# Claim table — leucovorin / folinic acid / cerebral folate deficiency / autism

| Claim | Evidence label | Practical wording |
|---|---:|---|
| Cerebral folate deficiency can occur with low CSF folate despite normal blood folate. | Supported | Rare neurologic syndrome; formal diagnosis involves CSF 5-MTHF and/or defined causes. |
| Folate receptor alpha autoantibodies are reported in many ASD cohorts. | Supported but variable | Studies report high prevalence, but assay/clinical-utility concerns remain. |
| Leucovorin/folinic acid can improve language/communication in some children with ASD. | Promising, subgroup-specific | Small RCTs and reviews show signal, especially in FRAA-positive/language-impaired children; more validated trials needed. |
| 75% of children with ASD have antibodies and this is partly reversible before age 5. | Overstated | 75% appears in some cohorts; not a universal diagnostic fact and reversibility/age claims need caution. |
| Folic acid is garbage/contraindicated for everyone. | Unsupported overreach | Folic acid prevents neural-tube defects in public-health evidence. In confirmed cerebral folate deficiency, NORD cautions folic acid is not recommended. |
| Eliminate all dairy because it triggers antibodies in 71–76% of autistic children. | Not guideline-level | Milk-free diet is reported in CFD context, but universal dairy elimination for all ASD/ADHD is not established. |
| Use 200–800 mcg folinic acid instead of prescribed leucovorin doses. | Not a dosing recommendation | Doses in trials/labels are clinician-directed and often weight-based; families should not self-dose children from a video. |
| Vitamin D, glutathione, infections and homocysteine modify response. | Plausible/functional-medicine claim | Some biology is plausible; the specific protocol is not proven standard ASD care. |