Modulation of Gut Microbiome and Autism Symptoms of ASD Children Supplemented with Biological Response Modifier: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 16; no. 13; p. 1988
• Main Authors: Hrnciarova, Jela, Kubelkova, Klara, Bostik, Vanda, Rychlik, Ivan, Karasova, Daniela, Babak, Vladimir, Datkova, Magdalena, Simackova, Katerina, Macela, Ales
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 21.06.2024
• Subjects: autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - microbiology; Autistic children; Autistic Disorder - microbiology; biological response modifier; Biomarkers; Child; Child, Preschool; Comorbidity; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; Dysbiosis - microbiology; Epilepsy; Feces - microbiology; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Genetic testing; Humans; Intellectual disabilities; Male; Metabolic disorders; Metabolites; microbiome; Microbiota; Parents & parenting; Physiology; Pilot Projects; Prospective Studies; Psychiatrists; psychobiotics; United States > US; Czech Republic; psychobiotics; biological response modifier; microbiome; autism
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu16131988

The etiology and mechanisms of autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not yet fully understood. There is currently no treatment for ASD for providing significant improvement in core symptoms. Recent studies suggest, however, that ASD is associated with gut dysbiosis, indicating that modulation of gut microbiota in children with ASD may thus reduce the manifestation of ASD symptoms. The aim of this pilot study (prospective randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled) was to evaluate efficacy of the biological response modifier Juvenil in modulating the microbiome of children with ASD and, in particular, whether Juvenil is able to alleviate the symptoms of ASD. In total, 20 children with ASD and 12 neurotypical children were included in our study. Supplementation of ASD children lasted for three months. To confirm Juvenil's impact on the gut microbiome, stool samples were collected from all children and the microbiome's composition was analyzed. This pilot study demonstrated that the gut microbiome of ASD children differed significantly from that of healthy controls and was converted by Juvenil supplementation toward a more neurotypical microbiome that positively modulated children's autism symptoms.