92% of Survey Participants Reported Positive Benefits from ANRC Vitamins
Due to self-limiting diets, children and adults with autism can be particularly susceptible to nutritional insufficiencies and deficiencies. Additionally, these two groups may have an increased need for vitamin/mineral supplementation due to various metabolic disorders such as oxidative stress, methylation pathway insufficiencies, and mitochondrial disorders, among others. For these reasons, 54% of children with autism take dietary supplements. A new retrospective research survey has evaluated the effectiveness of ANRC-Essentials Plus (ANRC-EP), a vitamin/mineral/micronutrient supplement designed for children and adults on the spectrum. This study’s design involved an email invitation to participate in a short survey to all consumers who purchased ANRC-EP online in the 12 months before spring 2020. The survey included several demographic questions and inquiries about dosing, perceived benefits, and adverse effects. Participants also completed the Parent Global Impressions of Autism (PGIA). The PGIA includes 20 questions about the impact of the treatment (ANRC-EP) on autism-related symptoms. In total, 161 participants with either a diagnosis of autism or had a child with autism were included in the analysis. Overall, 92% of participants reported positive benefit scores, with 44% reporting “good” or “great” benefits following the use of ANRC-EP. Those who followed the ANRC guidelines of starting with a lower dose and then gradually increasing it during the first month saw a higher degree of benefit. Participants that took ANRC-EP for a more extended period also showed increased benefits. The study discovered that ANRC-EP has a good safety profile. However, approximately 21% of participants reported one or more adverse effects. These effects were primarily mild and remedied by reducing the dose. Surprisingly, factors such as age, gender, autism severity, and diet quality did not significantly affect the degree of improvement, suggesting that the supplement may benefit many individuals on the spectrum.
