Sulfate Deficiency as a Risk Factor for Autism.
Richard J Williams
PMID 31562579WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers of children with autism reported lower sulfate intake during pregnancy.
Across 86 families, a weak inverse link emerged between daily sulfate consumed and autism severity, but this observational survey cannot prove that low sulfate caused autism or that supplements would help.
Key findings
01In the 86 mothers surveyed, daily sulfate from water and beverages showed a low inverse correlation with autism severity (r = -0.32, p < 0.01), meaning lower intake associated with higher severity.
02States with the highest autism prevalence averaged 13 mg/L sulfate in water, while low prevalence states averaged 113 mg/L.
03In the Southwest region, mothers consumed a water mix averaging 40 mg/L sulfate, despite local tap water containing 151 mg/L.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study relies entirely on retrospective self-reporting by mothers about habits from years prior, introducing significant memory bias. Autism severity was not clinically assessed but subjectively rated by parents, which may not align with diagnostic standards. The correlation is weak (r = -0.32), explaining only a small fraction of the variance in autism severity. Dietary sulfate from food sources was not tracked, only water and beverages. The sample size is small and recruited via social media, likely skewing towards higher education and specific online communities. As an observational survey, it cannot establish causation between sulfate levels and autism development.
Declared interests
The study was funded by Rybett Controls, Inc., a company not identified in the text as a healthcare or nutritional entity, and the authors suggest specific commercial products (e.g., Pellegrino, Epsom salts) in the discussion.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the weak inverse correlation as proof that low sulfate causes autism or that sulfate supplementation prevents or treats it. This is a small, retrospective survey with subjective severity ratings and no clinical follow-up; it generates a hypothesis but provides no evidence for clinical action.