Questions and facts
I first thought naloxone and naltrexone might work, but at smalldoses, they only block one of the three opioid receptors, the mureceptors. To hit all three requires a huge amount of the drug. Thisis probably why the naltrexone studies have been sodisappointing.The three opioid receptors are mu, delta, and kappa.
The benefit of low dose naltrexone would be to increase the body’sown endorphins. There are a number of things that increase thebody’s own endorphins that may be beneficial with autism: music,melatonin, exercise, and sun or UV light.
Milk or casomorphin works on the mu receptor. This receptor isresponsible for the pupils constricting, respiratory depression,pain control, and euphoria. The other part that a lot of you havedescribed interests me as well and that concerns the gut and skin.The mu receptor is responsible for constipation and increasedintestinal mucus. This may be why some of you have seen this clearup with a CF diet. Also, the mu receptor is responsible for itchingand a rash as it increases the body’s histamine levels. I am not sosure casein’s effects are just limited to autistics because milkcauses my intestines to revolt as well. I suspect a lot of lactoseintolerance is really casein intolerance.
Wheat or wheat exorphins stimulates the delta receptor. Thisreceptor also has pain and euphoria properties, but the deltareceptor has been linked to seizure disorders and urinary retention.The fact that your child is having to urinate more quickly andfrequently may be a sign the wheat exorphins in his body or goingaway. Almost all schizophrenics have seizures, and it has beensuggested that the cause for schizophrenia is due to gluten.
Now I have some questions:
1. Spinach has also been found to have delta stimulating exorphins.Are you all restricting spinach as well?
2. Caffeine may increase the potency of wheat and dairy exorphinsand children may ask for these as well. Have any of you had childrengo for Coke products, tea, or coffee?
3. The mechanism for eating seems to be disrupted in autistics.Studies show autistics have lower endorphin levels while obesepeople have higher ones. Does anybody out there have any fat oroverweight autistics?
4. Dark GF CF chocolate causes a release of endorphins from thebrain, and it may be benefical in autistics. Anybody had anyexperience with this?
5. Chile peppers including jalapenos also release endorphins.Anybody have a kid who goes for the hot stuff? If so, what does itdo?
This post tagged as: gluten and chocolate, wheat gluten is, uses of wheat gluten
Edythe Motl said,
Wrote on January 25, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
My 43 yo autistic son always ate everything. When he was little he worehusky size boys’ clothes. He stayed heavy on a gfcf diet. It turned out he hadmany food allergies which we now avoid. Before we started chelation a coupleof years ago he weighed 240 lbs at his heaviest. Now he weighs 165 orthereabouts. He is 6′3″.
Clark Likins said,
Wrote on January 26, 2007 @ 1:43 am
Were the foods and substances tested for with allergytesting? Did he have a skin test or blood test to determine allergies,or did you just restrict foods that seem to cause him problems?I appreciate your response.
Travis Lepinski said,
Wrote on January 27, 2007 @ 9:34 am
my son is 60 pounds and very chuncky he looks odd around most kids in his classwho are all autistic and skinny. we have been on the diet 3.5 mos and garretthas not lost any weight. His Dan dactor is checking his thyroid and cholesterolon the next visit. However, given the chance garrett would die for mt. dew. Hecant have it any more due to the sugar but he has sipps occationally.
Winfred Berno said,
Wrote on January 28, 2007 @ 4:04 am
1. Spinach has also been found to have delta stimulating exorphins.Are you all restricting spinach as well?
- I don’t understand what delta stimulating exophin is, but my sonwon’t even eat it. I do, but only in small amounts and virtuallyalwasy steamed. I can’t stand how it affects my teeth. It’s not a badidea to restict this and go organic on it either. It has one of thehigher pesticide residues of all veggies.
2. Caffeine may increase the potency of wheat and dairy exorphinsand children may ask for these as well. Have any of you had childrengo for Coke products, tea, or coffee?
- I don’t mean to sound harsh, but children should not be having ANYof these things and I see parents mainline this stuff AND sugars intotheir chlidren and it is no better than feeding an alcoholic coughsyrup. Addiction is a primary hazard with type A blood, autistics andADD, be is sugars, caffiene, nicotine, alcohol or phenols. I bet ifyou took a poll of all the folks in Starbucks or at an AA meeting,2/3 of them will qualify as having ADD or Aspergers.
3. The mechanism for eating seems to be disrupted in autistics.Studies show autistics have lower endorphin levels while obesepeople have higher ones. Does anybody out there have any fat oroverweight autistics?
- I have a thin one (boy) and his father is Aspergers (also thin anda marathoner). I have encountered many fat ones though, mostly girls.The ADD’s I have encountered are more often thin, especially if theyar HD as well.
4. Dark GF CF chocolate causes a release of endorphins from thebrain, and it may be benefical in autistics. Anybody had anyexperience with this?
- To answer your question, I have not noticed anything, but thenagain I haven’t allowed it in my son’s diet for allergy reasons. Thatbeing said. About 15 years ago a vegetarian told me “Chocolate is oneof the wost things you can put into your body” and it has taken methat long to figure out why. As of this fall, we don’t touchchocolate for several reasons. I recently read chocolate cravings areoften an indicator of a magnesium deficiency, though. I have hadsreious cravings in the past but since I have been using propersupplements my craving do not exist. All chocolate in the US is madewith soy lecithin. PERIOD. It’s cheaper than the other lecithin. Weare the largest producer of soy in the world now as it is one of ourtop four GMO crops (along with cotton (cotton seed oil), canola andcorn). I don’t touch soy products (except occasionally GF organic soysauce), which is near impossible OR anything GMO. People should notbe consuming soy like it’s a valid food group, especially youngchildren. And there are now several generations of children who haveentered puberty prematurely (girls) or face infertility (boys)because of its estrogen mimicking effects. It is the fasted risingallergy in the US, most likely because it is also GMO and thesefranken foods are associated with gut issues, allergies and geneticmutations and all kinds of other fun stuff. Also, it has residues ofthe pesticide Lindane, a highly toxic suspected endocrine disruptor.Sorry… Everything goes back to the same few sources of grief withme ; )
5. Chile peppers including jalapenos also release endorphins.Anybody have a kid who goes for the hot stuff? If so, what does itdo?
- I think like any sensory integration issue, this food preference isalso a matter of extremes, aside form any physiological drive. My ex-husband (Aspergers) loves wasabi, chili, tomatoes, potatoes andanything with tabasco on it. My son (PDD) does not, nor do I (ADD).We can’t stand hot, but we like ginger. All of these are high phenoltoo. My ex has an alcohol addiction he isn’t even aware of. He usedto tell me it allows his mind to slow down.
Winfred Berno said,
Wrote on January 28, 2007 @ 6:30 am
3. The mechanism for eating seems to be disrupted in autistics.
- I also read recently that a zinc deficiency can affect the desireto eat, meaning those who have it, do not want to eat as much. I knowof one mon who struggles to get her Asperger’s son to eat. He has nothad any dietary interventiosn performed yet, but I’m coaching her onit.
Virgen Kretzer said,
Wrote on January 29, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
I know of one lil girl. My lil guy is turning 6 in December and he just hitthe 40 mark, however, he is also very tall. He is 47 inches. The lil girlis 75 pounds and is turning 6 also. I know her mom watches what she eatsand had her checked out for William Pradi syndrome (SP).