Study Finds Three-Supplement Combination Improves Social Behavior in Autistic Mice - Video

Could autism symptoms be eased with something as simple as nutrients? A groundbreaking study from Academia Sinica in Taiwan suggests just that. Researchers led by Tzyy-Nan Huang and Ming-Hui Lin found that a low-dose cocktail of zinc, serine, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) improved social behavior and brain communication in autistic mice.

Published in PLOS Biology, the study hints at a promising, safer, and noninvasive nutritional approach for managing autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Autism affects how the brain’s neurons form and connect, often leading to challenges in social interaction and communication. While genes play a big role, nutrition is another factor that shapes brain development. The Taiwanese team wanted to test whether combining nutrients already known to support neural health would produce stronger effects together than when taken separately.

The researchers tested their low-dose nutrient mix across three different mouse models of autism. They examined changes in brain proteins linked to synapse formation, tracked neural activity using calcium imaging in the amygdala (the brain region tied to emotion and social behavior), and studied how the mice interacted socially after treatment.

The results were striking. Within just seven days, mice receiving the nutrient mixture showed significant improvements in social behavior and brain network activity. Their brain cells communicated more effectively, and the protein patterns at synapses began to resemble those of healthy mice. In contrast, giving any one of the nutrients alone—at the same low dose-had no noticeable effect. This proved the synergistic power of combining the three nutrients.

Lead researcher Dr. Yi-Ping Hsueh explained that since hundreds of genes are involved in autism, a “one gene–one treatment” approach is unrealistic. The team’s findings instead support a broad, practical strategy using safe, multi-nutrient combinations that could one day help children with ASD improve social connection and brain function naturally.

This study opens a new frontier-showing how a smart mix of nutrients might tap into the brain’s own potential to rewire and restore balance in developmental disorders like autism.

REFERENCE: Huang T-N., et al. (2025) Low-dose mixtures of dietary nutrients ameliorate behavioral deficits in multiple mouse models of autism. PLoS Biology. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003231. https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003231