This is a continuing series of blogs looking at OATS results and autism. The goal is to filter out items that are relevant to autism. The series is not intended to do a full explanation of the OATS test. The OATS test is not autism specific but general health (often IBS/FM/CFS focuses).

Remember that our knowledge is constantly changing (unfortunately most MDs knowledge of the literature is stale).

Panel A

Glutathione

In this test panel, we see that this it is well below the normal range.

the functional properties (such as galactose metabolism, glycosyltransferase activity, and glutathione metabolism) displayed significant differences between the ASD and HC groups. The current study provides evidence for the relationship between gut microbiota and ASD, with the findings suggesting that gut microbiota could contribute to symptomology.

Gut microbiota changes in patients with autism spectrum disorders [2020]

• The role of glutathione redox imbalance in autism spectrum disorder: A review [2020] “, the existing data provide a strong background on the role of the glutathione system in ASD pathogenesis. Future research is necessary to investigate the role of glutathione redox signaling in ASD, which could potentially also lead to promising therapeutics.”
• “N-acetylcysteine, which can be converted to glutathione” [2020] In prior post, NAC was found to help a subset.
• Does infectious fever relieve autistic behavior by releasing glutamine from skeletal muscles as provisional fuel? [2013]
  • ” If glutamine released by fever rarely aggravates autistic behavior, why would supplemental glutamine?” i.e. direct supplementation of glutamine is not suggested.

Methylation

In this test panel, we see that this it is well above the normal range. There is a lot of literature dealing with methylation, so I have selected two recent studies dealing with the DNA aspect.

• Phenotypic Subtyping and Re-Analysis of Existing Methylation Data from Autistic Probands in Simplex Families Reveal ASD Subtype-Associated Differentially Methylated Genes and Biological Functions [2020]
  • “We demonstrate that subphenotyping of cases enables the identification of over 1.6 times the number of statistically significant differentially methylated regions (DMR) and DMR-associated genes (DAGs) between cases and controls,” This has a DNA dimension
• “it has been recently highlighted that glutathione can affect and modulate DNA methylation and epigenetics. ” [2020] – see above

Ammonia

This person is low in Ammonia Excess. The literature suggests level may depend on subset:

• Dysregulated amino acid metabolism, high ammonia and oxidative stress were prevalent among autistic children and should be considered in autism management [2020]
•  Twenty-eight (38%) cases were positive for H. pylori antigen in their stool with significant higher serum ammonia and lower adenosine deaminase than in H. pylori-negative autistic children.  [2019]
• “when concentrations of fecal acetic, butyric, isobutyric, valeric, isovaleric and caproic acids were measured, all were significantly higher in children with ASD compared with controls except for caproic acid. The concentration of fecal ammonia was also significantly greater in ASD participants than controls “[2012]

Aspartame, Salicylates and 2-Hydroxyhippuric returned no results.

Panel B

Summary of searches on PubMed for Autism with:

• 2-Hydroxyisovaleric – nothing
• 2-Oxoisovaleric – nothing
• 3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric – nothing
• 2-Hydroxyisocaproic – nothing
• 2-Oxoisocaproic – nothing
• 2-Oxo-4-methiolbutyric (Nothing found on this chemical on PubMed!!)
• Mandelic – nothing
• Phenyllactic and Phenylpyruvic – one research article on rats
  • “potentially explaining the origin of trans-indolylacryloylglycine, a postulated marker for autism.” [2012]
  • A low level could suggest “differences in the gut microbially‐mediated metabolism of phenylalanine”
• Homogentisic – nothing
• 4-Hydroxyphenyllactic – nothing
• N-Acetylaspartic – nothing
• Malonic – high levels seen at birth has increased risk of autism [2017]
• 4-Hydroxybutyric – nothing

Phosphoric has some 43 search hits for phosphorus. The most significant items are below

• “There was a significant correlation of levels of phosphorus and sulfur in the children with ASD” [2020] Higher –> Autism
• Several articles cited the importance of phosphorus for Vitamin D

Section Summary

None of the lab’s measurement here are relevant to autism. They may be relevant to other health issue.

Bottom Line

We see that DNA is involved with the possibility of altering its behavior with supplements and/or microbiome alteration.