| Daniela BOBOC1, Natalia ROŞOIU2
Abstract: I. Background – Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) include a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by a multifactorial etiology, in which the interaction between genetic, epigenetic, metabolic and environmental factors plays a determining role. In the last two decades, biomedical research has highlighted that ASD cannot be explained exclusively by neurocognitive or behavioral mechanisms, but involves systemic disorders affecting metabolism. II. Objective – We want to demonstrate that the presence of low vitamin D levels would be related to the worsening of symptoms in people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and that the deficiency of those vitamins affects good physical and mental development. III. Materials and methods – The analysis of vitamin status aimed to evaluate serum vitamin D levels in neurotypical participants and those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), in order to identify possible differences associated with clinical status. Vitamin D was determined from serum obtained by centrifugation of venous blood collected in vacutainers without anticoagulant. Samples were collected in the morning, under standardized conditions and processed according to laboratory protocols. Serum was analyzed immediately or temporarily stored at refrigerated temperatures (2–8°C), respecting the analytical stability range specific to vitamin D determination. IV. Results – The analysis of individual values revealed marked differences between the two groups. In the neurotypical group, a significant proportion of participants had vitamin D values within the biologically adequate range. More specifically, over 100% of participants had values ≥ 30 µg/L, and a small number had deficient values. The descriptive values (mean of 43.32 µg/L and median of 36.40 µg/L) support the existence of an adequate vitamin status in this group, despite a relatively large dispersion of values. In contrast, in the group of participants with ASD, most of the vitamin D values are below the sufficiency threshold. A significant proportion of participants had deficient values (< 20 µg/L) and another part fell into the insufficiency range (20–29 µg/L). Only a limited number of participants with ASD reached values considered biologically adequate. Regarding the analysis of the distribution of individual values indicates a clear contrast between the two groups. In the neurotypical group, most participants presented vitamin B1 concentrations within the normal biological range, with mean and median values comfortably above the lower limit of normal (mean = 407.63 pg/ml; median = 378.50 pg/ml). Only isolated cases were at or slightly below the lower limit of normal. In the ASD group, the distribution of vitamin B12 values was significantly shifted towards and below the lower limit of normal. A considerable number of participants presented values below 200 pg/ml indicating biological deficiency and an additional proportion fell into the risk zone (200–300 pg/ml). V. Conclusion – The differences between the two groups are confirmed by the inferential analysis, with the Mann–Whitney U test indicating a highly statistically significant difference in the distributions of vitamin D (p < 0.001). These results suggest a significantly more frequent deficient status of vitamin D and vitamin B12 among participants with ASD compared to neurotypicals, consistent with the literature that frequently describes hypovitaminosis D in populations with ASD. Overall, the analysis of vitamin status by medication indicates that, within the ASD group, medication is not associated with statistically significant differences in serum levels of vitamin D or vitamin B12. However, the descriptive analysis reveals clinically important trends: participants on medication have, on average, lower vitamin D values and increased variability in vitamin B12 values. Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Vitamin D, vitamin B12, biochemical analysis DOI 10.56082/annalsarscibio.2026.1.104 Read full article 1Maria Montessori School Center for Inclusive -Education, Nicu Măndoi street 17, Constanta, Romania 2 “Ovidius University”, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Constanta, Romania; Doctoral Supervisor in the Institute of the Doctoral School Univ. Ovidius Constanţa, Romania; Full member of Academy of Romanian Scientists, Ilfov street 3, Bucharest, Romania |
PUBLISHED in Annals Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Biology,
ISSN ONLINE85 – 4177
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