Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 23:07     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is very interesting and now the thought has to be with pregnancy supplements possibly being the cause.

Because most autistic and neurodivergent kids seem to come from middle and upper middle class getting proper supplements and care. Although I still think age of mother plays a very important part that society doesn’t want to admit.


Neither folic acid nor age of mother explain how 90% of ASD DX have an ASD parent and grandparent, etc. It’s highly genetic in the vast majority of the cases. Sure there could be some in utero or dietary causes for 0-5% of cases.

Where are you getting that 90% of
ASD dx have an ASD parent and grandparent etc.? Also heritable and genetic are not the same thing
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 22:44     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Is there an easy genetic test for the malabsorption gene? I would love to know if there’s an st home test for this kind of thing. I feel like I’ve asked for so many tests for my kid they are going to flag me for munchausen by proxy or something.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 22:37     Subject: Re:More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you have a genetic disposition for low folate reserves, for example, then autism could be considered genetic, right? I think the idea is along the same lines as Spinal Bifida.


Yes- kinda. It's not folate reserves exactly.
Many ASD people have if you have folate receptor alpha auto antibodies (FRAA). And there are 2 kinds- binding and blocking. So you can take all the natural folate you want or folic acid and your body can't use it efficiently..however. folinic acid enters the system through a completely different mechanism which doesn't rely on the same pathway so if you have FRAA you must take high dose folinic acid.
It's important to know that you can not detect your folaye levels by the typical blood test because it's in the blood when ingested but does not "continue " on to the nervous system /brain if you have FRAA. You must either get a spinal type or a FRAT, the test for the antibodies.

Are the antibodies genetic? I don't know but would suspect they might be.


Here is more information on FRAA from Frontiers

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2016.00080/full
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 22:37     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:Found out my son who’s almost 30 has that MTHFR thing, so B9 malabsorption. He has spina bifida occulta and moderate executive dysfunction. I’ve always wondered if this is basically a neural tube development issue in utero. We didn’t know about this stuff when I was pregnant with him (the malabsorption problem), but I did take folic acid and Prenatal vitamins.


Is your son on the spectrum?

You make a good point that mthfr is yet another way folate can be disrupted.
Does he take any special supplements because of the mthr, like methylated folate or folonic acid?

I have a family member who has spina bifida and is on the spectrum. He is 50.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 22:25     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Found out my son who’s almost 30 has that MTHFR thing, so B9 malabsorption. He has spina bifida occulta and moderate executive dysfunction. I’ve always wondered if this is basically a neural tube development issue in utero. We didn’t know about this stuff when I was pregnant with him (the malabsorption problem), but I did take folic acid and Prenatal vitamins.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 22:17     Subject: Re:More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:If you have a genetic disposition for low folate reserves, for example, then autism could be considered genetic, right? I think the idea is along the same lines as Spinal Bifida.


Yes- kinda. It's not folate reserves exactly.
Many ASD people have if you have folate receptor alpha auto antibodies (FRAA). And there are 2 kinds- binding and blocking. So you can take all the natural folate you want or folic acid and your body can't use it efficiently..however. folinic acid enters the system through a completely different mechanism which doesn't rely on the same pathway so if you have FRAA you must take high dose folinic acid.
It's important to know that you can not detect your folaye levels by the typical blood test because it's in the blood when ingested but does not "continue " on to the nervous system /brain if you have FRAA. You must either get a spinal type or a FRAT, the test for the antibodies.

Are the antibodies genetic? I don't know but would suspect they might be.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 22:04     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is very interesting and now the thought has to be with pregnancy supplements possibly being the cause.

Because most autistic and neurodivergent kids seem to come from middle and upper middle class getting proper supplements and care. Although I still think age of mother plays a very important part that society doesn’t want to admit.


Neither folic acid nor age of mother explain how 90% of ASD DX have an ASD parent and grandparent, etc. It’s highly genetic in the vast majority of the cases. Sure there could be some in utero or dietary causes for 0-5% of cases.


Folate malapsorption can also be genetic. What's your point?
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 17:37     Subject: Re:More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
If you have a genetic disposition for low folate reserves, for example, then autism could be considered genetic, right? I think the idea is along the same lines as Spinal Bifida.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 17:29     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:This is very interesting and now the thought has to be with pregnancy supplements possibly being the cause.


Definitely makes more sense than the diagnostic criteria for autism becoming more expansive.

Are we going to debate refrigerator mothers next?
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 17:27     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:This is very interesting and now the thought has to be with pregnancy supplements possibly being the cause.

Because most autistic and neurodivergent kids seem to come from middle and upper middle class getting proper supplements and care. Although I still think age of mother plays a very important part that society doesn’t want to admit.


Neither folic acid nor age of mother explain how 90% of ASD DX have an ASD parent and grandparent, etc. It’s highly genetic in the vast majority of the cases. Sure there could be some in utero or dietary causes for 0-5% of cases.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2025 01:25     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Here is another folate-autism article from 2013
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4783401/
Anonymous
Post 02/21/2025 09:30     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:Note that the study used much higher doses of folonic acid than what those tablets provide.
The study used "2 mg/kg/day" with a maximum dose of 50 MG.
The pills are dosed in micrograms. There's a very large difference in doses here


This is why there's an urgent need for medical doctors to be able to treat autism. The black box medication in the study is for cancer and would be unknown to pediatricians. There should be a standard protocol of tests, such as looking for these deficiencies ans comorbidities. It's shocking how poorly autism is treated, given what's known.
Organizations like autism speaks should be petitioning the AMA to release guidelines
Anonymous
Post 02/21/2025 02:49     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Note that the study used much higher doses of folonic acid than what those tablets provide.
The study used "2 mg/kg/day" with a maximum dose of 50 MG.
The pills are dosed in micrograms. There's a very large difference in doses here
Anonymous
Post 02/20/2025 15:07     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Anonymous wrote:Is there a good brand recommended for children? I would be interested in trying this.


We use kirkman brand folonic acid. They have it at Harris teeter
Anonymous
Post 02/19/2025 20:34     Subject: More evidence for folate malabsorption in Neurodivergent bodies
Is there a good brand recommended for children? I would be interested in trying this.