Pilot Study of the Effect of Methyl B12 Treatment on Behavioral and Biomarker Measures in Children with Autism

Abstract Objectives: The study objectives were to determine whether methyl B12 treatment improves behavioral measures in children with autism and whether improvement is associated with increased plasma concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and an increased redox ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), both of which have been previously identified to be low in children with autism. Design: This was a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial of injectable methyl B12. Following this 12-week study, subjects were given the option of entering a 6-month open-label trial of methyl B12. Settings/location: All procedures took place at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute. Subjects: Subjects were 3 to 8 years old with autism. Interventions: All subjects received 6 weeks of placebo and 6 weeks of methyl B12 at a dose of 64.5 mcg/kg every three days administered subcutaneously into the buttocks. Outcome measures: Blood for GSH analysis and behavioral assessments were obtai...