Evidence or no evidence for essential fatty acids in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders?

Rouzha Zlatanova Pancheva; Silviya Nikolova; Asena Serbezova; Krassimira Zaykova; Desislava Zhelyazkova; Lubomir Dimitrov

doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1251083

Evidence or no evidence for essential fatty acids in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders?

Front Nutr. 2023 Aug 31:10:1251083. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1251083. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Rouzha Zlatanova Pancheva¹, Silviya Nikolova², Asena Serbezova³, Krassimira Zaykova⁴, Desislava Zhelyazkova⁴, Lubomir Dimitrov¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Varna "Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov", Varna, Bulgaria.
² Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Varna "Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov", Varna, Bulgaria.
³ Department of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.
⁴ Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Varna "Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov", Varna, Bulgaria.

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect social communication, behavior, and sensory processing, in which PUFAs are considered important. This mini-review article aims to investigate the current evidence regarding the use of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The study examines various research studies, related to EFAs, their benefits, and their role in ASD treatment. The article focuses on exploring the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of EFAs on ASDs, including their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Furthermore, the study discusses limitations and challenges associated with the use of EFAs in ASD treatment, including variability in dosage and duration of treatment. The results of this review indicate that while some studies suggest a positive effect of EFAs on ASD symptoms, there is currently insufficient evidence to support their routine use as a stand-alone treatment for ASD. The need for further research to better understand the potential benefits and limitations of EFAs in ASD treatment is highlighted.

Keywords: autism; child; essential fatty acids; intervention; supplementation.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the European Union-NextGenerationEU, through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria, project No. BG-RRP-2.004-0009-C02.