The gut microbiota is a natural home to billions of different bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Organic Acids Test (OAT) is an extremely useful tool for helping children with autism measure levels of microbial overgrowth (yeast and bacteria) in the urine. It can reveal imbalances in metabolic pathways, nutritional imbalances, mitochondrial dysfunction, urea cycle imbalance, oxidative stress as well as malabsorption in the intestines and dysbiosis1,2.

 

Disruption and overgrowth can cause a specific bacterium like clostridia to produce a potent toxin called HPHPA. HPHPA can cause neurological disturbances that result in moodiness, tantrums, anxiety, aggression, and even self-harm behavior3. Studies show that treatment can significantly improve in concentration, improved verbal skills, less hyperactivity, and decreased abdominal pain4.