Could leucovorin be the magic bullet to treat autism? 

The medication is called leucovorin. It’s also known as folinic acid; like folic acid, it’s a form of folate, a B vitamin found in leafy greens and legumes. The drug has been used for years to counteract the side effects of some cancer medications and as a treatment for anemia. 

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Researchers have known for decades that folate plays a key role in the fetal development of the brain and spine.

[In] the early 2000s, researchers in Germany identified a small group of children who developed neurodevelopmental symptoms because of a folate deficiency. … When the researchers gave these children folinic acid, some of their symptoms improved, especially in children younger than six. 

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There are also plenty of individual anecdotes suggesting that leucovorin works. But the medicine has only been tested as a treatment for autism in four small trials that used different doses and measured different outcomes. The evidence that it can improve symptoms of autism is “weak,” according to the Coalition of Autism Scientists.

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