| Some people find that eliminating both gluten and | | | | their diet. |
| casein from their diet is fairly difficult. First of all to | | | | Let's look at ADD/ADHD for a minute. It's |
| eliminate gluten, you have to eliminate any grain | | | | estimated that maybe 10% of children are |
| products, certain types of alcohol, as well as all | | | | diagnosed with this condition and many are |
| many different processed foods. Casein can be | | | | prescribed Ritalin or other similar drugs. But |
| even harder because you have to eliminate all | | | | perhaps these attention disorders have something |
| forms of dairy and some other foods. | | | | to do with gluten and/or casein, in the same way |
| This diet is actually recommended as a form of | | | | that autism might. In fact some of them main |
| treatment for autistic people. They can actually | | | | symptoms of ADD/ADHD are also symptoms of |
| become addicted to a diet rich in gluten and | | | | celiac disease, a condition that creates an |
| casein. In terms of the results some people see | | | | autoimmune response to gluten. It's possible that |
| improvements after just a week, others a year | | | | some people with ADD/ADHD might simply have |
| later. Others see none at all. Some people with | | | | celiac disease and that by going on a gluten-free |
| autism report better sleep and better ability to | | | | diet, it will help reduce some of their symptoms |
| socialize. | | | | or even remove them completely. |
| One of the most popular criticisms of going | | | | Beyond even ADD/ADHD, research has shown |
| gluten-free/casein-free is the complete lack of | | | | that mood disorders such as depression or |
| evidence to support the benefits of this diet, | | | | schizophrenia can be worsened by diets rich in |
| which is a valid point. There actually isn't that | | | | gluten. In fact schizophrenia has been associated |
| much evidence. But getting this kind of evidence is | | | | with gluten sensitivity for several decades, when |
| fairly difficult because the type of controlled | | | | research demonstrated a link between a removal |
| studies where people aren't supposed to know | | | | of gluten from the diet and an improvement in |
| they're eating certain foods will be quite aware | | | | the patient's symptoms. Also, schizophrenia is less |
| that gluten or casein has been removed from | | | | prevalent in areas where people it less wheat. |