressive, and harmful behaviors
- Improving expressive, receptive, and spontaneous speech and language
- Enhancing sensory integration
- Strengthening emotional expression and understanding
We’ll go over these clinically-backed benefits of Methyl-B12 therapy in more detail. For now, note that developmental improvements often stem from an increase in brain chemicals that promote methylation.
While benefits are often observed in the first six weeks, continued benefits are seen over the course of months or years. In simple terms, Methyl-B12 therapy is a long-term treatment.
How Does Methyl-B12 Therapy Work?
For over a decade, the parents of children with autism spectrum disorder have reaped the benefits of Methyl-B12 therapy. Improvements are seen in attention, language, social skills, and more.
Since Methyl-B12 deficiency creates developmental delays, supplementation has a profound ability to help children with autism reach new heights in their personal development. But how does this therapy work from a biochemical standpoint?
Again, Methyl-B12 promotes healthy methylation. This works by increasing glutathione production, or the production of the body’s master antioxidant. Low levels of glutathione are known to trigger glutamate production, which also has a negative impact on methylation.
Regulated by glutathione, glutamate is the brain’s most powerful—and most plentiful—neurotransmitter. Yet too much glutamate can be problematic. In infants, glutamate actually helps to form the brain. It plays a key role in energy production. Later on, though, glutamate must be strictly regulated.
Excess glutamate (also known as immunotoxicity) is at the core of many medical issues and likely behind many symptoms of autism. Researchers believe it is one of the reasons behind the repetitive behaviors often seen in autism.
Accordingly, Methyl-B12 therapy regulates methylation by encouraging healthy glutathione and glutamate production in the body. Visiting your child’s provider so they can periodically receive Methyl-B12 therapy has been found to yield immense benefits. Be sure to ask your practitioner any questions you may have about Methyl-B12 therapy frequency or dosage* information.
* One study administered 75 micrograms of Methyl-B12 per kilogram of weight every three days over the course of eight weeks. However, the exact dosage may vary based on your provider’s recommendation.
See How C.A.T.’s Targeted Nutritional Supplements Therapy Changed Matteo’s Life
The film documents Matteo’s targeted therapy and teaches how it is possible to dramatically reduce autism symptoms by analyzing advanced laboratory tests and applying an in-depth understanding of how to repair impaired metabolic processes.
What Are the Benefits of Methyl-B12 in Children with Autism?
Methyl-B12 is considered a powerful intervention for people with speech, language, and neurological disorders. These disorders include ADHD, ADD, and autism spectrum disorder.
For children with autism, the benefits of Methyl-B12 therapy are extensive and include:
- Better receptive and expressive language skills
Many children with autism experiment with new words or more complex speech following Methyl-B12 therapy. Kids are also more likely to understand instructions and requests. Non-verbal children are quite responsive and can overcome their speech delays by regulating their methylation cycle.
- Greater spatial awareness
After starting Methyl-B12 therapy, many children with autism become more aware of their environment. In many cases, they will engage more with their surroundings as a result: interacting with toys, siblings, pets, and classmates more than ever before.
- More interest in social situations
Parents are often pleased to find their child seems more eager to socialize with their peers after starting Methyl-B12 therapy. Children with autism may be more willing to share their toys, or they may express a newfound interest in exploring social situations.
- Improved attention and focus
Parents, teachers, and therapists tend to observe remarkable improvements in a child with autism’s ability to focus or pay attention after Methyl-B12 therapy. As the treatment takes effect, the child will likely become more receptive to learning.
- Better mental processing
Children with autism may also develop a higher capacity for memory, recall, and retention after they begin Methyl-B12 therapy. This is due in part to the improvements linked to healthy glutathione production that result from this therapy.
The ability to detoxify the body and improve metabolism is integral to all of the above benefits. Methyl-B12 therapy can play a vital role in helping children with autism mitigate or even overcome their symptoms.
Should My Child with Autism Consider Methyl-B12 Therapy?
The cells of children with autism spectrum disorder may have a difficult time absorbing the Methyl-B12 required to promote healthy methylation. This results in symptoms ranging from speech and developmental delays to self-stimulatory behaviors.
Helping children with autism get the vitamins they need can help them improve their focus, enhance their speech, engage in learning and social situations, and thrive. In some cases, a B12 deficiency may cause symptoms that are similar to autism—resulting in a potential misdiagnosis.`
This is where Methyl-B12 therapy comes in. An appropriate dose of Methyl-B12 can help children alleviate symptoms of autism and enjoy a higher quality of life. Methyl-B12 autism side effects are minimal over time.
Please contact The C.A.T. Center for more information on how Methyl-B12 therapy can help your child treat their autism spectrum disorder.
The information in this article is exclusively for general knowledge purposes. It should not be used for personal treatment or as a substitute for medical advice. There is no representation or warranty, explicit or implied, involving the accuracy, validity, or completeness of the content in this piece. Nutritional supplementation should only occur under the supervision of a licensed professional (and in accordance with laboratory test results).
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