Unproven Autism Treatments to Avoid: MMS, Chelation and More

Unproven autism treatments are products or therapies sold to treat or “cure” autism without good evidence that they work. Some, such as drinking chlorine dioxide (MMS), chelation and unapproved stem cell injections, have caused serious harm or death. The FDA calls unproven autism cure products misleading and deceptive [1][2].

Why unproven autism treatments are so common

Wanting to help your child is natural, and waiting lists for proven support can be long. The AAP notes that families often turn to nutritional and nonmedical therapies when conventional support cannot help quickly or is hard to access, and that these are promoted online, in the media, by other families and by celebrities [2]. Between 28% and 74% of autistic children are reported to receive at least one complementary therapy [2].

These products are often marketed with confident promises that real therapies do not make. The FDA states that unproven drug products sold to cure or treat autism “are misleading and deceptive” and “can lead to serious health problems while offering false hope” [1].

A 2025 umbrella review of 248 meta-analyses covering 19 complementary, alternative and integrative treatments found no high-quality evidence that any of them improve core or associated features of autism. Safety had rarely been studied [3].

Dangerous unproven autism treatments with evidence of harm

MMS, chlorine dioxide and “CD protocol”

Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) is sold as a liquid of sodium chlorite. When mixed with an acid, as the instructions say, it becomes chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleach [4][5]. In 2019 the FDA warned that MMS has not been approved for any use, that it was being promoted on social media for autism, and that drinking it is “the same as drinking bleach.” The FDA said “parents should not give these products to their children for any reason” [4].

The FDA has received reports of severe vomiting, severe diarrhea, life-threatening low blood pressure and acute liver failure after people drank these products [4]. Doctors have reported children who swallowed sodium chlorite developing blood damage (methemoglobinemia), kidney failure needing dialysis, and anemia needing transfusions [6]. In 2023, leaders of a group selling MMS were sentenced to federal prison [5]. Never give MMS or chlorine dioxide to your child in any form.

Chelation therapy

Chelation uses drugs to remove heavy metals from the body. It is promoted on the idea that autism is caused by metal poisoning, but there is substantial evidence of no link between heavy metals and autism [7]. A Cochrane review found no clinical trial evidence that chelation helps autism, and concluded that, given reports of serious adverse events such as dangerously low calcium, kidney damage and death, the risks outweigh any proven benefit [8]. In 2005, a 5-year-old boy with autism died of low blood calcium during intravenous chelation in a doctor’s office [9].

The AAP states that safety concerns, as well as a lack of supporting data, caution against chelation for autistic children, and that routine testing of hair, blood or urine for heavy metals is not supported [2]. Of all the unproven autism treatments, chelation has one of the clearest records of serious harm.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)

HBOT involves breathing oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. A Cochrane review found only one good-quality trial, with 60 children, and no evidence that HBOT improved social interaction, communication, behavior or thinking skills. Children who had HBOT had more ear injuries from pressure changes [10]. The AAP says clinical trials do not support HBOT for autism [2]. The FDA has also warned that it is aware of serious injuries and deaths, including from fires, linked to HBOT devices [11].

Stem cell and “regenerative” treatments

Some clinics market stem cell, cord blood, exosome and similar products for autism. The FDA states these products “have not been approved to treat autism,” and that being charged for them outside a clinical trial may mean you are being deceived [12]. The FDA has received reports of blindness, tumor formation and infections, among other serious risks [12].

Treatments shown not to work

Some unproven autism treatments have now been studied properly and did not help. The UK’s NICE guideline says not to use secretin, chelation or hyperbaric oxygen therapy to manage autism in any context [13]. Other examples include:

• Secretin, a gut hormone given by injection. Trials found it is not effective for autism [7][2].
• Antifungal treatments and immune therapies, which clinical trials do not support [2].
• Auditory integration training, listening to altered sounds through headphones. Evidence does not support it [2][13].
• Facilitated communication and the Rapid Prompting Method, where another person supports a child’s hand or arm to spell. ASHA calls facilitated communication “a discredited technique that should not be used” [14].

Supplements, diets and “natural” products

Many supplements and diets are marketed for autism, and not all are dangerous, but most remain unproven autism treatments. The AAP notes that double-blind trials have not shown gluten-free casein-free diets help autism, and that the long-term risks of high-dose vitamin supplements have not been studied [2]. NICE advises against exclusion diets for core features of autism [13]. Melatonin for sleep is a notable exception with good evidence [2].

In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission settled charges against a company that claimed its “Speak” supplements treated communication and behavioral difficulties in autistic children. The FTC alleged the claims were false or unsupported [15].

You may also have heard about leucovorin (folinic acid). It is not FDA-approved for autism, and the AAP does not recommend routine use. See our guide to autism medication options. For specific products, see our guides to gluten-free casein-free diets and herbal remedies.

How to spot unproven autism treatments

Be cautious if a product or clinic:

• Promises to cure, reverse or “recover” a child from autism.
• Claims to work for many unrelated conditions, such as autism, cancer and infections.
• Relies on testimonials, before-and-after videos or “miracle” stories rather than published trials.
• Says doctors or the government are hiding the truth.
• Requires large upfront payments, travel abroad or buying products only from them.
• Uses tests not used by mainstream doctors, such as hair metal tests, to “prove” your child needs treatment [2].
• Asks you to stop proven supports or keep the treatment secret from your child’s doctor.

What you can do

• Ask for evidence. Ask what randomized trials support the treatment, and where they are published.
• Talk to your child’s doctor first about anything you are considering, including supplements.
• Try one change at a time and agree on what you will measure, so you can tell whether anything helps [2].
• Report problems. Side effects from medical products can be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch program [12].
• Use trusted sources. See how we check our information.

When to talk to a professional

Call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) or emergency services right away if your child has swallowed MMS, chlorine dioxide or any other industrial chemical, or if they become unwell after any alternative treatment. Talk to your child’s doctor before starting any supplement, diet or therapy, and tell them about everything your child is already taking. If someone pressures you into unproven autism treatments, your doctor can help you weigh the evidence calmly.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a cure for autism?

No. There is no cure for autism, and the FDA describes unproven products claiming to cure or treat autism as misleading and deceptive. Autism is a lifelong difference in how a person develops and experiences the world. Support such as communication therapy, education and help with sleep, anxiety or behavior can make a real difference to quality of life.

Is MMS or chlorine dioxide safe for autistic children?

No. MMS becomes chlorine dioxide, a bleach, when mixed as directed. The FDA has said drinking it is the same as drinking bleach and that parents should not give it to children for any reason. Reported harms include severe vomiting, diarrhea, dangerously low blood pressure and liver failure. Call Poison Control if your child has taken it.

Does hyperbaric oxygen therapy help autism?

There is no good evidence that it does. A Cochrane review found one good-quality trial showing no improvement in social, communication, behavior or thinking skills, and more ear injuries in children who had treatment. The AAP and the UK’s NICE guideline both advise against hyperbaric oxygen therapy for autism, and HBOT devices carry a fire risk.

Are stem cell treatments for autism approved?

No. The FDA states that stem cell and other regenerative products have not been approved to treat autism. Paying for them outside a registered clinical trial may mean you are being deceived. The FDA has received reports of serious harms from unapproved products, including blindness, tumor formation and infections.

References

1. US Food and Drug Administration. Medication health fraud for specific diseases and conditions: autism. Content current as of January 28, 2026. Link
2. Hyman SL, Levy SE, Myers SM; AAP Council on Children With Disabilities, Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Identification, evaluation, and management of children with autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics. 2020;145(1):e20193447. Link
3. Gosling CJ, Boisseleau L, Solmi M, et al. Complementary, alternative and integrative medicine for autism: an umbrella review and online platform. Nat Hum Behav. 2025;9(12):2610-2619. Link
4. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA warns consumers about the dangerous and potentially life threatening side effects of Miracle Mineral Solution. News release. August 12, 2019 (archived copy; original fda.gov page no longer online). Link
5. US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida. Leaders of “Genesis II Church of Health and Healing,” who sold toxic bleach as fake “Miracle” cure for COVID-19 and other serious diseases, sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison. October 6, 2023. Link
6. Zhen J, Hakmeh W. Siblings with pediatric sodium chlorite toxicity causing methemoglobinemia, renal failure and hemolytic anemia. Am J Emerg Med. 2021;42:262.e3-262.e4. Link
7. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Autism spectrum disorder and complementary health approaches. NCCIH Clinical Digest. April 2021. Link
8. James S, Stevenson SW, Silove N, Williams K. Chelation for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(5):CD010766. Link
9. Beauchamp RA, Willis TM, Betz TG, et al. Deaths associated with hypocalcemia from chelation therapy: Texas, Pennsylvania, and Oregon, 2003-2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006;55(8):204-207. Link
10. Xiong T, Chen H, Luo R, Mu D. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;10:CD010922. Link
11. US Food and Drug Administration. Follow instructions for safe use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy devices: letter to health care providers. August 25, 2025. Link
12. US Food and Drug Administration. Important patient and consumer information about regenerative medicine therapies. Content current as of April 8, 2024. Link
13. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: support and management. Clinical guideline CG170. Published August 2013; last updated June 2021. Link
14. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. A number of organizations caution against use of FC and RPM. Accessed October 2026. Link
15. Federal Trade Commission. Company that touted products’ ability to treat children’s speech disorders settles FTC charges it deceived consumers. Press release. January 9, 2015. Link

Professional review: this guide is waiting for review by a qualified clinician. It was written and checked against the published sources listed above. How we check our guides.

This guide is general education, not medical advice. Always talk to your child’s doctor or care team. Last checked: October 2026.