Quercetin may help adults with ASD

In adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), quercetin supplementation shows signal of benefit, with improvements observed in quality of life and social responsiveness, according to a study.

Researchers conducted a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of quercetin. They randomly assigned 52 adults with ASD to receive quercetin or placebo for 60 days.

Outcomes included the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL) domains, and other clinical measures. Assessments were conducted at baseline and at days 30 and 60.

Baseline demographic characteristics and comorbid conditions did not differ significantly between the quercetin and placebo groups.

Participants who received quercetin had a significant reduction in SRS scores over time (p=0.010), whereas those who received placebo showed no significant change (p=0.655). When the change in SRS was compared between the two groups, the differences did not reach statistical significance.

At week 8, the physical health domain of WHOQOL improved more in the quercetin group than in the placebo group at the unadjusted level (p=0.044), but this difference did not reach statistical significance after adjustment (p=0.082). The environmental health domain showed a borderline difference favouring quercetin (adjusted p=0.053).

More trials with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the clinical effectiveness of quercetin in the current population, according to the researchers.