Low dose Lithium for better mental health

psyche said:
The following is very interesting information, also considering the fact that lithium excretion is increased when we do breathing exercises and meditation like in Éiriu Eolas

Hi psyche, Would you give me the source of that information? it's interesting :) . I was thinking that if doing the meditation we excrete more lithium, is it not that a sign that is not convenient to have this element present in "high" amount in the body? since the Eiriu Eolas tends to help to do away with toxins??. It would be interesting to know what elements increase when we do meditation, maybe it is a sign that we would need to take more of those elements?. I'm taking a simple logic here. I could be wrong.. it's just an hypothesis.
 
Hi Galaxia2002,

I don't have a link for the source, but try doing a google research with the first sentence of the text and I'm sure it will pop up.

Breathing exercises in general increase levels of melatonin, serotonin, GABA, antioxidants, and others mentioned in the intro of EE.

We also excrete other minerals when we exercise and that doesn't mean they are toxins. I don't think lithium as a mineral in low dose is such a bad thing considering the research about it.
 
Psyche said:
Hi Galaxia2002,

I don't have a link for the source, but try doing a google research with the first sentence of the text and I'm sure it will pop up.

Breathing exercises in general increase levels of melatonin, serotonin, GABA, antioxidants, and others mentioned in the intro of EE.

We also excrete other minerals when we exercise and that doesn't mean they are toxins. I don't think lithium as a mineral in low dose is such a bad thing considering the research about it.

yeah it´s logical what you said. I would have thought in the same way but what I don´t know for sure is in what mode is meditation comparable to an exercise that made you sweat and expel minerals. Normally I don´t sweat when I do EE, then it seems to me surprising that a mineral can be expeled selectively without sweat! I guess that it could be an effect in the kidney due to changes in the neurotransmitters you said. I should not use the word toxin instead of "mineral" which is more near to what I wanted to say.
I found an indian article that do mention to the loss of lithium in the meditation but they don´t give the reference for that particular fact. :(
I am considering to take 5 mg/daily and report what I note. It´s a very low dose. What interest me most is that help to neuronal grow.
 
Psyche, thanks for the article on the importance of lithium in our diet. Celtic Sea Salt contains lithium salts in the proportion of sea water. It might be a sufficient and safe source of available lithium salts. I began using Celtic Sea Salt, reasoning that cellular life evolved in the seas some 600 hundred million years ago. Our cellular physiology retains great nature's experiments in those ancient seas. The link to Celtic Sea Salt is interesting.

http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/salt.htm said:
Two: I recall from an advanced psychology lecture in college in which the professor loudly stated: "The difference between a violent, aberrant mental patient and you people sitting here is two cents worth of lithium." Bipolar patients are often prescribed lithium, however, the side effects of this medication can be nasty. Celtic Sea Salt® Brand contains natural lithium salts. Unlike supplementing with medicinal lithium, the lithium in Celtic Sea Salt® Brand is absorbed naturally, in quantities nature intended, and they are untreated, unprocessed, and as natural as the earth itself.
 
The topic of low-dose lithium came up again for me in a newsletter I get via email so this morning I was looking into it. Found the following which has some repeats of what Gaby posted earlier, but then some new and interesting stuff. I've put in bold a few things that really caught my eye. Notic the connection to the thyroid, considering our recent experiments with iodine, are quite interesting. Also, the connection with heavy metals detox. The original source includes the standard warning about not making any claims etc etc.

_http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/is-lithium-orotate-good-or-bad-for-you/
“Technically, lithium is not a drug but a mineral, similar to salt.” -VA Research Currents

“In fact, lithium isn’t a drug at all. It’s actually a mineral-part of the same family of minerals that includes sodium and potassium.” -Jonathan Wright, M.D., author of “The Importance of Lithium Supplementation”

Medical doctors are now speaking out about the essential trace mineral known as lithium, promoting its incredible therapeutic benefits at low servings.

“Shocking but true — lithium is an essential trace element.” -Emily Deans, M.D., (Harvard trained psychiatrist) author of “Could You Have a Lithium Deficiency?”

“Lithium is an essential micronutrient… It is present in all organs and tissues in the body. It has similar chemical properties to that of calcium and magnesium.” -Mark Hyman, M.D., best-selling author of “The UltraMind Solution”

“Lithium is one of the most important elements in the human body.” -Lawrence Wilson, M.D., author of “Lithium”

In animal studies, lithium has been shown to be an essential trace mineral. When lithium is removed from the diet of farm animals, they appear to develop numerous chronic, degenerative diseases. These include atrophy of the spleen, development of cysts and tumors, severely depressed immune systems, and decreased fertility. Additionally, the quantity of breast milk is diminished in nursing mothers with inadequate lithium stores.

A study from Texas analyzed 27 state counties between the years of 1978-1987. It was discovered that the incidence of suicide, homicide, rape, drug abuse, and felonious acts were about 50% lower in the 27 counties with lithium-containing drinking water. The water had lithium levels ranging from 70-170 micrograms/L. Additionally, the study found a significant reduction in drug-related arrests within the same time period and locations.

Lithium orotate “…does not require blood tests to establish a therapeutic level as prescription forms do, nor is it toxic to the kidneys like lithium pharmaceuticals.” In addition, “…Prescription lithium is poorly absorbed by cells, the main site where it performs its functions.” -Ward Dean, M.D.

Medical doctors have found servings of lithium orotate 80-90% lower than the orthodox Pharma-lithium serving for major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression, unipolar depression, major depression, or unipolar disorder. 50-70% of patients have shown fair to good response with lithium use for depression.

According to Jonathan Wright, M.D., America’s top authority on lithium orotate, a total daily intake of 30 milligrams of elemental lithium will have unnoticeable effects on serum lithium levels, with levels usually residing in a non-detectable range. Even 40 mg per day appears to be completely safe, presenting no negative side effects or signs of toxicity.

Dr. Wright also testifies that, “After decades of clinical research and laboratory testing of the compound on my patients, I discovered that administering lithium orotate up to 40 mg per day to be completely safe (without negative side effects or toxicity) and absolutely effective in the control of numerous mental, neurological, and physical conditions.”

Another form of lithium, called lithium orotate, is preferred because the orotate ion crosses the blood-brain barrier more easily than the carbonate ion of the pharmaceutical lithium carbonate. Therefore, lithium orotate can be used in much lower servings (e.g. 5 mg) with remarkable results and no side effects. -Shaheen Lakhan, M.D., author of “Nutritional Therapies for Mental Disorders”

“Lithium itself is not a drug; it’s a naturally occurring mineral salt like potassium, and is something you need for proper mental and physical health… Lithium orotate may be a safe and simple way to help beat the blues.” -Al Sears, M.D.

“The lithium salt of orotic acid (lithium orotate) improves the effects of lithium several-fold by increasing lithium bio-utilization.” -Ward Dean, M.D., author of “The Unique Safe Mineral with Multiple Uses”

Dr. Dean also states, “Lithium orotate has also been successfully used in alleviating discomfort from migraine and cluster headaches, improving low white blood cell counts, juvenile convulsive disease, alcoholism, and liver disorders. Lithium Orotate is extremely safe, with no known adverse side effects or drug interactions.”

“Prescription lithium is poorly absorbed by the cells, where it needs to be to do its job… Because it is so poorly absorbed, blood levels need to be fairly high to “drive” it into the cells. Unfortunately, these “therapeutic” blood levels are dangerously close to the toxic level. That’s why patients on prescription lithium need to be carefully monitored… Successful serving with lithium orotate is measured by clinical effects on the patient, rather than by blood levels.” -Ward Dean, M.D.

“Lithium Orotate will not cause weight gain, nor will it cause sedation or sleepiness.” -Ward Dean, M.D.

In one study, 42 patients hospitalized for the management of their alcoholism were given 150 mg of lithium orotate every day. It was found that lithium orotate helped improve the effectiveness of alcoholism treatment. Ten of the patients experienced no relapse for over three to ten years. 13 patients remained alcohol-free for one to two years, and the remaining 12 experienced a relapse between 6 to 12 months. Lithium orotate therapy was seen as relatively safe, with minor adverse side effects seen in some patients (muscle weakness, appetite loss, mild apathy). For these patients, symptoms subsided following the reduction of lithium orotate administration.

Over 50% of the alcoholic patients who completed this study were without relapse for over one year and 25% of them made it over 3 years without a relapse. NOTE: The discovery of decreasing mild side effects through slightly reducing lithium orotate supplementation provides further scientific evidence that lithium has no inherent toxicity when taken in smaller, reasonable serving sizes. -A study titled: “Lithium orotate in the treatment of alcoholism and related conditions.”

Available without a prescription, lithium orotate has been marketed as an alternative to the prescription known as lithium carbonate. In lithium orotate, lithium is joined with an orotate ion, rather than to a carbonate ion.

“Lithium orotate is a highly bioavailable form of lithium that is available as an over-the-counter dietary supplement.” -Linda Fugate, Ph.D., author of “Lithium’s Potential Role in Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease”

“In small servings (15 mg/day), lithium orotate has been shown to protect the central nervous system.” -Dietrich K. Klinghardt, M.D, Ph.D.

“Lithium is a trace element which has important functions in the brain, including protecting brain cells from various toxins and reducing the ill effects of certain excitatory neurotransmitters which are harmful in large amounts.” -Alice R. Laule, M.D., author of “Lithium”

“Lithium orotate, on the other hand, is more bioavailable and safer than the lithium carbonate.” -Jeffrey Dach, M.D., author of “Beating Depression Naturally”

“Lithium is one of the most important elements in the human body.” -Lawrence Wilson, M.D., author of “Lithium”

Harvard Medical School has analyzed over 30 human meta-analysis studies and has determined that lithium reduces the rate and risk of suicide attempts by 80-90% in patients with major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder. In fact, the overall risk of suicides was five times less among lithium-treated subjects compared with individuals not treated with lithium.

In human studies among healthy populations, lithium has been shown to significantly increase brain mass in both gray and white matter.

Lithium is the most powerful essential trace mineral ever discovered for promoting optimal functioning of the brain and central nervous system.

Lithium augmentation appears to be a promising therapy for geriatric depressed patients who are unresponsive to, or cannot tolerate, other standard therapies.

“In some cases, adjunctive lithium leads to improvement in depressive symptoms very quickly, usually in 2 or 3 days.”

In a placebo-controlled human study, lithium reduced histamine and bronchial reactivity in airway smooth muscle, improving symptom scores and significantly reducing the need of inhalers. Lithium also significantly reduced the contractile effect of histamine on the tissues of the lung and trachea in guinea pigs.

Lithium may prevent calcification of blood vessels in humans. Animals rendered lithium deficient in lab testing developed calcification of blood vessels, increasing the risk for heart disease.

Lithium has been shown to reduce excessive levels of arachidonic acid in the brains of rats. “…lithium might be considered for treating human brain diseases accompanied by neuroinflammation.”

A comprehensive review of contemporary research conducted in 2010 and published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, determined that lithium is still the gold standard for the treatment of bipolar disorder.

Lithium has been discovered to produce profound improvement of immune function by increasing these white blood cell components: granulocytes, monocytes, natural killer T-cells, and immunoglobulins.

Multiple studies have suggested lithium’s possible role in preventing and alleviating migraines. In a study involving cyclical migraines, nineteen out of 22 patients (85%) responded to treatment and showed significant improvement in the frequency and severity of migraine headaches. 25% of the patients had complete remission of their migraine headaches and the remaining had a 50-75% reduction. In cluster headaches (the most severe type of headache), lithium is mentioned repeatedly in the research to be effective as a preventative measure.

Lithium also provides robust protection from heavy metal toxicity. Lithium has been shown to protect cells from aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury toxicity. Animal studies has positioned lithium as having a protective effect against toxic metals.

Lithium has profound antiviral properties against herpes infections and may significantly reduce the frequency and severity of herpes outbreaks. “Overall, lithium treatment resulted in a consistent reduction in the mean number of episodes per month, the average duration of each episode, the total number of infection days per month, and the maximum severity of symptoms.”

Lithium has anti-inflammatory effects upon the bowel. Lithium has demonstrated benefit to ulcerative colitis in humans. Lithium has been shown to decrease symptoms of IBD in children. Lithium works at the core of stress-related illnesses by balancing, normalizing, and regulating stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline. “Lithium, a widely-used drug in bipolar disorders, plays a gastro-protective role. The effects of lithium on several tissues are mediated through nitric oxide…”

“One substance that I have found to be surprisingly effective for shingles is lithium orotate. Three to four capsules per day have been reported to dramatically reduce disabling pains. Lithium orotate seems to greatly reduce the pain and itching of post-herpetic neuralgia which can linger for months and years after the lesions of shingles have resolved.”

In 1973, Dr. Hans Nieper reported that approximately 90% of his migraine patients reported significant relief in the frequency and severity of their headaches. He states that he was able to produce these results by utilizing a unique mineral transporter known as orotic acid (aka, orotate), thus allowing him to administer only minute amounts of lithium to achieve maximum results.

“Lithium orotate contains unparalleled efficiency in the treatment of constitutional migraine, constant headache, and hemicranias, as well as in the treatment of depression, alcoholism and epilepsy… Lithium orotate is effective at uncommonly low serving sizes and causes no negative side effects.” -Dr. Hans Nieper

Studies of lithium’s effect upon hyperthyroid conditions consistently demonstrate major regulation of thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). The most common cause of hyperthyroid hormones is Grave’s disease. In a study of lithium’s effect upon Grave’s disease, it was determined that lithium reduced T3 by 42% and T4 by 28%. These amazing changes occurred in just 7 days.

“Lithium has been reported to be beneficial in animal models of brain injury, stroke, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury, and other conditions. A recent clinical trial suggests that lithium stops the progression of ALS. The stimulation of endogenous neural stem cells may explain why lithium increases brain cell density and volume in patients with bipolar disorders.”

The majority of OCD patients are significantly helped by serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SRIs). “In open-label reports, the addition of… lithium… has yielded encouraging results.”
 
It has been quite awhile since I last took lithium orotate. Perhaps it did helped with my mercury levels back then. I'll experiment with it again.

Interesting reminder in light of the recent heavy metal toxicity and thyroid research.
 
Here's a bit more updated info I found. It's a page trying to sell a product so I'm just gonna excerpt what seems interesting and could be tracked down.

_http://greenvalleynaturalsolutions.com/BEL/bel-trial-c.php?SC=GOUBEL032116VRC
The miracle mineral that keeps your brain from shrinking as you age: Prestigious medical journal Lancet reports this breakthrough “triggers a significant increase in brain volume and protection of billions of healthy new brain cells.”


“Protects brain neurons from damage”—National Institute of Mental Health
“Helps generate entirely new cells in your brain”—Neuroscience
“Decreases abnormal activity in the brain”—MedlinePLus
Is hailed as “an anti-aging nutrient for your brain”—Dr. Jonathan Wright
“Turns on genes considered neuroprotective”—PsychEducation.org
“Helps preserve cognitive function”—Psychiatric Times
“Is considered a treatment for mood disorders”—Journal of Psychiatry

1. Lithium untangles your brain and clears away memory-robbing plaque

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine report that lithium blocks the development of beta-amyloid tangles and plaque found in brains of people who have succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease.

In fact, the Annals of Neurology reports that in autopsies of people with Alzheimer’s, nine out of ten brains examined were damaged by these twisted tangles and hard, insoluble plaque.1

Left unchecked, tangles and plaque in your brain contribute to the damage and death of brain neurons – your precious brain cells.

The good news is, research conducted by developmental biologist Peter Klein of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine reveals that lithium prevents (A) damage caused by beta-amyloid plaque and (B) further damage to healthy brain cells.

He also found that lithium works to stop the progression of bird nest-like tangles that can choke your brain’s circulation and function.

Startling new research reveals that low doses of lithium—available without a prescription—should be taken by most everyone who wants to grow new “gray matter”…restore and rejuvenate brain cells …boost memory… “de-age” the brain…and stay mentally sharp for years to come.

No wonder the New York Times recently published an article titled, “Should We All Take a Bit of Lithium?” In it, they report that “relatively tiny doses of lithium can have beneficial effects”…including promoting brain health and improving mood.

The truth is, one of the most powerful solutions for age-related memory loss and cognitive decline has been right under the noses of the brain “experts” since the 1970s, but they didn’t know.

Why? Because -- while it was known that lithium treats serious mental illness -- no one knew that in small doses it could also help boost and protect a healthy person’s brain and fading memory—which are completely different problems.

2. Lithium safeguards your brain cells from damage and destruction

Dr. De-Ma Chuang, a biologist at the National Institute of Mental Health, reports that “lithium protects brain neurons [cells] from damage.”

This was first proven in test tube studies he conducted. In laboratory study, nerve cells were treated with glutamate (a brain chemical)—and all of the cells were destroyed.

That’s because – while glutamate is healthy in small doses because it stimulates brain neurons – in large amounts it can cause damage to brain cells.

It’s a medical fact: When you suffer a stroke or other serious brain trauma, high levels of glutamate are released. The sudden surge of this natural body chemical increases the death rate of brain cells.

When lithium was added to the cell culture before glutamate, all the cells were almost completely protected from glutamate’s damaging effects.

According to Dr. De-Maw Chuang, “None of the other things tested provided the benefits compared to lithium.”

He also gave lithium to rats for a few weeks, then triggered strokes in them by artificially blocking the arteries that feed blood to their brains.

The results? Impressive! Rats taking lithium experienced 56 percent LESS brain cell death and significantly fewer neurologic deficits than the control group that did not receive lithium.

3. Lithium increases “gray matter” and reverses brain shrinkage

Did you know, as you age, your brain shrinks as much as 15 percent? Natural cell mechanisms wear out…grooves in the brain widen…and damaged brain cells become a tangled thicket.

Eventually, this loss of brain cells and their billions of connections leads to atrophy of the brain – in other words the brain shrinks and shrivels up. Areas especially vulnerable to shrinkage are the two parts of your brain responsible for your memory and cognition, as well as your personality. ...

The prestigious medical journal Lancet reports that “Lithium increases human brain gray matter.” As you may know, gray matter is the matter found in the outer layer of your brain known as the cortex.

Neuroscience adds, “Lithium may help generate entirely new cells in your brain.”

And Dr. Jonathan Wright reports, “Lithium enhances nerve cell DNA replication, the first step in formation of new cells.”

Further proof? Researchers treated mice with lithium in dosages equivalent to human therapeutic range. Then they performed autopsies and examined their brains.

The scientists found a 25% increase in the number of dividing cells in the brain’s hippocampus—a clear indication of the growth of new brain neurons.

Researchers at Wayne State University studied ten patients (average age 33) who suffered from bi-polar disorder, a serious mental condition.

For four weeks, they gave the patients a daily therapeutic dosage of lithium. Then, they did MRIs on the patients’ brains and compared them to scans done at the beginning of the study.

The results? In eight out of ten subjects, lithium significantly increased total volume of gray matter in their brains.3

Dr. Jonathan Wright puts it this way: “It appears lithium can protect against normal brain shrinkage that would otherwise occur over the course of our lives.”

By promoting brain cell regeneration and increasing brain size, lithium can function as an anti-aging nutrient for your brain—all to help your thinking ability become clearer, sharper and “young again.”

4. Lithium shields you from toxic heavy metals that cause brain disorders

Too much exposure to heavy metals like mercury, aluminum, lead and cadmium can have toxic effects on your brain and erode away brain mass, both of which can start your memory and concentration on a downward spiral.

Worse, heavy metals can trigger depression and anxiety by disrupting your brain’s chemistry.

And to add insult to injury, heavy metal toxicity can lead to major brain disruptions.

For example, the National Institutes of Health report that 32 out of 40 studies testing the memory of individuals exposed to mercury found significant memory deficits due to the heavy metal.4

And Science Daily recently reported the first case study linking aluminum toxicity with brain failure.

The good news? According to the Global Healing Center, lithium provides robust protection from heavy metal toxicity. Lithium has been shown to protect cells from mercury, lead, aluminum, arsenic and cadmium toxicity. Animal studies indicate lithium has a protective effect against toxic metals.

What’s more, Neuroscience Abstracts reports that lithium sweeps toxic metals like aluminum OUT of your body to keep your body and your brain safe from their devastating effects.

Etc etc... sales pitch for their brand and all that.

Here are the few references that might be looked up to find additional information:

1 - Ann Neurol 1988 Jul;224(1):50-6 PMID 3415200

2 - Chen, G. Enhancement of hippocampi neurogenesis by lithium, J Neurology 2000 Oct

3 - Moore G.L. et al, Lancet 2000

4 - Mutter, J. et al J Alzheimer’s Dis 2010, PMID 20847438

5 - Biological Trace Elements Research, 1990
 
My sibling has been battling bipolar disorder all her life. Nothing works for her apart from Lithium. As soon as she stops taking it all hell breaks lose. However conventional doctors are very cautious about its use, they recommend monitoring of blood concentration every six months and reacting if the level is over certain threshold. Once they said to my sister they simply dont know what long term effects of Lithium supplementation may be since this treatment is fairly new. Recently she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and endocrinologist said this is common finding in long term lithium users.
In light of everything we learned about Iodine lately I am pretty sure Iodine deficiency is the culprit.
 
Z said:
My sibling has been battling bipolar disorder all her life. Nothing works for her apart from Lithium. As soon as she stops taking it all hell breaks lose. However conventional doctors are very cautious about its use, they recommend monitoring of blood concentration every six months and reacting if the level is over certain threshold. Once they said to my sister they simply dont know what long term effects of Lithium supplementation may be since this treatment is fairly new. Recently she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and endocrinologist said this is common finding in long term lithium users.
In light of everything we learned about Iodine lately I am pretty sure Iodine deficiency is the culprit.

Maybe she could stick with her lithium and cautiously add some iodine supplementation?
 
Z said:
My sibling has been battling bipolar disorder all her life. Nothing works for her apart from Lithium. As soon as she stops taking it all hell breaks lose. However conventional doctors are very cautious about its use, they recommend monitoring of blood concentration every six months and reacting if the level is over certain threshold. Once they said to my sister they simply dont know what long term effects of Lithium supplementation may be since this treatment is fairly new. Recently she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and endocrinologist said this is common finding in long term lithium users.
In light of everything we learned about Iodine lately I am pretty sure Iodine deficiency is the culprit.

She needs monitoring because the popular form is called Lithium Carbonate, which isn't as bioavailable and causes toxicity from what I have read when I first found out about orotate (and how it doesn't have the same issues).

http://www.onlineholistichealth.com/lithium-orotate-misleading-research/
http://psycheducation.org/treatment/mood-stabilizers/the-big-three-for-bipolar-depression/lithium/lithium-orotate/
Just as with lithium chloride, lithium carbonate can become toxic for the same reason – poor bioavailability. Trying to achieve the amount of lithium needed for the desired health effects without damaging the body in the process is a major concern, and is why those who take this version of lithium must have their kidney function tested often.

This is where lithium orotate come in.

I used to take Lithium Orotate every other day or every 3rd day a few years ago. Gaby, perhaps this is why iodine isn't as harsh for some of us, especially if it helps get rid of mercury!
 
Laura said:
Z said:
My sibling has been battling bipolar disorder all her life. Nothing works for her apart from Lithium. As soon as she stops taking it all hell breaks lose. However conventional doctors are very cautious about its use, they recommend monitoring of blood concentration every six months and reacting if the level is over certain threshold. Once they said to my sister they simply dont know what long term effects of Lithium supplementation may be since this treatment is fairly new. Recently she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and endocrinologist said this is common finding in long term lithium users.
In light of everything we learned about Iodine lately I am pretty sure Iodine deficiency is the culprit.

Maybe she could stick with her lithium and cautiously add some iodine supplementation?

Is your sister getting the pharmaceutical lithium? If so, according to the above posts by Laura shows that it is a huge dose, and that type of lithium is not absorbed all that much by the cells. Supposedly, that's why so much is needed.

But the lithium orate, at only 20mg, or so, may not cause any problems at all. That is, if that's enough for someone with BP. Since it works on the brain, as well as other places, maybe it would help someone with BP, too?
 
Laura said:
Z said:
My sibling has been battling bipolar disorder all her life. Nothing works for her apart from Lithium. As soon as she stops taking it all hell breaks lose. However conventional doctors are very cautious about its use, they recommend monitoring of blood concentration every six months and reacting if the level is over certain threshold. Once they said to my sister they simply dont know what long term effects of Lithium supplementation may be since this treatment is fairly new. Recently she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and endocrinologist said this is common finding in long term lithium users.
In light of everything we learned about Iodine lately I am pretty sure Iodine deficiency is the culprit.

Maybe she could stick with her lithium and cautiously add some iodine supplementation?

Yes I am looking into this. She went to her endocrinologist with Brownstein's book and she just shoot it down immediately. I think we will try with gentle doses of 1-3 mg per day and see how it goes.

I am not sure which form of lithium she is taking but I will look into this. According to the link Gaby supplied (index of drug interactions) Iodine has synergistic effect with lithium, therefore it comes as no surprise that supplementation of lithium would cause thyroid deficiency, if they are both involved in same reactions perhaps lithium pulls iodine - just speculating here.
 
Divide By Zero said:
I used to take Lithium Orotate every other day or every 3rd day a few years ago. Gaby, perhaps this is why iodine isn't as harsh for some of us, especially if it helps get rid of mercury!

And it does seems to have a neuroprotective effect, so even if there are high levels of mercury around, the brain could remain protected. This is good news for anyone with problems detoxing mercury.

Z said:
I think we will try with gentle doses of 1-3 mg per day and see how it goes.

I would start even lower, for instance, with the topical protocol:

http://www.lynnefarrow.net/sensitive.html
 
Gaby said:
Divide By Zero said:
I used to take Lithium Orotate every other day or every 3rd day a few years ago. Gaby, perhaps this is why iodine isn't as harsh for some of us, especially if it helps get rid of mercury!

And it does seems to have a neuroprotective effect, so even if there are high levels of mercury around, the brain could remain protected. This is good news for anyone with problems detoxing mercury.

This is another reason to consider supplementing with lithium orotate for anyone with detox pathway blockages:

Shijing said:
Amy Yasko focuses quite a bit on lithium deficiency in people with methylation polymorphisms, and it seems to be a pivotal issue missed by a lot of doctors who are otherwise knowledgeable about methylation defects.

I supplemented with it for awhile, but haven't done so recently -- I didn't know about the connection with heavy metal detox, so I think I'll resume this as well.
 
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