Does diet make a difference in treating Asperger Syndrome? Absolutely!

Let's start with caffeine. It comes in so many forms: coffee, tea, dark chocolate candy, soft drinks, hot chocolate and chocolate milk. In low levels (60-100mg daily), such as a mug of tea or coffee a day, caffeine acts as a mild stimulant to the nervous system in the average person. People with Asperger Syndrome have a more sensitive nervous system and therefore are affected more strongly. Here's why.

Caffeine depletes niacin and magnesium and many other nutrients. Low levels of niacin decrease serotonin, a much needed neurotransmitter that helps decrease tendencies toward depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors. Decreased magnesium levels lead to increased levels of adrenaline which results in higher levels of anxiety.

One way to see how caffeine may be affecting you is to avoid it for 1-2 weeks and then drink a cup of coffee or strong tea. Watch for its affect on your mood and anxiety level. But what happens if you really love that cup of coffee or tea and want to keep drinking it. Here are some solutions which you should discuss with your physician. If you have Asperger Syndrome and drink or eat caffeine on a regular basis, please take a B-complex daily in addition to your multi-vitamin and mineral. That will help maintain a steady mood and keep the niacin at optimal levels. To help more specifically with jittery feeling from the adrenaline rush, the amino acid l-theanine works well. This nutrient is readily available at health food stores.

Another solution is to eat a healthy unprocessed diet of whole foods not coming directly from the freezer or fast food restaurant, rich in niacin, magnesium and all the other nutrients that are required for a healthy nervous system.