Add Your Heading Text Here
-Understanding Autism
The Importance of Biomedical Testing and Treatment Options
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Traditionally, the diagnosis of autism has been based on the observation
of behavior, and treatment focused primarily on alleviating challenging
behaviors. However, there is a very real biomedical component to the
disorder in which underlying medical issues often cause or contribute
to autistic behavior. Some of the most common problems include
gastrointestinal (GI) overgrowth of Candida and Clostridia, inability to
detoxify environmental toxins, and development of food intolerances
and/ or allergies. These physical and environmental factors limit the
nutrients available to the brain and body, resulting in damage to cellular,
metabolic, and central nervous system functionality.
Genetic susceptibility to autism may determine who develops this
complex disorder, but nutrient deficiencies and food allergies strongly
influence the severity of symptoms. Exposure to toxins and imbalanced
microbial growth in the GI tract contribute to pathological responses to
food. Yeast (most commonly, Candida), parasites, viruses, and bacteria,
particularly Clostridia, all have the potential to act as pathogens.
Eradicating harmful and often recurrent intestinal microbes and restoring proper intestinal flora balance is the best place to start so the
body can begin to heal and detoxify itself. Eliminating IgG-reactive foods
which can contribute to inflammation is an important part of healing the
PERIPHERAL ISSUES SEEN IN AUTISM THAT ARE EXACERBATED BY ABNORMAL INTESTINAL FLORA
- Impaired detox pathways
- Reduction in glutathione levels
- Poor sleep quality
- Speech and behavioral issues
- Oxidative stress
- Immune dysfunction
- Deficient essential fatty acids
GPL-TOX Profile (Toxic Non-Metal Chemical Profile)
Because exposure to environmental pollutants has been linked to many chronic diseases, including autism, we have
created GPL-TOX, a toxic non-metal chemical profile that screens for the presence of 173 different toxic chemicals
including organophosphate pesticides, phthalates, benzene, xylene, vinyl chloride, pyrethroid insecticides, acrylamide,
perchlorate, diphenyl phosphate, ethylene oxide, acrylonitrile, and more. This profile also includes Tiglylglycine (TG),
a marker for mitochondrial disorders resulting from mutations of mitochondrial DNA.
MycoTOX Profile
Mycotoxins released from mold fungi are some of the most prevalent toxins in the environment. A majority
of mycotoxin exposures are through food ingestion or airborne exposure from water-damaged buildings and homes.
Studies are now coming out correlating the severity of symptoms from mycotoxin exposure with autism, perhaps
due to common decreased detoxification abilities for those with autism. With our GPL-MycoTOX Profile, we can identify
exposures to eleven common mycotoxins and make recommendations for detoxification treatments that
have been effective.
MycoTOX Profile
Symptoms of autism are consistent with those of a mercury toxicity. Metal toxicity impacts cognition, language, immunity, and behavior. Identifying and eliminating metals such as lead, arsenic, aluminum, and mercury is an important steptoward recovery. Evidence shows that children with autism tend to have low levels of glutathione and cysteine, which are critical to the removal of toxic metals like mercury.
IgG Food MAP with Candida + Yeast
IgG-mediated food sensitivities create problems because they stress the child’s immune system, compromisingdigestion and resulting in inflammation and increased behavioral issues. IgG food allergy testing can identify the specific antibody reactions not commonly tested by allergists. Eliminating offending foods strengthens the immune system and may help significantly reduce autistic symptoms and GI problems.
Our newly updated IgG Food MAP, now has revolutionary XMAP® immunofluorescent bead technology. It assesses sensitivity to a 190 foods including foods in common American, Asian, and Mediterranean diets. The added hemp marker speaks to the exponential increase in the number of people consuming it as a food source or as medical CBD. GPL’s xMAP® immunoassay with fluorescence readout has proven to be even more sensitive than ELISA tests. The IgG Food MAP detects all food antibodies with greater precision than ELISA tests thanks to the superior technology. This assay is also environmentally friendly, reducing plastic pollution.
Glyphosate Test
Glyphosate is the world’s most widely produced herbicide. High correlations exist between glyphosate usage and numerous chronic illnesses, including autism. Ingestion of foods exposed to glyphosate can lead to an alteration of the intestinal microbial flora in which harmful species such as Clostridia replace beneficial microorganisms. The presence of increased Clostridia bacteria results in the increased production of Clostridia metabolites, such as HPHPA and 4-cresol. Those compounds inhibit the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine in the brain and in the sympathetic nervous
system. Metabolites of dopamine induce mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, the formation of neurotoxic
α-synuclein protofibrils, and impaired protein degradation. The Glyphosate Test is a urine test that can be easily added
on to other urine tests like the Organic Acids Test or GPL-TOX.
Other recommended tests for autism include:
- Advanced Cholesterol Profile
- Comprehensive Stool Analysis
- Copper + Zinc Profile
- Omega-3 Index Complete
- Streptococcus Antibodies Profile
