Negative Effects of a Gluten Free Diet in Autistics

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Anyone here been on a gluten free diet, and experienced changes in their autistic traits? If so, did you lose any of your positive traits, such as being able to intensely focus on things you're interested in? Being able to come up with unusual (but effective) solutions to problems? ect.
Or know someone else who has had this experience with a gluten free diet?

I'm gluten free and didn't find that I had a lack of focus, but I did find that I get horrible, uncontrollable cravings for sugary foods which I hate. It did seem to make me less anxious all the time though. Have considered going back onto gluten quite a few times, but it gives me stomach cramps

X2. Been Primal 3 years and it's resolved a LOT of stressors for me. I only have to eat once or twice a day now, I don't get cravings much - and that alone seems like a miracle. It also cured my arthritis, my gastric reflux, my sleep apnea, my seasonal allergies, my gas and cramping and constipation, my zits and boils, and about 50 pounds of body fat! So my life is tons better now and thus any aspie traits are less pronounced.

Except for one thing. I'm excessively bouncy and cheerful a lot of the time. It grates. And I can't stop singing out loud, either. I'm too happy. I used to just be a gloom cloud, but now I don't know which is worse!

For me, it's been difficult to tell. My gluten-intolerance became more pronounced about a year ago, along with several other health issues, around the same time I realized I had Asperger's, and experienced a difficult break-up.

I definitely feel less focused, less passionate/motivated, less organized/detailed, but I'm not sure if I can blame that on gluten-avoidance...

Conversely, I see my negative Aspie traits now more than ever, but that could be simply because I'm more aware of them. However, I have noticed that on occasions when I do eat gluten, I tend to have a gradual crash. First bowel discomfort (immediate), then lethargy/mild depression/irritability (usually next day), and constipation (next couple of days).

Jaak Panksepp theorized that an autism-related intestinal disorder may cause gluten and casein to convert to opioid peptides called gluteomorphin and casomorphin, which dull the senses. The child tries to compensate for this loss by exhibiting autistic behaviour such as screaming, spinning, rocking, self-injury, etc. I'm not a doctor, but perhaps gluten-avoidance reduces autistic tendencies while making sensory overload worse....? That's my best guess.

I had the feeling that it didn't helped much and I tryed it twice or three times. Can't remember. But I'm milk free, but I've lactose intolerance.

I've been primal for about 2 years. It has helped my asthma, but I haven't noticed any other changes.

I have dropped gluten and casein and noticed positive changes, though they aren't earth-shattering. I feel a bit more alert and able to concentrate than when I had gluten and milk in my diet, and it has removed the sleepiness I sometimes used to feel after meals. I had already removed white bread products from my diet as I noticed they caused me discomfort and increased mental cloudiness some years ago.

I haven't noticed any changes to things like focus or response to sensory stimuli, or anything really autism-specific - for me the only change is being a bit less "foggy".

Why don't you give it a try? In the unlikely event that you don't like the result (I think the likelihood is either that you'll notice no change at all, or some positive change in a small or significant way), you can just begin eating it again!

I dropped gluten, but I am actually allergic to it. So ya there was an improvement...

Because I already have a very limited diet, and when I was on the diet for a few weeks a while ago, (I can't tell if there was any "improvement", because I was on high doses of certain victims which are supposed to 'help' autistics, and I had just started at a new school which caused me a lot of stress) I just ended up not eating because there wasn't much I could eat (There's only so much of the gluten free things I eat, which I can eat without feeling ill, since they cause me slight sensory discomfort).
Also, even though I didn't notice any 'improvement' in my autistics traits (I mimic those around me, and the school I was at was for Aspies, so eliminating gluten could have 'helped' me, but I was acting more autistic because of those around me), when I started eating gluten again, I fell into a really bad bout of depression. I know that the depression probably had something to do with the school, or the vitamins, but what if? I'm really afraid of feeling like that again.

I'm also not very good at noticing changes, so I may start losing positive traits I have without realising.


Thanks for your posts everyone .

I also tried for some weeks. According to my Asperger, there wasnt a big difference, but my digestion became much better. Because its a bit complicated to eat gluten free, and it brought me nothing with my asperger issues, i am now careful for gluten, but dont avoid them generally. So I dont eat pizza or other stuff anymore where lots of gluten is in eat, to avoid my digestive problems, but when I eat in restaurant and have a steak with vegetable and some sauce on it, that was dickened with flour its ok and I dont get a hurting stomach from that little amount of gluten. I also learned that specially big amounts of white flour are a problem for me, while whole grain flour does trouble me less.

I'm not 100% Gluten free but I stopped buying bread and beer.

Have noticed good changes and am happy with the move away from gluten

i've been gluten free for a few years now. i also avoid artificial colors and flavors. turns out i have celiac's disease so my health has really improved. my anxiety has decreased but that may be due to the decrease in health problems. the artificial stuff seems to increase my autism symptoms more than the gluten. i can still really focus on a problem but i have an easier time putting it on hold and doing things i need to do (cleaning, cooking, etc). or doing other things while i focus on the problem. not sure if going gluten free has caused this change or if it's just that i'm getting older.

I couldn't do it. I love gluten products. I'm seeing how I do without my meds-so far, so good.

I have celiac disease and have been GF for 15 years. I think that some of my more negative AS symptoms have lessened, but yeah, its possible that I am now missing out on some advantages.

However, those advantages definitely don't outweigh the disadvantages like feeling like I have broken glass in my intestines all the time.

might consider upping your proteins and healthy fats. you will stop having the cravings as soon as your body gets used to ketosis.