Journal
RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
Volume 7, Issue 1, Pages 49-55Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2012.06.005
Keywords
Chelation; Autism spectrum disorders; Detoxification; Metal toxicity
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Chelation treatment is used to eliminate specific metals from the body, such as mercury. It has been hypothesized that mercury poisoning may be a factor in autism and data suggest that perhaps 7% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have received chelation treatment. It would therefore seem timely to review studies investigating the effects of chelation treatment for individuals with ASD. To this end, we conducted a systematic search to identify studies that have evaluated the effects of chelation on autism symptomatology. Our search identified five studies, which were analyzed in terms of (a) participant characteristics, (b) dependent variables, (c) study outcomes, and (d) certainty of evidence. Four of the five studies found mixed results and only one study reported positive results. However, given the significant methodological limitations of these studies, the research reviewed here does not support the use of chelation as a treatment for ASD. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available