Mohammad Reza Amini - Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Sheikhhossein - Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
Sakineh Shab-Bidar - Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders defined as an abnormal development of cognitive, social, and communicative skills. Irritability and hyperactivity are common in children with ASD. Vitamin D is an active neurosteroid and along with omega-3 fatty acids plays crucial neuroprotective roles in the developing brain. They have vital roles in cell proliferation and differentiation, immunomodulation, regulation of neurotransmission and steroidogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin D co-supplementation in the treatment of Core Symptoms of ASD in Children. Methods: We studied the existing literature on omega-3, vitamin D, social responsiveness scale (SRS), sensory processing measure (SPM), irritability, hyperactivity and potential neurobiological mechanisms associating prenatal vitamin D deficiency with autism. Results: Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and early childhood can consider as an environmental trigger for ASD. An increasing number of evidence shows the possibility vitamin D deficiency in gestational and early childhood [25(OH)D < 40 ng/ml] may cause some cases of autism. Specialists might consider treating autism with 300 IU/kg/day, and try to prevent autism by supplementing pregnant and women during lactation (5000 IU/day) and infants and young children (150 IU/kg/day) testing 25(OH)D levels every 3 months. Otherwise, literature review demonstrate that ω-3 FA supplementation does not improve the performance of children with ASD. Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation seems to have beneficial effects on ASD and in contrast ω-3 FA supplementation does not enhance the performance of children with ASD.

Autism, omega-3, vitamin D deficiency, omega-3 supplementation, vitamin D supplementation