Can nutritional supplements help mentally retarded children? an exploratory study.

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Abstract
To explore the hypothesis that mental retardations are in part genetotrophic diseases (diseases in which the genetic pattern of the afflicted individual requires an augmented supply of 1 or more nutrients such that when these nutrients are adequately supplied the disease is ameliorated), a partially double-blind experiment was carried out with 16 retarded children (initial IQ, .apprxeq. 17-70) of school age who were given nutritional supplements or placebos during a period of 8 mo. The supplement contained 8 minerals in moderate amounts and 11 vitamins, mostly in relatively large amounts. During the first 4 mo. period (double-blind), the 5 children who received supplements increased their average IQ by 5.0-9.6, depending on the investigator; the 11 subjects given placebos showed negligible change. The difference between these 2 groups is statistically significant (P < 0.05). During the 2nd period, the subjects who were given placebos in the 1st study received supplements; they showed an average IQ increase of at least 10.2, a highly significant gain (P < 0.001). Three of the 5 subjects who were given supplements for both periods showed additional IQ gains during the second 4 mo. Three of 4 children with Down syndrome gained between 10-25 units in IQ and also showed physical changes toward normal. Apparently, the supplement improved visual acuity in 2 children and increased growth rates. Mental retardations may be in part genetotrophic in origin.