Autism and Intestinal Flora

80% to 90% of the children with autism have abnormal levels of bacteria or fungal metabolites in their urine. (Great Plains Laboratory results.) However, it isn’t just the toxins from bacteria and yeast that interfere with cognition. The changes in the immune system caused by abnormal intestinal flora also interfere with memory and learning. Some of these same immune changes can cause central hypothyroidism, which is often found in autism.

People suspect that mercury poisoning is a big contributor to many cases of autism. Among other things, mercury poisoning changes the body chemistry so that a person is likely to have Candida overgrowth. Mercury also increases how fast the measles virus mutates. It is harder for the immune system to keep up with a virus if it keeps mutating into a different form. This makes it difficult to eliminate the virus. The measles virus is often found in the intestines of the autistic.