Scientists who study the birth of the Universe believe there were only three elements at the very start: Hydrogen, Helium, and Lithium. All three are “everywhere”. Lithium, which means ‘from stone’, is really not a ‘stone’, but rather a very light metal, so light that in pure form, it can float. If you were inclined to go on a lithium ‘hunt’ in the 21st Century, you’d be (pleasantly) shocked. We have some in our bodies, in our batteries, our cell phones, water supplies, and Musk wants as much as he can get for obvious reasons.
The medical uses of Lithium were discovered in the 19th Century when the rich began “taking the waters” at lithium rich health spas. There was one just outside Atlanta called Lithia Springs. Regulars included Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, Queen Victoria. After days bathing in the lithium springs, they felt younger and stronger. From back then up to this very day you can purchase Lithia Water for personal use.
THE BIG MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS FOR LITHIUM
There had been hints prior to 1940 that lithium might bring major medical breakthroughs although starting with a popular soft drink was a bit of a surprise. In 1929 Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda “to take the ouch of the grouch” was later named 7-Up (7 being the atomic number of lithium, “Up” referring to its power to improve your mood). Naturally the FDA classified 7-Up as a medicine in 1950 and made the company remove the lithium.
Aware of the calming effect of lithium waters and several other lithiated products, psychiatrists worldwide were trying to discover the means to medically manage mood swings of manic-depressive disorder. An Australian physician, Dr. John Cade, proposed Lithium Carbonate or Lithium Chloride. Unfortunately, American physicians selected the chloride first, which was quite toxic, and it took years before Lithium Carbonate became the Gold Standard for what had been termed bipolar Disorder.
Still, Lithium Carbonate is not a completely benign drug. Blood levels need to be monitored carefully, kidney and brain problems are a risk. Lithium for bipolar is far more used in Europe than here in the U.S.
SO, WHAT’S THE “NEW” GOOD NEWS?
It turns out that really small doses of another form of lithium, called lithium orotate, have several very beneficial effects.
ONE
So mild the FDA cleared it as a nutritional supplement, Lithium Orotate 5 mg once or twice a day: for patients (or their significant others) who realize they’ve got issues with anger management, irritability, ‘fly-off-the-handle’, it can calm them down. Lithium orotate may also be helpful as add-on treatment for treatment resistant depression.
TWO
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) you’ve probably been prescribed one of the standard prescription medications for these conditions, namely Aricept, Galantamine, Rivastigmine. You might ask about Lithium as well, especially based on this new report that appeared in the Washington Post, namely how Lithium (in lab animals), reduced the amyloid plaque in lab-created Alzheimer’s Disease. In other words, reversing Alzheimer pathology.
THREE
AND EVEN MORE GOOD LITHIUM NEWS…
As I said earlier, all of us need some lithium in our bodies. Now scientists are doing research of lithium as being important as useful to slow aging. This very interesting article was published in Neuropsychopharmacology. It brings up several interesting points: bipolar patients who remain on lithium actually live longer than those who use other meds or no treatment or discontinue their lithium, and lithium users whether carbonate or the milder orotate, have a lower cancer rate than the general population.
And longevity factor may have to do with telomere length preservation which I have written about it in the past. Lithium indeed, how is yet to be discovered, preserves telomeres.
There are several of my Anti-Aging articles on the WholeHealth Chicago website. Just click the “Search” symbol, type in “Anti-Aging” and start reading.
Last, if you want to start low dose Lithium Orotate to preserve your brain, possibly slow your aging, click here.
Be well,
David Edelberg, MD