Dr. Sabine Hazan, renowned gastroenterologist, shares stunning findings from her latest study on the microbiome’s role in autism.
In a soon-to-be-published paper, Dr. Hazan’s team analyzed 20 autistic children, their 23 neurotypical siblings, and 6 neurotypical children with no family history of autism. The results? A striking pattern emerged: autistic children had significantly lower or absent levels of Bifidobacterium—a critical microbe abundant in newborns but depleted in these kids. Siblings showed higher Bifidobacterium levels, but even they lagged behind the unrelated neurotypical group, pointing to a household-linked gut dysbiosis.
Dr. Hazan’s team went further, studying identical twins—both nonverbal, aggressive, and lacking Bifidobacterium at baseline, with identical elevated harmful microbes.
After targeted treatment to restore their microbiomes, these twins, now 7, are fully verbal and non-aggressive just seven months later.
Dr. Hazan emphasizes: “The microbiome is the key. These microbes travel from the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve, influencing behavior.
Ignoring this is a disservice to nonverbal autistic children who suffer, and their families who live in crisis.”
She calls for urgent research and therapeutics to address this gut-brain axis, particularly for nonverbal autistic children who engage in self-harm or require constant care.
In California, where autism rates are soaring, Dr. Hazan argues it’s unacceptable to focus solely on rehabilitation without tackling the root causes.
