Methyl B12 Injections – Autism Treatment

Methyl B12 Injections in Autism Treatment

 

What is Methyl-B12 (B12)?

B12 (cobalamin) is a vitamin “family” with five unique family members that each do different things.  Out of the B12 family, only methyl-B12  activates the methionine/homocysteine biochemical pathway directly due to its methyl donor which leads to more “fuel” to the brain.

B12 in autism treatment works with folic acid to make all the cells in the body because it plays a key role in methylation.  Methylation makes ALL of the cells in our body because it is the process of adding genetic material to cells.  For example, after conception, the cells in the womb that will later become the fetus are DEMETHYLATED.  The process of development, therefore, depends on methylation.

Recent evidence shows the role of methylation in both environmental factors and genetic expression in autism and ADHD.  Differences in maternal care during the first 6 days of life in a mammal can cause different methylation patterns in some genes.  Methylation has also been shown to impact inflammation after a child leaves the womb.  We know that autism and ADHD are linked to inflammation.  Now we are discovering that inflammation, autism and ADHD are linked to impaired methylation.


Methylation is responsible for:

  • RNA and DNA (genetic material)
  • Immune system regulation
  • Detoxification of heavy metals and other harmful substances
  • Making GLUTATHIONE (the body’s main detoxification enzyme responsible for removing mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, tin, aluminum and antimony)
  • Production and function of proteins
  • Regulating inflammation

 

What connects B12, methylation, glutathione and Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Short answer:   Dr. S. Jill James (who has recently received a NIH – National Institute of Health – grant for her research) has shown that children with ASD have impaired methylation and decreased levels of glutathione.  Supporting and/or repairing the underlying impairment and deficiency translates into increased social, cognitive and language development.

Long answer: Dr. S. Jill James has also shown that children with ASD have 80% less glutathione in their cells and that 90% of children have defects in their methylation.  This means that children with autism cannot effectively fuel the brain and detoxify heavy metals and other harmful substances from their system.

The brain is the only part of the body that has depends entirely on B12 to detoxify.  As the the brain is over-burdened with toxic substances, the “wheels” of methylation slow, severely impacting development.

B12 works closely with folic acid. A precursor folic acid molecule must interact with the enzyme MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolic acid) to become 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid (5-MTHF).

5-MTHF gives the methyl group (the “M” part) to B12 so it can become methyl-B12.  In a recent study, Dr. S. Jill James showed that 90% of autistic children have methylation defects.

 

What connects MB12 and ADHD?

Dr. Richard Deth, Ph.D is a neuropharmacologist at the Northeastern University.  He shows the role of methylation and oxidative stress in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism, ADHD, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease

Dr. Deth explains the link between dopamine, methylation and attention.  Children with ADHD don’t bring methyl inside cells to supply methylation and therefore experience slower development – especially in the areas of attention and focus.

What are the benefits of MB12 treatment?

Enhancement in executive function:

MB12 injections help improve development

Methyl B12 injections in autism treatment

  • Awareness
  • Cognition
  • Appropriateness
  • Eye contact
  • Responsiveness
  • Normalized behaviours and interaction

Promotion of speech and language:

  • Spontaneous language
  • More complex sentences
  • Increased vocabulary


Improvements in socialization, understanding and expressing emotion as a result of more serotonin and dopamine:

  • Initiation and interactive play
  • Understanding and feeling emotions
  • Affection and tolerance to touch

 
Undesired effects due to B12 therapy are a good sign of treatment success.  They are not uncommon and include: 

  • Hyperactivity due to increased energy provided by methyl donors
  • Self Stimulating Behaviour because of the extra methylation fuel
  • Increased mouthing of objects likewise caused by increased energy to the nerves around the mouth
  • Sleep disturbances due to increase production of serotonin
  • Aggression, hitting and biting – caused by frustration due to increased awareness

*Side effects are mild to severe and are transient because they will pass as treatment progresses*

MB12 is a treatment, not a cure.  However, many children using MB12 combined with other biomedical and non-biomedical therapies make incredible developmental gains and in a small percentage of children, have had their ASD label removed.

MB12 therapy results occur over years, not months, not weeks. Initial results are obvious within the first 3-5 week period of time; but MB12’s power is in continued use.

 

Why is MB12 most effective when injected into the bum?

Dr. Neubrander states that, “Only the subcutaneous injectable route of administration into the adipose tissue of the buttocks produces the remarkable results parents see!”

All forms of administration work to some degree, and some better than others. Injection, above all, has been shown to be, by far, the most effective route of administration.  It is through injection, therefore, that the most dramatic strides in development are seen.

Injecting into the buttocks area allows MB12 to surround the cells and above all stay in the system continually.  In contrast, oral, transdermal or intranasal forms cause the MB12 levels to fluctuate up and down.  All cobalamins are absorbed in the last portion of the small intestine, the terminal ileum. In autism, this makes injections even more important because of the high percentage of children on the autistic spectrum that have an inflammatory bowel condition that affects this region of the intestine. This makes injection a better choice, rather than depending on the digestive tract for absorption.