Vitamin D supplementation improved symptoms of autism in a recent trial.

Studies have shown an association between the risk of autism spectrum disorder and vitamin D insufficiency. In this latest study, 109 children with autism spectrum disorder were randomized to receive four months of vitamin D3 supplementation or a placebo.

"Autism symptoms-such as hyperactivity, social withdrawal, and others-improved significantly following vitamin D3 supplementation but not after receiving placebo," said Dr. Khaled Saad, lead author of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry study.

Article: Randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation in children with autism spectrum disorder, Khaled Saad, Ahmed A. Abdel-Rahman, Yasser M. Elserogy, Abdulrahman A. Al-Atram, Amira A. El-Houfey, Hisham A. K. Othman, Geir Bjørklund, Feiyong Jia, Mauricio A. Urbina, Mohamed Gamil M. Abo-Elela, Faisal-Alkhateeb Ahmad, Khaled A. Abd El-Baseer, Ahmed E. Ahmed, Ahmad M. Abdel-Salam, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12652, published online 21 November 2016.