Micronutrients versus standard medication management in autism: A naturalistic case-control study


From: Argosy University
         University of Calgary
         University of Hawaii
         University of Manitoba
         University of Saskatchewan
         Alberta Children's Hospital

Date: 2010 April

Authors: Mehl-Madrona L, Leung B, Kennedy C, Paul S, Kaplan BJ.

Journal: Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology 20(2):95-103

Participants: 88 children

Disorder: Autism

Design: Matched groups
            • 44 children received EMPowerplus by parents’ choice
            • 44 similar children received conventional pharmaceutical treatment by parents’ choice

Results: The EMPowerplus group had superior symptom improvement
                • lower activity level
                • less social withdrawal
                • less anger
                • less irritability
                • lower incidence of self-injurious behavior (SIB)
                • better spontaneity with the examiner
                • greater improvement on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist
                • greater improvement on the Clinical Global Impressions scale
           The EMPowerplus group had markedly fewer adverse events
                • less weight gain
                • greater improvement on the Clinical Global Impressions scale