Immunodeficiency, Gastrointestinal Candidiasis, Wheat and Dairy Sensitivity, Abnormal Urine Arabinose, and Autism: A Case Study

Abstract

A child with autism was found to have complete IgA deficiency (serum IgA <6 mg/dL; normal 33-235 mg/dL), Candidiasis of the gastrointestinal tract based on evaluation of stool testing and elevated urine arabinose, and elevated serum antibodies to wheat and dairy products. The pretreatment urinary arabinose concentration (341 mmol/mol creatinine in this child was nearly six times the mean value (60.4 mmol/mol creatinine, n=20) of normal children and over ten times the median value (31.0 mmol/mol creatinine) of normal controls. After antifungal therapy for four months, the urine was retested. At that time the urine arabinose was measured at 51 mmol/mol creatinine, a value only 15% of the baseline sample. Restriction of wheat and dairy products from the diet and antifungal therapy led to a significant decrease in autistic behaviors and increased rate of learning. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), an observational measure of various aspects of autism, for the child has decreased from a rating of 43 (severely autistic) prior to introduction of these therapies to a value of 29 (nonautistic) after therapy.

The impact of a competitive event and the efficacy of a lactic acid bacteria-fermented soymilk extract on the gut microbiota and urinary metabolites of endurance athletes: An open-label pilot study

“…Before LEX ingestion, the arabinose concentration (48.25 mmol/mol Cr on mean) is considerably higher than the reference range. Arabinose is a marker for Candida species (yeast), and increasing arabinose levels in urine correlate with yeast overgrowth [ 24 ]. After ingestion of LEX, urinary arabinose levels significantly decreased.…”

Could Candida Overgrowth Be Involved in the Pathophysiology of Autism?

“…Unfortunately, although the abundance of the fungal genus Candida sp. was greater in autistic children than neurotypical subjects, the statistical differences in most studies were not significant [46,55,57,58,60,62] or researchers did not provide this data [56,61]. Furthermore, the methodology and degree of detection of Candida sp.…”

“…Candida sp. growing in the gut release many metabolites, such as arabinose [56,71], D-arabinitol [72,73], and tartaric acid [71], which are thought to contribute to autistic behaviors. Unfortunately, the association of urinary arabinose as a biomarker of intestinal yeast overgrowth is questionable.…”