As Britain tussles with the prospect of ever more young people finding themselves incapable of work, we are thrilled to be able to present you an exclusive guest feature by Patrick Holford, a world-renowned nutritionist, author of 46 books, and long-time friend and associate of ANH. Over 40 years ago, in 1984, Patrick founded the Institute for Optimum Nutrition that has been one of the most important educators in the field of nutritional therapy in the UK. He’s also the Founder and Chair of the Food for the Brain Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and acts in a voluntary capacity as director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Project.

In this article, Patrick highlights the alarming rise in mental health and 'neurodivergence' issues among young people, typically characterised by high levels of anxiety, sadness, low self-esteem, and feelings of hopelessness. Along with an unprecedented increase in the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), it is clear the mainstream approaches are not capable of managing this growing throughput. Find out below more about Patrick's thoughts on how we might navigate this growing challenge that threatens the very viability of modern society.

By Patrick Holford BSc, DipION, FBANT, NTCRP

This significant escalation in mental health issues among young people requires action, which is why the Food for Brain Foundation has created the Smart Kids & Teens COGNITION Programme and are launching it alongside their optimising neurodivergence campaign.


“Food is better medicine than drugs.”

- Patrick Holford, BSc, DipION, FBANT, NTCRP

Listen to the audible version of the article

In 1965 a UK paediatrician, Dr Richard Smithells, discovered that children with low folate were at much higher risk of neural tube defects, called spina bifida at the time. It took more than 25 years for his research to be taken seriously. It wasn’t until the late 80’s that the Medical Research Council agreed to fund a study, published in 1990. In 1991 the UK government told all women who were pregnant or planning pregnancy, to supplement 400mcg of folic acid.

The reason folic acid reduced risk was because it improved ‘methylation’ measured by lowering homocysteine. The process of methylation is vital for neuronal development and it depends not only on folate, but also on vitamin B6 and B12. Nine in ten obese women in the EU fail to achieve basic guidelines for folic acid supplementation in early and pre-pregnancy which would help to prevent such tragic neurodevelopmental problems.

More than half of all children, and probably their parents, are deficient in B12. Deficiency is defined as having insufficient B12 for optimal brain development. Accelerated brain shrinkage occurs below 500pg/ml, as established by Professor David Smith’s research at Oxford University more than a decade ago. This is why several countries, such as Japan, set the ‘normal’ range for serum B12 as above 500pg/ml. Despite clear evidence to the contrary over the past decade, both UK and US health authorities have failed to correct the wrongful reference range for vitamin B12, set at less than half this, namely 180pg/ml.

A recent study of 3,000 EU children reported that the median level was 347pg/ml and one third were below 200pg/ml. This means that at least half of the children were deficient, as in the brain shrinking zone. Deficiency is more prevalent in vegan children.

Poor methylation, identified by raised homocysteine, isn’t just an established risk factor or biomarker for neural tube defects. It is also a biomarker for autism, poor cognition in children, epilepsy, congenital heart defects, reduced birth weight and size, pregnancy complications, miscarriages, bipolar, depression and schizophrenia. Methylation is required to ‘marry’ omega-3 DHA to phospholipids such as phosphatidyl choline, to make neuronal membranes through which all brain communication occurs. Without healthy, fully functional neuronal membranes, cognition becomes ‘disconnected’.

The Bristol Avon study of 11,875 pregnant women showed a clear relationship between the amount of seafood consumed by a pregnant woman and their child’s development. The less seafood consumed, the worse the child’s social behaviour, fine motor skills, communication and social development, and verbal IQ.

At the Chelsea and Westminster campus of Imperial College London, Professor Michael Crawford’s team at the Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, has identified which mothers are likely to have neurodevelopmentally impaired infants based on their blood level of a type of oleic acid which is produced as a substitute when insufficient omega-3 DHA is available to build the foetal brain. DHA is also vital for vision.

Insufficient choline, a primary constituent of phospholipids, during pregnancy is strongly linked to poor cognition. Women given choline in the last trimester have infants with faster speed of processing information and memory at 4 to 13 months. The protective intake, 400mg, has also been shown to cut the risk for cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s by about 20%. So, lack of folate, B12, omega-3 fats and possibly choline are all extremely common and all strongly linked to many aspects of neurodivergence, including autism.

The culturally ‘acceptable’, view is that neurodivergence can’t be ‘treated’ – that the challenging symptoms experienced by those classified as neurodivergent or autistic (for example, cognitive and communication problems, anxiety and depression) can never be improved, despite clear evidence to the contrary. It is believed by some that autism, since it sometimes occurs within families, might be largely ‘in the genes’, as it was for Alzheimer’s. But families share environments, including habits from diet, smoking and drinking. We now know that genes cause less than one in a hundred cases of Alzheimer’s. Also, the gene hypothesis can neither explain the increased number of diagnosed children nor does it accept the simple fact that genes can only exert their effects across our biology - which is directly affected by nutrition.

That is not to say that genes don’t play a part in neurodivergence. There are several known genetic polymorphisms that do increase risk of neurodivergence such as a key methylation gene polymorphism, MTHFR677TT, which means that a person is less good at methylation, and needs more B vitamins. If present in the mother or child it almost doubles the risk of autism. A recent meta-analysis concludes “For those mothers and children who are generally susceptible to autism, prenatal folate and vitamin B12 may reduce the risk that children suffer from autism.” (see also here and here) This is the same gene polymorphism that increases risk of Alzheimer’s.

Associate Professor Murphy’s research in Spain (see also here) found that those women who had a homocysteine level above 9mcmol/l, which is not uncommon (ideal is below 7), strongly predicted neurodivergent problems in their children at 4 months and again at 6 years of age, including an increased risk of autism, with children more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, social problems and aggressive behaviour.

Neurodivergence, which includes autism, is an extremely broad conceptualisation which currently encompasses so many children. There are many potential contributors including gut-brain problems, neuro-inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, toxic excesses, microbe infections including mould, food and other allergies, smartphone over-use, psychological and social issues, as well as genes. Every child needs a full assessment of these potential contributory factors. Individual assessment is required, with nutrition being one of the key factors to address.

As Dr Rona Tutt, OBE, past President of the National Association of Head Teachers, an expert in special needs and on the Food for the Brain Foundation's board of Trustee’s says:

“People come in assorted shapes and sizes with brains that are unique.  A significant minority who are neurodivergent, need to be recognised, valued and supported, so they can maximise their strengths and overcome their challenges. We need to understand what is driving this increase in neurodivergence and how to best support and optimise a child’s potential.”

The goal, in launching COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens, is to help children, and parents, be the best they can be. Children are our future and already the system is struggling to cope with one in six children classified with special educational needs. Ignoring the undeniable evidence linking the widespread lack of B vitamins and omega-3 fats, driving faulty methylation, and neurodivergence, must be a starting point. Ignoring or opposing this imperative is no different to what happened to Dr Smithell’s research on folic acid and neural tube defects. Initially, they said it wasn’t true and wasn’t important. Twenty five years later, to the cost of many thousands of children, it was finally recognised as both true and very important. I hope we do not have to wait as long for the role of nutrition in neurodivergence to be taken seriously. What we are campaigning for is widespread social awareness, along with governmental acceptance. The purpose of COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens is to give parents a direct way to assess their child and identify simple and doable ways to help them reach their full potential for health and happiness.

Visit foodforthebrain.org/smartkids to find out more about the campaign which launches on April 24th with both a conference for health professionals, and public webinar for parents and the launch of the free on-line COGNITION for Smart Kids and Teens – an assessment with personalised advice as to how to help children reach their full potential.

 

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