The Role of Mitochondria, Gut Health, Exercise, and Inflammation in Autism, and What Parents Can Do To Support Autistic Children with Dr. Suzanne Goh

Jul 14, 2025

Dr. Suzanne Goh, cofounder and chief medical officer of Cortica, shares her insights on autism and groundbreaking research. She discusses the critical role of diet, focusing on gluten-free and casein-free options, and how these can improve health and behavior in autistic children. Dr. Goh highlights myths around dietary changes and shares success stories involving personalized interventions. The conversation also touches on innovative therapies, nutritional supplementation, and addressing common co-occurring conditions, providing hope and guidance for families.

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INSIGHT

Diet and Inflammation Link

Gluten and casein can trigger inflammation impacting brain development in some autistic children.
This inflammation may cause leaky gut allowing harmful substances to reach the brain.

ADVICE

Dietary Changes Approach

Gradually expand a child's diet with nutrient-dense whole foods before removing foods.
Trial removing gluten and casein first due to their inflammatory potential in autism.

INSIGHT

Exercise’s Unique Autism Benefits

Children with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism are more influenced by diet and exercise.
Exercise uniquely improves social abilities, sleep, executive function, and quality of life in autism.

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This episode is brought to you by Vuori and Ollie.

One in 36 children is diagnosed with autism, and families are often overwhelmed with information but receive little guidance. Today’s guest, Dr. Suzanne Goh, shares her expertise, groundbreaking research, and how it’s transforming the lives of her patients diagnosed with autism.

Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, we’re revisiting one of our most talked-about moments with Dr. Suzanne Goh, as we dive deep into the role of dietary changes for families navigating an autism diagnosis. She shares the top lifestyle factors that support overall and brain health post-diagnosis, along with the most common myths. Dr. Goh also discusses the latest research on autism, as well as the clinical protocol she uses to support families in her practice.

Dr. Suzanne Goh, MD, BCBA, is cofounder and chief medical officer of Cortica, the largest provider of comprehensive health services for autism in the United States. She is the former Co-Director of Columbia University’s Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, where she researched the biological causes of autism and used brain imaging to identify patterns of neural circuitry and brain chemistry. Dr. Goh is currently a faculty member of the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs and is a frequent speaker for parent advocacy organizations.

In this episode, Dhru and Dr. Goh dive into:

Resistance to the role of diet in children with autism (2:34)
How casein and gluten can trigger inflammation in the body (5:00)
Why diet and exercise have an even greater impact on children with neurodevelopmental conditions (8:00)
The role of nutritional supplements in helping children thrive (10:06)
How lifestyle factors can influence the expression of the diagnosis (16:42)
Patient stories from Dr. Goh’s practice (18:55)
Cutting-edge device therapies used by Dr. Goh (25:02)
Common co-occurring conditions with autism (27:17)
The role medications can play as part of a broader treatment plan (32:50)
Final thoughts (35:02)

Also mentioned:

Full episode with Dr. Suzanne Goh

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