What is the deal with the GFCF diet?

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What is the deal with the GFCF (gluten-free/casein free) diet? One of the first books for autistic women I found, the author went on and on and ON about how great it is, and how it helps her cope better with society, etc. It also seems to pop up in a lot of the books for parents of autistic kids trying to "cure" them.

I know that GI issues seem to be fairly common with ASD, and, maybe the diet helps with that, but I can't see how, scientifically, the diet could affect brain wiring. I mean, I know people probably do a lot better physically and mentally if they're eating a healthy diet. But this diet looks unnecessarily restrictive.

I think it's mostly pseudoscience.
The diet isn't totally unjustified though, because we eat the same protein sources every day and on long term, it's well known to sensitize (for example, rice allergy is common in China, simply because of how much rice the Chinese eat). It would be much more reasonable in that regard to decrease wheat and milk consumption rather than completely exclude it. Exclusion is justified only for allergies, intolerance and severe related health problems (for religious and ethical issues too, of course, but it's a different story). Not "I read on a magazine that...".

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/sto ... utism.aspx

The findings from a study conducted by researchers at University of Rochester Medical Center have essentially found that putting autistic children on a GFCF diet did not improve the children's mood or behavior, bowl or bladder patterns, or sleep cycles. Personally, I have relatives that tried the diet on my nonverbal autistic cousin when he was younger, and it did not have any sort of affect on him whatsoever. It's more or less a personal decision on as to whether or not one wishes to eat GFCF. I am not sure if similar studies such as the URMC one have been conducted on adults.

From what has been published it really affects people with leaky gut syndrome. Or some autoimmune hiccups.

My son and I are already on special diets.
1) dairy restrictions for milks allergy*me/lactose intolerance *mum, & my kids
2) also latex allergy that spread to foods
2) Iron restrictions (reduced iron and binders) for our blood disorder
3) Migraine diet (the most restrictive with almost immediate relief) which avoid nitrates/nitrites/tryamines and stimulants like caffeine
heh if we go on the gluten diet the only things we could eat would be eggs, chicken, and apples, fish, califlower, lettuce, pumpkin and carrots. Our diet gets stale already.

I personally view it as just a fad hope for insta cure. I already faced early for my son would be like the cure was for my own 'affliction' and my dyslexia... time and therapy; teaching my brain to translate the world

But I bet it is a slimming diet if one can stick to it. Grain based things are the most fattening (bread beer,cornsyrup, what have you) after all My hip hugging treats are all I have left to make my food desert fertile

Gluten-free diets don't make lose weight at all. If you don't choose only whole grains, it's full of white rice, potatoes and corn, with record high glycemic index. It can be really unhealthy. Added sugar and fats are everywhere too. Avoiding those products is a challenge. Even more as many whole grains are from the wheat family, with toxic gluten, so they're forbidden.

Peach, I think it was "Aunt Aspie's Guide To Life", by Rudy Simone. I might be wrong.

The empirical evidence shows that the avoidance of the gluten protein carries no plausible benefit for nearly all healthy people, the exceptions being those very few unfortunates who actually have one of the three basic types of gluten sensitivity (celiac disease, wheat allergies, and gluten sensitive idiopathic neuropathy).

However, the anecdotal 'evidence' carries more weight simply because it promises so much more than dry facts an boring statistics, and it makes those promises with all the panache of a carnival huckster on opening day.

"Lose fat! Look younger! Feel great! Avoid cancer! End Diabetes! Cure Heart Disease! Eliminate Impotence! Halt Parkinson’s! Reverse Alzheimers! Be smarter! Be Sexier!"

All you have to do is start a gluten-free diet, and all of your wishes will come true.

Really?

The gluten-free diet is necessary for treating celiac disease. People with celiac disease who eat a gluten-free diet experience fewer symptoms and complications of the disease. People with celiac disease must eat a strictly gluten-free diet and must remain on the diet for the remainder of their lives. In some severe cases, a gluten-free diet alone can't stop the symptoms and complications of celiac disease, and additional treatment is needed.

HOWEVER ...

People who follow a gluten-free diet risk having low levels of certain vitamins and nutrients in their diets; specifically, these key nutrients: Iron, Calcium, Fiber, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Folate.

So yes, a gluten-free diet may benefit those few who need to treat celiac disease; but if you don't have this one specific ailment, then you risk anemia, rickets, osteoporosis, constipation, stunted growth, contact dermatitis, mouth sores, fatigue, muscular weakness, headaches, heart palpitations, irritability, and behavioral disorders.

Pass the spaghetti, please!