Lithium works by depleting inositol levels in the brain. Many of lithium’s side effects are related to inositol depletion. Low doses of inositol can help reduce some of these side effects by preventing the deficiency of this compound in the rest of the body. Vita A, De Peri L, Sacchetti E (2015) Lithium in drinking water and suicide prevention: a review of the evidence. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 30(1):1–5 According to Schrauzer (2002), the stimulation of vitamin transport, particularly B12 and folic acid to the brain, may constitute one of the normothymic mechanisms of Li action because these vitamins are known to affect parameters related to mood [ 23]. This is however controversial as some studies reported negative results in this respect and indicated a decrease in serum B12 levels under the influence of Li therapy [ 34]. Lewitzka U, Severus E, Bauer R, Ritter P, Müller-Oerlinghausen B, Bauer M (2015) The suicide prevention effect of lithium: more than 20 years of evidence-a narrative review. Int J Bipolar Disord 3:32 The article below will explore the effects of lithium on the brain, as well as its potential negative side effects, to help gauge its potential benefits as well as its risk factors for people suffering from anxiety. What is Lithium?

Struewing I.T., Barnett C.D., Tang T., Mao C.D. Lithium increases PGC-1alpha expression and mitochondrial biogenesis in primary bovine aortic endothelial cells. FEBS J. 2007; 274:2749–2765. [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar] Arpin D.J., Mitchell T., Archer D.B., Burciu R.G., Chu W.T., Gao H., Guttuso T., Hess C.W., Lai S., Malaty I.A., McFarland N.R., Pasternak O., Price C.C., Shukla A.W., Wu S.S., Okun M.S., Vaillancourt D.E. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging detects progression in Parkinson's disease: a placebo-controlled trial of rasagiline. Mov. Disord. 2021 [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar] Kjølholt J, Stuer-Lauridsen F, Skibsted Morgensen A, Havelund S (2003) The elements in the second rankan environmental problem now or in the future? Environmental Project No. 770. Miljøprojekt. Danish EPA. Danish Ministry of the EnvironmentLithium aspartate should not become harmful once it exceeds the expiration date, but it can lose potency over time. What do you all think & what have you concluded from your reading of the literature? Also, please don't limit discussion to these 2 lithium salts if there's another form you prefer. Neuroprotective effects of lithium (Li) have been well documented in tissue cultures and animal models. 1 , 2 It has been suggested that Li has neuroprotective effects in humans, 3 , 4 but the data are still limited. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows for in vivo, noninvasive measurement of concentrations of certain chemicals, including N-acetylaspartate (NAA). N-acetylaspartate is the most dominant proton MRS peak and one of the most abundant amino acids in the brain, where it is predominantly localized in neurons and absent in mature glia. As such, NAA is considered a putative neuronal marker, which is decreased in conditions characterized by loss of neurons or axons, e.g., stroke, Alzheimer dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and epilepsy. In addition, NAA synthesis is dependent on energy metabolism. Decreased levels of NAA have been used as an indirect marker of neuronal/axonal loss or compromised neuronal metabolism. 5 – 7 Ishii N, Terao T, Araki Y, Kohno K, Mizokami Y, Shiotsuki I, Hatano K, Makino M, Kodama K, Iwata N (2015) Low risk of male suicide and lithium in drinking water. J Clin Psychiatry 76(3):319–326 It is important to note that all of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. Generally, the higher the dose, the more pronounced the effects are. However, they do reach a plateau at a certain point. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.

Müller-Oerlinghausen B, Imiela M (June 1986). "Is lithium aspartate at low serum levels more effective than the usual lithium salts?". Nervenarzt. 57 (6): 370–3. PMID 3736729. The therapy with Li has also been shown to increase density of the gray matter and increase the size of the amygdala and hippocampus. Li is also known to stimulate the production of neural stem cells and has protective effects against oxidative stress and its consequences [ 25, 35]. Ohgami H, Terao T, Shiotsuki I, Ishii N, Iwata N (2009) Lithium levels in drinking water and risk of suicide. Br J Psychiatry 194:464–465 Concha G, Broberg K, Grander M, Cardozo A, Palm B, Vahter M (2010) High-level exposure to lithium, boron, cesium, and arsenic via drinking water in the Andes of northern Argentina. Environ Sci Technol 44:6875–6880 An equally interesting aspect of the action of Li is its effect on morphological changes in the blood, resulting in modulation of the immune system response. It is suggested that this element has a complex immunomodulating effect, including suppressor activity and interactions between different classes of white blood cells [ 7]. As shown in clinical trials, Li induces granulocytosis [ 36] and lymphopenia [ 37] but increases the immunological activity of monocytes, NK cells, and lymphocytes, particularly increases the synthesis of IgG and IgM immunoglobulins by B cells [ 7, 38, 39, 40].Szklarska, D., Rzymski, P. Is Lithium a Micronutrient? From Biological Activity and Epidemiological Observation to Food Fortification.

Pasternak O., Sochen N., Gur Y., Intrator N., Assaf Y. Free water elimination and mapping from diffusion MRI. Magn. Reson. Med. 2009; 62:717–730. [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar]Lithium orotate usually comes in 5mg capsules: a dose that is higher than ionic or plant-based lithium, but much lower than the medications that can contain up to 225mg of lithium. In other words, lithium orotate offers an option for those who need more lithium than the trace levels in ionic and plant-based lithium, but want to avoid the serious side-effects of high-dose medication for conditions like depression, anxiety, and brain fog. Spectrum of lithium intake in humans. Graph is not drawn to scale, and values are based on numerical averages, not a general consensus. What is the recommended dose of lithium?

FW: free water, PD: Parkinson’s disease, UF: University of Florida, PPMI: Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, DMN-T: dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus, nbM: nucleus basalis of Meynert, pSN: posterior substantia nigra, HC: healthy control. Lithium orotate, carbonate and chloride: pharmacokinetics, polyuria in rats.” British Journal of Pharmacology (1976) Numerous studies have shown an increase in oxidative stress (OS) in the emergence of PD [ 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29]. PD is characterized by mitochondrial dysregulation as evidenced by increased production and subsequent release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [ 30]. Decreased mitochondr The spectroscopic evidence for the neuroprotective effects of Li in clinical populations is much less consistent than in the preclinical data. Prospective studies have predominantly shown no changes in brain NAA levels during Li treatment. 8 – 11 A single prospective study reported a small NAA increase after 4 weeks of Li treatment, 3 whereas another investigation found an NAA decrease after 6 weeks of Li exposure. 12 Cross-sectional studies have also been inconsistent, with reports of greater 13 , 14 as well as comparable 15 – 17 brain NAA levels in Li-treated versus control participants.Participants from any of the 3 groups were excluded if they met any of the exclusion criteria for MRI use (pacemaker, metal implants) or had any serious medical illness (e.g., brain injury, Cushing disease, conditions treated with corticosteroids).