A preliminary study suggests that sulforaphane, a chemical found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, has shown promise as a treatment for autism. In a trial of 40 teenagers and young men with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorders, two-thirds of the participants taking sulforaphane scored better on three measures of autistic behavior after four weeks of treatment, researchers reported yesterday (October 13) in PNAS.
Although the study revealed significant improvements in participants taking sulforaphane compared to a placebo group, the trial was too small to evaluate the broad viability of the treatment. “It's important to note that the improvements didn't affect everyone . . . and the study must be repeated in a larger group of adults and in children, something ...
