Acetyl L-Carnitine, Iodarol, and and Exciting New Study

I Love this Picture!!!

Acetyl L-Carninitne is an amino acid that has neuroprotective properties. It is part of the vitamin therapy blend we have used for Lucas, but it wasn't until today that I learned this amino acid has some impressive research behind it - and the measly 12.5 mg in the vitamin therapy blend is woefully inadequate.

Acetyl L-Carnitine effectively does 3 things: breaks the blood brain barrier to positively affect levels of acetylcholine (essential neurotransmitter), keeps the mitochondria functioning optimally, and last but certainly not least, actually regenerates neurons damaged from free radicals and oxidative stress.

There is a ton of research going on - even in traditional places of science such as the University of California at Berkeley - that is showing because this amino acid is so effective at reducing oxidative stress and transporting fatty acids to the mitochondria, it can slow and even reverse signs of the aging brain. Further, it has been found to delay onset and slow progression of Alzheimer's.

Ironically, the area of the brain most closely studied for it's response to Acetyl L-Carnitine is the hippocampus - the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory, the part of the brain that atrophies from Alzheimer's, and the part of the brain notoriously inadequate in children with DS.

If you google Acetyl L-Carnitine and Alzheimers (or Down Syndrome) you will find many articles and studies promoting the neuro benefit of this amino acid along with theories that are truly hopeful and natural.

I also wish to pass along a study I was made aware of today, Published December 12, 2011.

The title is : Effect of  Vitamin / Mineral Supplements on children and Adults with Autism
To my knowledge (please correct me if I am wrong, I gather as many as I can find) this is the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study which shows statistical significance at the P<.05 level. Areas measured were: Hyperactivity, Tantrumming, Overall function, Receptive Language, and Parent Global Impressions.

It is extremely exciting to have to the highly sought after double-blind study show statistical significance, but it is equally as frustrating to know that all of the research that has gone into these protocols was done for the Down Syndrome Community. When you look at things like methylation, sulfation, detoxification, it doesn't matter whether the ineffectiveness is a result of a chromosomal abnormality or not, the needs must be identified and met.

PDF of full article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2431-11-111.pdf

Iodarol is a naturally occurring iodine supplement. Traditionally, TSH has been the deciding factor in treating the thyroid in our children. I have written before that many schools of thought have different thresh holds for introducing treatment. Traditional medicine may wait until the TSH is near 10. Naturopathic practitioners will take a more conservative stance and treat over 5. Current Research indicates that ANY TSH level over 2.5 must be treated in our children. Lucas began Armour Thyroid (the natural dessicated hormone) several months ago and his TSH is a very normal 1.5. Upon further blood analysis there is still a fair amount of thyroid inflammation. This would have gone undetected had we not specifically looked for it, and the answer is simply iodine. I was certainly surprised to know that TSH, T4, Free T4 and T3 can all be within range, but symptoms still present because of inflammation. This is the one area I wish I could do over. I would certainly have treated Lucas's thyroid from birth - I wonder how much farther along with speech we would be!