Why Jenny McCarthy Is Using Threelac Probiotics In Her Son's Battle Of Autism

Executive Image International
10/18/09
Tags: autism, probiotics, threelac, jenny mccarthy, digestive system

Autism and Threelac Probiotics

Recent hype from Jenny McCarthy’s new book Mother Warriors : A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds has given a lot of curative credit to probiotics in the battle against autism. While it’s promising and encouraging to hear a successful story of reform and improvement coming from a natural source, one might wonder what probiotics, like Threelac, that encourage intestinal and digestive system support have to do with improving autism, a brain development disorder. With reports estimating that 1 in 150 children has autism, it’s no surprise that parents are getting desperate for answers.

Studies have shown that it is common for children diagnosed with autism to also suffer from increased gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. In fact, eating behaviors and GI symptoms are common diagnostic indicators. Studies have shown that children with late-on set autism have more clostridia in their gut then children without autism. Clostridium is a class of bacteria that contains some species that are detrimental to human health (food poisoning, pseudomembranous colitis (colon infection) and gangrene). The presence of this bacterium in the gut of autistic children led to researchers exploring the use of probiotics in improving mood, concentration and behavior in autistic children.

What are probiotics?

The word probiotic means “for life.” Probiotic supplements contain many live microorganisms that help promote healthy and digestion in the host. These live microorganisms are already naturally occurring in the digestion tract, but can be overshadowed by bad bacteria. Overgrowth occurs and problems start when the good bacteria are eliminated from the system. Commonly, this occurs after antibiotic use. McCarthy blames vaccinations and immunization as part, if not the entire cause, for her son’s autism. The method of probiotics involves reestablishing good bacteria into the body for a more regular digestive system. Some foods naturally contain these live cultures, like yogurt. Currently, research is being expanded to determine if there is more benefit to gain from the live microorganism. Research is showing that these probiotics help to stop the production of pathogens and toxins, which may be beneficial for supporting various other diseases and illnesses.

One study done to determine what the correlation between probiotics and autism ended up being incomplete and inconclusive due to the success of the probiotics. In the study, parents were told to keep a diary of their child’s mood and behavior. One group in the study was given a powder form probiotic, like Threelac, and the other group was giving a placebo. The parents of the children that were given the probiotic noticed great improvement in their children and were able to determine that they were actually on the probiotic and not the placebo. This skewed the results as parents dropped out the studies due to refusal to switch their children off the probiotics. Parents were quoted saying that it was “heartbreaking” to take away the probiotics and have them return to their old behaviors.

While research has yet to find an exact reason why probiotics has such an impact on behavior and mood in children with autism, it has at least gained enough attention that parents are trying probiotics and like McCarthy, they are finding results. Some theorize that when your body feels good, you feel good, but some parents of autistic children would venture to say it’s much more than that.

Jenny McCarthy didn’t stop at just probiotic supplements in her son’s recovery, but also implemented a gluten-free, vitamin supplementation, metal detox, various other medical treatments and speech therapy. To return her son to a more calm and relaxed state so he could focus and participate in different therapies, McCarthy relied on the balancing and stabilizing power of her son’s natural digestive system.

These new insights into gastrointestinal health and autism are creating a stir with parents of autistic children. There are many websites dedicated to offering information about various other alternative and natural treatments, as well as offering a place for parents to discuss their trails and successes. With media exposure and an awareness that this disorder is growing in numbers, it is important to join a community of hope, dreams and support.

More information can be found at the following sites: