"Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in a number of disorders. Now scientists are investigating whether the 'sunshine vitamin' could be implicated in autism. With autism rates climbing and levels of vitamin D declining because of more sunscreen use and less time spent outdoors, scientists have begun to look into a possible link."
"A recent study in Saudi Arabia was the first to discover that children with autism had significantly lower levels of vitamin D in their bloodstreams than non-autistic children. 'There is a growing body of literature linking vitamin D to various immune-related conditions, including allergy and autoimmunity,' said Laila Y. AL-Ayadhi, a professor of neurophysiology at King Saud University and one of the new study’s lead researchers. Yet many questions remain, and experts say none of the research so far has shown a convincing link. Vitamin D is one of many environmental factors, including air pollution and pesticides, that are eyed by researchers seeking to understand why autism rates have continued their uninterrupted climb over the past several decades."
Brita Belli reports for Environmental Health News January 31, 2013.
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