- Possible autism breakthrough as 40 per cent of children with autism found to be lacking key nutrient
- Vitamin B12 and Autism: Benefits & Risks
Emphasis on “might be” linked – as these types of studies often find spurious correlations.
During the period when autism diagnoses have grown rapidly, there has been an expansive definition of “autism” that seems to capture more cases, and simultaneously there has been a push (by public health, nutrition, and climate change activists) to eat less beef – a primary source for B-12 and iron – and pleas for people to stay out of the sun (vitamin D is made in the skin after sun exposure).
Beef consumption per person (thus a population wide average) has gone down by about 16% during the prior two decades. But among children, beef consumption has gone down by up to -40%!
There could be a link or maybe not. But is anyone looking into this?
- Vitamin B12 and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Current Evidence – PubMed
- The Effectiveness of Cobalamin (B12) Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – PubMed
- 5 Helpful Supplements for Autism Spectrum Disorder | Autism Dietitian
- Children’s diets mirror broader trends: Overall U.S. per‑capita beef consumption fell from ~65 lbs (2000) to ~56 lbs (2025). Children’s intake declined even faster, since schools and pediatric nutrition guidelines emphasize limiting red meat.
- Nutrient implications: Reduced beef intake means lower iron and B‑12 exposure, which are critical for growth. Pediatricians often recommend fortified cereals, poultry, fish, or supplements to fill the gap
AI summary:
“There is evidence that deficiencies in vitamin D, iron, and possibly B‑12 may be associated with autism risk, but they are not established causes. The rise in autism diagnoses is primarily due to expanded definitions and awareness. Reduced beef consumption could contribute to nutrient deficiencies, but causality with autism remains speculative.”
I did not know much about autism – looked it up – and discovered I have numerous symptoms of at least mild autism – like extreme attention to detail, sensitivity to noise/sounds, smells, etc. Those with a degree in computer science may be 8x to 16x more likely to have autism than the general population (those with autistic characteristics tend to self-select and thrive in a field like computer science). An online psych survey indicates I am solidly in the autism spectrum. I sent some question to my daughter, who is a psyche NP and said I wondered if I might be autistic and got a response basically saying “Yes, duh”.
