If you’re just starting to add supplements to Your Autism Game Plan, you might be confused by the multitude of products available. It’s challenging to know where to start and which supplements are safe.
Knowing which supplements are most commonly helpful for autistic children can get you started even before you meet with a functional medicine specialist. This can save you time and money.
What Are Supplements?
What exactly is a dietary supplement? The term “dietary supplement” is used to describe substances added to your diet to support your overall health. These supplements come in many forms:
- Pills (e.g. capsules, tablets, softgels)
- Chewables
- Powders
- Liquids
- Topical Treatments
These supplements may contain:
- Minerals
- Vitamins
- Herbs
- Fiber
- Enzymes
- Amino Acids
My Top 5 Best Supplements for Autism
Giving a few of these supplements a try before your initial appointment with a functional medicine provider can give you a head start. (Each of the five links below takes you to a Fullscript site where you can create an account and then purchase any of the five supplements.)
- Vitavescence: This multivitamin is made by Designs for Health. It has a good level of zinc and a fizzy, fruity taste that kids really enjoy.
- MegaSporeBiotic: This probiotic comes in capsule form. If your child has difficulty swallowing pills you can check out my video 3 Tips for Teaching Your Child How to Swallow Pills, or empty the capsule’s contents onto a spoon and mix it with applesauce.
- Liquid Melatonin: Liquid melatonin has a pleasant taste and it’s easy to adjust the dosage. This is a great feature since I often recommend starting your child out with a tiny dose.
- OmegAvail Smoothie: These tasty smoothies contain important fish oils. They’re great for brain health and inflammation and come in a variety of delicious flavors. OmegAvail Smoothies contain no sugar and can be taken alone or mixed into water or juice.
- Magnesium: Designs for Health’s magnesium powder has a mild taste and is easily mixed into any liquid. Magnesium can help with constipation, regulation, and sleep.
My Most Trusted Dietary Supplement Brands
Many supplements are universally safe for our kids and can be quite helpful with some of the challenges your autistic child faces. However, not all supplements are safe.
Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate dietary supplements I always recommend using brands that submit their products for third-party testing. During third-party testing, an outside lab runs tests to determine the supplement’s potency, purity, and consistency. They also check for contaminants. These third-party labs have no affiliation with the brands they are evaluating.
My most trusted dietary supplement brands are:
While it is possible to buy these supplements at a drug store or online, I always recommend purchasing the products directly from the companies that make them. When you buy online or at a drugstore there are a lot of unknowns. For supplements like fish oils and probiotics, storage procedures can affect the potency of the product. Additionally, when I’m recommending a specific brand of supplement I am recommending it because I’m confident in its consistency and contents.
If you’re thinking about dietary supplements for your autistic child, the products discussed here are very safe choices that can have big benefits. Even small changes to your child’s routine, like swapping out a drugstore multivitamin for a higher-quality multivitamin that doesn’t contain fillers and preservatives, can make a big difference.
You can find my curated list of safe, practitioner-grade supplements through Fullscript.
Tell Me More!
Learn how to make functional medicine a part of Your Autism Game Plan.
Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing a great job.
I hope this information has been helpful to you as part of creating Your Autism Game Plan.
Do you have a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email me at joya@yourautismgameplan.com
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