Lithium is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal so reactive (it sparks when it touches water) that it’s not found in nature. Instead, it’s found in mineral compounds and in mineral water.
Cosmologists believe that lithium was one of the 3 elements synthesized in the Big Bang.[i] So it’s been around for a long time.
Most of us associate lithium with treating mental illnesses like bipolar disorder and mania. Or the lithium-ion battery in our phone. Which has a tendency to blow up occasionally.
Turns out that the anti-psychotic medication lithium isn’t even a drug. It’s actually a mineral. And part of the same family of minerals that include potassium and sodium.
As a nootropic, micro-dosing lithium provides some amazing anti-aging benefits. Recent research shows that low-dose lithium may also help slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
Low-dose lithium also helps neurogenesis and memory. And is a mood stabilizer.
Here we’ll investigate daily or frequent use of Lithium Orotate as a nootropic, and how it benefits cognitive health.
Lithium helps:
- Balance mood. Lithium calms mania (extreme highs and lows) by decreasing sensitivity of the post-synaptic norepinephrine receptor.[ii] And increases uptake of norepinephrine into synaptosomes. Preventing the release of this neurotransmitter. And lithium enhances the transport of Vitamin B12 and folate into brain cells.[iii] Affecting mood and aggression.
- Growth Factors. Lithium upregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and their receptors. And lithium stimulates the proliferation of stem cells in the brain. All boosting neurogenesis and assisting in repair from all types of brain injury.[iv]
- Neuroprotection. Lithium increases brain gray matter, increases DNA replication for neurogenesis, prevents apoptosis, increases N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), inhibits beta-amyloid secretion and protects against damage once it’s formed, chelates aluminum, and protects against glutamate toxicity.
Table of Contents
Overview
Lithium is an alkali mineral and one the trace elements considered essential for both animal and human reproductive health, and general health and wellness.
Discovered as a chemical element in 1817, lithium’s first recorded modern medical use was in 1871 for the treatment of mania.
But the use of lithium for therapeutic use goes back to ancient Greek and Roman times. People enjoyed soaking in alkali springs to help with physical and mental illness.
People have been using mineral springs for therapeutic use ever since. Lithia Springs in Douglas County, Georgia was so popular that people came for miles just to drink the water.
The Sweet Water hotel, a luxury 500-room resort was opened in 1887. And attracted famous authors, business people and prominent politicians who came for the spring’s health benefits. The name “Lithia” stems from water rich in lithium.
Studies from around the world have shown the critical health benefits of lithium. One study using data from 27 Texas counties from 1978 – 1987 found that rates of suicide, homicide and rape were significantly higher in counties whose drinking water contained little or no lithium.[v]
Another study of lithium levels in tap water in 18 municipalities in Japan showed standard mortality ratios lower in places with higher lithium levels.[vi]
Yet another study conducted in Texas in 2013 confirmed the original findings in that state. Drinking water samples from 226 counties found a correlation between lithium levels and suicide rates.[vii]
Researchers who conducted meta-analyses of lithium levels and public drinking water suggested “increasing lithium levels of drinking water could potentially reduce the risk of suicide, and justify administering lithium to tap water.”[viii]
An article in the Lancet in 1949 by John Cade is credited for the modern medical use of lithium as an effective treatment for manic psychosis.[ix]
The United States FDA approved high dose lithium carbonate and lithium citrate in 1970 for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Carbonic acid and citric acid are mineral carriers used to transport lithium throughout your body.
Doctors also prescribe lithium off-label for treating migraines, seizure disorders and psychosis usually after other treatments have failed.
But as we dig deeper into the most recently published research on lithium, we realize this trace element is essential for optimal health and brain function.
The lithium we get from our diet prevents many neurological and psychiatric problems. Micro-dosing lithium as a nootropic with a supplement like Lithium Orotate can help make up for the what we don’t get from our food and water.
Lithium is naturally available from fish, processed meat, milk, dairy products, eggs, potatoes and vegetables. Your typical dietary intake of lithium can range from 2 – 600 mcg. Amounts vary depending on where the food is grown.
How does Lithium work in the brain?
Lithium helps brain health and function in several ways. But two in particular stand out.
- Lithium stabilizes mood. Recent research has discovered that lithium’s mood stabilization effects may be due to its ability to boost the production of new brain cells (neurogenesis).
Lithium inhibits the enzyme glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β). This inhibition upregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) which stimulates neural stem cells to produce new neurons in the hippocampus.[x]
When neural stem cells produce new neurons in the hippocampus, mood and memory work as designed. But a breakdown in neurogenesis results in mood disorders.
Lithium has long been known to control mania and stabilize mood in bipolar patients. But it was not generally thought of as an antidepressant. Researchers in Tel Aviv provided the first evidence that inhibiting GSK-3β exerted a rapid antidepressant effect in mice.[xi]
Another team at Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Pennsylvania showed that feeding mice chow laced with low-dose lithium for 15 days produced a dose-dependent antidepressant effect.[xii]
Lithium induced gene transcription in the hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus. All areas implicated in depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, autism and schizophrenia.
- Lithium protects your brain. Your brain cells are at constant risk of damage from exposure to toxins you encounter every day from food, air, water and your environment. And the excitotoxins produced by ordinary brain cell metabolism.
Glutamate plays a major role in the synaptic plasticity needed for learning and memory.[xiii] But over-activity of glutamate on its NMDA receptors causes neuron death and is implicated in Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease. Lithium inhibits this overactivity.[xiv]
Lithium also increases the production of a neuroprotective protein called bcl-2.[xv] Researchers maintain that lithium is the only “medication” that has been demonstrated to significantly increase bcl-2 in several brain areas.
Lithium has also recently been evaluated in preventing and treating traumatic brain injury. In a study conducted in 2014, Dr. Peter Leeds stated that lithium had “demonstrated robust beneficial effects in experimental models of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). These include decreases in TBI-induced brain lesion, suppression of neuroinflammation, protection against blood-brain barrier disruption, normalization of behavioral deficits, and improvement of learning and memory, among others.”[xvi]
How things go bad
In 1985, the United States EPA estimated that dietary intake of lithium from food in the USA varied from 0.6 to 3.1 mg per day.[xvii] For comparison, people who live in the Andes in Northern Argentina consume 2 to 30 mg per day, with 2 – 3 mg just from drinking water.[xviii]
As your dietary sodium and caffeine increases, so does lithium excretion in urine which increases your requirement for this essential trace mineral.
Your exposure to stress and toxins from things like mercury, aspartame, MSG, Bisphenol A (BPA) and other excitotoxins also raise cortisol and other stress hormones. Increasing your need for more water-soluble nutrients like B-vitamins, magnesium, zinc and lithium.
Low lithium levels are associated with …
↑ Depression and anxiety increase
↓ Memory and learning ability decline
↑ Insomnia increases
↑ Sensitivity to stress and chronic pain increase
↓ Natural healing processes decline
Adequate daily intake of lithium could help prevent many mental and neurological diseases due to this trace minerals effects on nervous system metabolism. And it’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Lithium benefits
The clinical research and studies on the neuroprotective benefits of lithium are so overwhelming, some scientists are beginning to ask “why isn’t everyone using lithium”?
Here’s a summary of how micro-dosing lithium using Lithium Orotate can benefit your brain.
- Inhibits apoptosis – lithium inhibits GSK-3 which has been linked to apoptotic cell death
- NMDA-receptors – lithium reduces glutamate induced toxicity mediated by NMDA-receptors which helps in mood disorders, Alzheimer’s, and other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
- Neuroprotection – blocks the development of beta-amyloid tangles and plaque
- Neurogenesis – lithium promotes the BDNF needed for synaptic plasticity in learning and memory. Lithium also boosts nerve growth factor and glial-derived neurotrophic factor affecting learning, memory, mood and overall brain health[xix]
- Neuronal stem cells – lithium stimulates the stem cells needed to produce new neurons (neurogenesis)
- Stabilizes mood – lithium is known for providing a calming effect in healthy people as well as those dealing with depression, bipolar disorder, and mania
- Suicide prevention – adequate levels of lithium has been shown to reduce suicide risk in multiple studies worldwide
- Depression – lithium helps with treatment-resistant depression. In fact, lithium has been shown to improve the effectiveness of antidepressant medications
- N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) – lithium increases NAA which has been associated with higher IQ scores[xx] (i.e. lithium will make you smarter!)
The benefits of supplementing with lithium go far beyond just optimizing cognitive health. Lithium also helps decrease insulin resistance, helps in treatment of alcoholism and other addictions, supports bone health, balances your circadian rhythm and more.
How does Lithium feel?
My personal experience with Lithium Orotate has made me a believer in micro-dosing lithium. I’m Adult ADD and deal with mood swings from time to time.
If I’m going around the bend because something upset me, I take 5 mg of Lithium Orotate. Within 15 minutes my mood stabilizes and I feel normal again. Consistent use puts me in a happy mood.
Many others report you’ll feel the results taking a low dose of lithium quickly. But for some, the full effect can take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. Micro-dosing 5 – 10 mg of lithium daily results in consistent results within a month or two for some. I’ve experienced great results within a couple of days.
So if you lash out at people in anger, and don’t fully understand why you get so angry – it could be your lithium levels are low.
Many neurohackers with depression and anger issues notice results quickly. Within the first couple of days you should feel more calm, relaxed, and experience less stress.
Keep in mind that lithium at any dose is not for everyone. But if you get adequate lithium from your diet and water, and still experience some of the mood swings talked about in this review, you could be dealing with other issues. You should know within a couple of hours of supplementing with low-dose lithium if this supplement is for you.
For some, Lithium Orotate means feeling excited about life for the first time in a long time. Anxiety and social anxiety are no longer a problem. Life is more fun and enjoyable.
Some say Lithium Orotate works better than any prescription that they’ve ever tried to treat severe depression. It provides a nice, smooth mood balance without all the toxicity associated with mega-doses of lithium carbonate.
If you’re dealing with PTSD or mild insomnia, you may want to try Lithium Orotate. Focus could improve, racing thoughts diminish and motivation levels could increase. You’ll have more coping ability.
Lithium Orotate Clinical Research
Lithium Improves Memory
A study at McMaster University in Canada set out to determine the effects on hippocampus volume in 14 bipolar patients who received lithium therapy.
The researchers examined the effects of lithium on hippocampal volumes and memory performance and recall over 2 – 4 years. The patients had not received any type of medication prior to using lithium.
The study found increases in hippocampus volume over time. And evidence of improvement of verbal memory performance over the 4-year measurement period.
The researchers concluded that the results of the study were consistent with the literature stating the neuroprotective effects of lithium. And that long-term treatment of lithium is associated with preservation of memory and recall due to increased hippocampus size.[xxi]
Lithium Increases Mood in Recovering Addicts
24 adults recovering from heroin or methamphetamine addiction participated in a study in San Diego. Group A received 400 mcg per day of lithium taken orally for 4 weeks. The placebo Group B naturally took a non-active placebo.
Subjects completed a mood test questionnaire containing questions about their ability to think, work, mood and emotions. For the lithium group, mood test scores increased steadily and significantly during the 4 week period.
The lithium group also reported significantly increased levels of happiness, friendliness and energy. Group B showed no improvement during the same period.
The researchers concluded that low-dose lithium provided a mood-improving and stabilizing effect.[xxii]
Lithium Orotate in the Treatment of Alcoholism
In this study, 42 alcoholic patients were treated with Lithium Orotate during alcohol rehabilitation in a private clinical setting for six months. The data was collected from clinical practice records for the 10 years following the initial study.
The patients received 150 mg of Lithium Orotate daily for six months along with calcium orotate, magnesium orotate, bromelain and essential phospholipids.
Ten of the patients had no relapse from 3 – 10 years. 13 patients stayed sober from 1 – 3 years. The remaining patients relapsed between 6 – 12 months.
The researchers concluded that Lithium Orotate therapy was safe in treating addiction with minor adverse side effects.[xxiii]
Lithium Orotate Dosage
Lithium retains a grim and undeserved reputation. Likely because it was originally associated with serious mental illness. And like most medications, lithium can produce serious side effects if not monitored properly.
Lithium carbonate or lithium chloride salts are typically prescribed for long-term control of bipolar disorder at 900 – 1200 mg per day. The major problem with such high doses of lithium are some very serious and debilitating side effects.
For nootropic use, we suggest Lithium Orotate which typically contains only 5 mg of elemental lithium. Lithium Orotate is orotic acid combined with lithium.
Orotic acid reportedly makes the lithium more bioavailable than lithium carbonate. The lithium is released once it crosses the blood-brain barrier. So you’ll get the benefits of lithium supplementation while avoiding the toxic side effects of high doses.[xxiv]
Lithium Orotate recommended dose is 5 mg two or three times per day. See “Available Forms” for more on lithium amounts in nootropic supplements.
Many neurohackers use Lithium Orotate only as needed. For example, when feeling anxious or in the middle of a mood swing.
For someone with bipolar disorder or manic disorders, increasing to two 5 mg tablets up to 3-times per day may be more effective.
Naturopathic doctors suggest stacking 1,000 mg of Omega-3 and 400 UI of Vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols) each day you’re using Lithium Orotate.
Lithium Orotate Side Effects
Do not confuse Lithium Orotate with lithium carbonate. The carbonate version of lithium is only available by prescription and comes with a host of side effects.
Lithium Orotate at low doses is non-toxic and lab tests are not required to monitor your lithium levels because it does not show up in blood samples.
Lithium Orotate should not be used if you are dealing with significant renal or cardiovascular disease, severe dehydration or sodium depletion, or if you’re taking diuretics or ACE inhibitors.
Do not use Lithium Orotate if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
You should check with your doctor if you are on any medication before using Lithium Orotate.
Where to Buy Lithium Orotate
Mother Nature has already put the antipsychotic “drug” lithium in drinking water. And you get some lithium from food depending on where it’s grown.
Supplemental Lithium Orotate typically comes in 120 or 130 mg capsules or tablets containing 5 mg of elemental lithium.
I recommend and use Lithium Orotate by Advanced Research which was formulated by Dr. Hans Nieper.
Nootropics Expert Recommendation
Lithium Orotate 5 mg 2 or 3 times per day.
I recommend using Lithium Orotate as a nootropic supplement if you’re feeling anxious or depressed. Or experiencing mood swings.
Your body does not make lithium on its own. So you must get this essential trace mineral from your diet, or a supplement like Lithium Orotate.
Lithium combined with orotic acid makes Lithium Orotate which readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, and you should feel its effects within 15 – 20 minutes of taking it.
Lithium Orotate is especially effective if you’re feeling stressed, or mentally overworked. Your brain uses lithium faster and it needs to be replaced. Which you can do by using Lithium Orotate.
Lithium Orotate is great if you are ADHD because lithium calms the hyperactivity in your brain.
Supplementing with lithium does not change your state of consciousness. It simply helps bring you back to feeling normal and happy.
I suggest trying Lithium Orotate as a nootropic supplement with your first dose at 5 mg and see how you react. If you experience no negative reaction, try another 5 mg in a few hours. Up to 3 – 5 mg doses per day.
You’ll likely experience the full benefits of Lithium Orotate within a week of consistent use.
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[iv] Young W. “Review of lithium effects on brain and blood.” Cell Transplantation. 2009;18(9):951-75. (source)
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[vi] Ohgami H., Terao T., Shiotsuki I., Ishii N., Iwata N. “Lithium levels in drinking water and risk of suicide.” British Journal of Psychiatry. 2009 May;194(5):464-5 (source)
[vii] Blüml V., Regier M.D., Hlavin G., Rockett I.R., König F., Vyssoki B., Bschor T., Kapusta N.D. “Lithium in the public water supply and suicide mortality in Texas.” Journal of Psychiatric Research. 2013 Mar;47(3):407-11. (source)
[viii] Terao T., Goto S., Inagaki M., Okamoto Y. “Even very low but sustained lithium intake can prevent suicide in the general population?” Medical Hypotheses. 2009 Nov;73(5):811-2 (source)
[ix] Cade J.F.J. “Lithium Salts in the Treatment of Psychotic Excitement” The Medical Journal of Australia Vol. II No. 10, September 3, 1949 (source)
[x] Wada A. “Lithium and neuropsychiatric therapeutics: neuroplasticity via glycogen synthase kinase-3beta, beta-catenin, and neurotrophin cascades.” Journal of Pharmacological Sciences. 2009 May;110(1):14-28. (source)
[xi] Kaidanovich-Beilin O., Milman A., Weizman A., Pick C.G., Eldar-Finkelman H. “Rapid antidepressive-like activity of specific glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibitor and its effect on beta-catenin in mouse hippocampus.” Biological Psychiatry. 2004 Apr 15;55(8):781-4. (source)
[xii] O'Brien W.T., Harper A.D., Jové F., Woodgett J.R., Maretto S., Piccolo S., Klein P.S. “Glycogen synthase kinase-3beta haploinsufficiency mimics the behavioral and molecular effects of lithium.” Journal of Neuroscience. 2004 Jul 28;24(30):6791-8. (source)
[xiii] Collingridge G.L, Watkins J.C. “The NMDA Receptor.” New York: Oxford Univ. Press; 1994.
[xiv] Chuang D., Christ L., Fujimaki K., Hashimoto R., Jeong M.R. “Lithium-induced inhibition of Src tyrosine kinase in rat cerebral cortical neurons: A role in neuroprotection against N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity”. FEBS Letters 2003; 538(1-3): 45-148 (source)
[xv] Manji H.K, Chen G., Moore G.J. “Lithium at 50: Have the neuroprotective effects of this unique cation been overlooked?” Biological Psychiatry 1999; 46(7): 929-940 (source)
[xvi] Leeds P.R., Yu F., Wang Z., Chiu C., Zhang Y., Leng Y., Linares G.R., Chuang D. “A New Avenue for Lithium: Intervention in Traumatic Brain Injury” ACS Chemical Neuroscience. 2014 Jun 18; 5(6): 422–433. (source)
[xvii] Schrauzer G.N. “Lithium: occurrence, dietary intakes, nutritional essentiality.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2002 Feb;21(1):14-21. (source)
[xviii] Concha G., Broberg K., Grandér M., Cardozo A., Palm B., Vahter M. “High-level exposure to lithium, boron, cesium, and arsenic via drinking water in the Andes of northern Argentina.” Environmental Science and Technology. 2010 Sep 1;44(17):6875-80 (source)
[xix] Angelucci F., Aloe L., Jiménez-Vasquez P., Mathé A.A. “Lithium treatment alters brain concentrations of nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in a rat model of depression.” International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2003 Sep;6(3):225-31. (source)
[xx] Aydin K., Uysal S., Yakut A., Emiroglu B., Yılmaz F. “N-acetylaspartate concentration in corpus callosum is positively correlated with intelligence in adolescents.” Neuroimage. 2012 Jan 16;59(2):1058-64 (source)
[xxi] Yucel K., McKinnon M.C., Taylor V.H, Macdonald K., Alda M., Young L.T., MacQueen G.M. “Bilateral hippocampal volume increases after long-term lithium treatment in patients with bipolar disorder: a longitudinal MRI study.” Psychopharmacology (Berlin). 2007 Dec;195(3):357-67 (source)
[xxii] Schrauzer G.N., de Vroey E. “ Effects of nutritional lithium supplementation on mood. A placebo-controlled study with former drug users.” Biological Trace Element Research. 1994 Jan;40(1):89-101. (source)
[xxiii] Sartori H.E. “Lithium orotate in the treatment of alcoholism and related conditions.” Alcohol. 1986 Mar-Apr;3(2):97-100. (source)
[xxiv] Lakhan S., Vieira K.F. “Nutritional therapies for mental disorders” Nutrition Journal 2008; 7: 2. (source)
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Does lithium need to be taken with meals or with a fat? I assume it doesn’t as it’s naturally found in water. But I wanted to make sure about the optimal way of increasing absorption..
Benjamin, lithium is slightly soluble in water. But the orotate ion can easily cross the blood-brain barrier which helps deliver lithium to your brain. This is the reason why micro-dosing lithium in this form is so effective.
David ,
I’m so grateful to find this database of information . I take 10 mg lithium 3X a day spaced out after a meal along with recommended values of fish oil, ashwaganda , gaba , melatonin, beets and turmeric and 430 mg a day of bovine adrenals to support my adrenals… None of this worked for me until I started using the lithium orate . It has only been 4 days I don’t want to get to ahead of myself but I have seen such a major improvement since adding this to the stack of supplements I’m currently taking , does this stack seem like a safe to you? I really appreciate this website and will recommend to others .. thank you for all your hard work David ..
Andrew, it depends on what you are trying to achieve with this stack. You need 1,000 mg DHA per day which you can’t get from plain fish oil.
And I never suggest supplementing with melatonin. See my melatonin review for why. Better to use L-Tryptophan in my opinion and allow serotonin to produce melatonin naturally in your brain.
David, I have bi polar mood swings, and ADD. Some days I can’t prioritize simple things and have an extremely hard time focusing. I have cut caffeine out, To help take the edge off .I’m trying to achieve a calmer me , while being able to be focused . I used to smoke Marijuana to help regulate mood, but my body is just too sensitive. I have come to find that lithum orate has been the biggest difference maker for me so far. I feel a wave of calm and focus , the outside noise is silenced is the best way to describe .The fish oil I’m currently taking has a blend of EPA + DHA that is 250 mg . I have since doubled my intake of this blend to increase the DHA , while I look for a supplement that has a higher amount of DHA. I would really like to talk further on this if possible. I have attached my email to this post. If your willing and able . I could use your insight. Either way David, after years. I feel now more hope than ever and can certainly attribute that to you and your life’s work, I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate you and all you have done for myself and others.
Andrew, this is the Omega-3 supplement I now use and prefer: https://bit.ly/3q98chL. Your brain needs 900 – 1,000 mg DHA per day and half that of EPA. 3 gelcaps of that supplement provides a very pure 900 mg DHA and 450 mg EPA.
You have the option of setting up a consultation with me if you need more help. Here is a link to my calendar: https://calendly.com/davidtomen/60min
Hi David:
Nice work. I am in the process of reducing psych meds, I finished cymbalta and lamotrigine reductions, and I am only now on 0.75mg of clonazepam daily. I find that If I take a tablet of 5mg of lithium I feel groggy and drowsy. My ideal dose is 1/4 of tablet twice a day to feel calm. Is it possible that this tiny dose can work? Am I dealing with placebo effect?
Thanks
Luis, even that small dose is likely to provide benefit. Go back and read some the research I provided above. Esp. the parts about the suicide rate being lower in communities that had adequate lithium in their municipal water supply.
Thanks a lot.
Does Lithium Orotate leave the kidneys as quickly as lithium carbonate? I’ve read some reports about LiO not leaving the kidneys as quickly. Not sure why that would be the case, as lithium is lithium? Also, is it safe to take NSIDS if needed with Lithium Orotate because studies say that NSIDS raise lithium concentrations to toxic levels, but we’re talking about very small doses of Lithium here. Thanks so much!
Noah, back in the 1970’s there was some concern about lithium and kidney problems. But they were talking about mega-doses of lithium carbonate.
More recent research show micro-dosing lithium is actually beneficial for kidney health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5210210/
And I’m not aware of a problem with NSAIDS and Lithium Orotate. But NSAIDS alone as you get older are bad news including congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis or chronic kidney disease: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4036662/
You’re a Godsend Dave. I’m truly so grateful for your work and brain. I recommend everyone interested in nootropics look at your site and book(s). You’ve built something miraculous and have helped me so much.
Thank you Noah. Deeply appreciated.
Hi,
before I saw your site I was reading reviews on different Lithium Orotate products. I remember one gentlemen mentioned that his daughter has bipolar and he gives her three 5mg tablets in the morning with vitamin B supplementation and they help her greatly. I am looking into having Lithium Orotate for my Anxiety/Depression. I have purchased a bottle and am easing into your recommendation of 5mg three times a day. I have taken one in the morning for a week. I have started adding one in the evening as well and after a week of that will introduce the third. My Husband insisted I do it this way. After I have been taking the 5mg three times a day for a month and I find it doesn’t help would it work better if I take 15mg at one time like after Breakfast or Dinner.
Jennifer, I like your husband’s advice because it’s always better to slowly introduce a supplement you have never used before to see how you react to it. Good advice.
15 mg Lithium Orotate is not toxic but it may be too much. You’ll need to experiment. A better option may be two 5 mg tablets 3-times per day which is what some people with Bipolar Disorder use.
Thanks very much for your advice.
Hello David. Is it safe to take Phenibut the day after taking Lithium Orotate?
Liam, they are not contraindicated in any way so I don’t see a problem.
Thank you so much!
hi david
can i take 15 mg of lithium orotate per day?
and split them between 3 meals , with a gap of 4 hours each ?
thanks
Yes
Do you think this would be ok to take with cbd or medical marijuana?
Clive, it’s not contraindicated and should not be problem.
hi david
i take Lithium Orotate 5 mg Two times per day, with breakfast and dinner .
can i take a 3rd one on lunch ?
P.S: i have 4 hours gap between each meal
so the total 15 mg per day
is that safe ?
Salem, a 3rd of dose of Lithium Orotate is perfectly safe for most people.
What do you think of 20 mg in the morning and 20 mg in the evening?
Ryan, that dosage and timing may be overdosing Lithium Orotate for some people.
Thanks so much, I’m now doing 10 mg 3x a day. What do you think of that dosage? I’m feeling good, just concerned about the dose of course.
Ryan, 10 mg 3-times per day is fine as long as it works for you.
Can lithium orotate be taken while on Cymbalta, or while tapering off of Cymbalta?
Difficult to answer because it depends. The dosage is so low for Lithium Orotate (i.e. 5 mg) that it should not be a problem. But if you used the drugs.com interaction checker you would likely find Cymbalta contraindicated with lithium. The thing is they are talking about lithium carbonate that is prescribed 300 – 900 mg per day. And not 5 mg.
What would you suggest for someone suffering from protracted benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome? I’ve been completely off clonazepam for 13 months following a 9 month taper. It’s been a living hell, and I’m wondering if this supplement can help my brain heal. I’ve had severe debilitating pain from this withdrawal syndrome for the past two years. (I was originally given Ativan in the hospital when withdrawing from gabapentin which was given to me, along with percocet almost 3 years ago for a debilitating back injury from which I have been unable to recover due to the sensitization of my nervous system from damage caused by the benzodiazepine.)
Anything that increases BDNF helps your brain repair itself including Lithium Orotate. Here are some other suggestions: https://nootropicsexpert.com/13-nootropics-to-boost-bdnf/
There is no proven protocol for coming off of these drugs. So the only thing to do is experiment with different supplements until you find combination that works for you.
And keep an open mind and try things like Saffron (https://nootropicsexpert.com/saffron/), Valerian (https://nootropicsexpert.com/valerian/), etc.
Can this be taken with iodine? I read that it competes with iodine. (I have a multi vitamin with iodine in it). And, if not, how far apart should they be taken?
Amy, it does not compete with iodine.
Hi David,
I’ve been using nootropics since December of last year to correct brain imbalances caused by years of chronic stress, depression, panic attacks and to correct damage caused by a brief period of amphetamine use. Thanks to your advice, I’ve been drug free for almost 6 months and feel like I’ve been mostly successful in stabilizing my mood. One thing I’m still struggling with is low motivation and ruminating/racing panic thoughts. I’m going through a divorce and major life transition, so these symptoms are not surprising.
I started off using 1000mg of l-tyrosine daily, 500mg morning and noon (along with rhodiola, high quality b complex, phosphatidyl serine, vit c, lion mane, l-theanine, omega 3 during the day and l-tryptophan, mag, zinc, vit d at night); my brain seemed to happily drink up that dose of tyrosine back in December. But I’ve had to cut back to 250mg tyrosine 1 or 2 times per day because it started making me feel jittery and agitated.
It’s a catch 22 because I want to nourish the dopamine pathway to drive motivation (which I really need more of right now!) but I have to temper those norepinephrine/adrenaline spikes (which I’m assuming is contributing to the panic and agitation). Do you think that taking low dose lithium orotate with my daily dose of l-tyrosine might help? Any other advice?
Thank you!
Ann, Lithium Orotate is certainly one option.
You could also be L-Glutamine (https://nootropicsexpert.com/l-glutamine/) deficient which results in racing thoughts.
Other nootropics shown to help reduce racing thoughts include: Cat’s Claw (https://nootropicsexpert.com/cats-claw/) and Lemon Balm (https://nootropicsexpert.com/lemon-balm/).
Hi David,
I want to try Lithium Orotate for anxiety, depression and mood swings but i am little concerned about it’s safety. Is this compound really safe to take? I don’t want a Lithium toxicity.
Also how about interactions? Can i use this with Olanzapine?
Rick, you can use this drug interaction checker to see if Lithium is safe to use with Olanzapine: https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html
I haven’t checked but if it does warn about using those two together make sure you read the full reason why. Because with Lithium Orotate you are essentially micro-dosing lithium. The dose is so low it doesn’t even show up on blood tests.
Consider that psychiatrists prescribe lithium as Lithium Carbonate and the like in doses from 400 – 900 mg per day. Here we’re talking about 5 mg. So no, you don’t need to worry about lithium toxicity.
Thanks for your reply David!
What about Lithium Orotate and St. John’s Wort, can i take these together? That’s what i want to know as well.
Rick, they are not contraindicated. But it is difficult to predict what will happen when combining just about anything with St. John’s wort
Thanks again for your quick answer. I looked on http://www.drugs.com for interactions between Lithium Orotate and Olanzapine but since only the Carbonate form can be used to check for different interactions i did go with that. When i searched for interactions between the 2, there seems to be a moderate interaction, but because i only take 5 mg of Lithium Orotate once a day i think it should be totally fine. Also even the Lithium Carbonate form on Drugs.com with Olanzapine had not that severe side effects. So again i think i’m totally safe with this combo. Same story for Lithium Carbonate and St. John’s Wort – no major interaction there also. So the Orotate form then must be totally fine and safe i think.
Only problem and i think was a bit weird in some sense because i never heard of it. According to Drugs.com St. Johns Wort can have some dangerous interactions with certain foods high in tyramine – that can raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels. Then it says that this can cause life threatening symptoms such as sudden and severe headache, confusion, blurred vision, problems with speech or balance, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, seizure (convulsions), and sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body). If this supplement is so dangerous why the hell is it OTC instead of a prescription? Or are they talking here about the prescribtion of St. John’s Wort?
Rick, they are talking about the natural herbal supplement. And yes, St. John’s wort is likely the most powerful or near the top of powerful natural supplements.
It’s OTC because you can’t patent a herb. If you could we would not have a supplement industry nor a vitamin shop to buy this stuff. We would need prescriptions for everything we wanted to use.
Big pharmaceuticals are doing their best to change this. Vinpocetine, Phenibut and NAC are recent examples. So be careful what you wish for.
I have read that Lithium Orotate can help for sleep. Especially waking between 2-4. What are your thoughts and recommended dosage. Thank You!
Jeannie, to test it try 5 mg Lithium Orotate which is a standard dose. You can safely double that if you need to. Try it and see if it helps you.
Firstly, thank you David for running your Youtube and web channels. Your channel has been so helpful.
I’m an adult, and deal with mild depression, mood swings, brain fog and racing thoughts. Over the year, I have tried at different times NAC, SAMe + B complex, mucuna dopa, lion’s mane, St. John’s wort, Mg and etc. With every step, I can feel myself improving, and regaining confidence to be better in my life.
I just stumbled upon your video for Lithium Orotate just recently, ordered it and tried it. I was glad it calmed my hyperactive mind. My brain fog cleared and racing thoughts faded away within about 30 minutes, my mood stabilised and I feel a veil was lifted, and felt much more normal again. I take 5mg only. With this, I am able to experience the “the now moment” and have better clarity and energy to finish my tasks.
Am really pleasantly surprised with Lithium Orotate, and will take it on a need-basis or when my mood is getting off track.
Will stack this with my daily intake of NAC, B Complex, Magnesium, Lion’s mane.
Thanks David! any other nootropic to include, pls advise too.
Dan, congrats and the only other suggestion for now may be L-Tyrosine and Alpha GPC.
But it sounds like you are on the right track. And stayed with it until you found the key that worked.
Thanks David. I will order them.
Hi David
by the way, when will you release your 2nd edition book? want to support your work by buying your books.
Dan, I hesitate to put a date on it because the release date keeps getting pushed back. And it’s all my fault because I’m having a hard time keeping up with the growth of Nootropics Expert and finding the extra couple of hours per day to finish the 2nd Edition of Head First.
But it must be done. Today is June 1 and note to self. Finish the book already!
Hi
I just purchased your new book head first. I am just curious as to why gou did not include Lithium in it?
Line, Lithium Orotate along with another 20 – 25 nootropics will be added to the 2nd Edition of Head First. And that will be published when I get finished writing it. Which my publisher was hoping to happen last month. But it looks like it will be later this year. Hopefully not too much later.
Thank you for so much info! I’ve been taking it for 3 years. I had previously been on almost every single antipsych med, antidepressant, and mood stabilizer out there. All of them caused horrendous side effects either short term or long term. I even developed tardive dyskinesia. I finally found a different dr and he put me on the lithium orotate. It was like magic! My previous psych dr was stunned. She said she hadn’t thought it would be strong enough. (I was very sick)
Thanks Jessica. I get this from a lot of people. Glad you managed to find the right thing after all that time. Good for you.
Thank you David.
You mentioned, “Lithium does enhance the transport of Vitamin B12 and folate into brain cells.” Only into brain cells?
There is one Dr. Amy Yasko who is supposedly well known for her research on Methylation Pathways. She says that if your body is low in lithium then raise it up with Lithium Orotate supplement before adding B12 supplement, because she explains, since lithium is a transporter of B12(and your body needs B12) then taking more B12 will simply deplete lithium further….I asked you about this to verify. Please comment on this again. Thanks.
Tarik
Tank, there seems to be some logic behind what she is saying. But she is the only person in the world saying it. So my point is not to worry about it. For even more comfort use a high quality B-Complex (https://amzn.to/3dldB0m) to make sure you’re getting enough B12 every day.
Hi David. Thanks for the great article. I would be grateful if you would kindly respond to the following questions.
Is it safe to give 5mg/day of Lithium Orotate to a 12 year old boy (83 lbs) who appears to have ADHD like symptoms? Is Lithium really a transporter of B12? Is it true that giving B12 without sufficient presence of Lithium in the body depletes the body of Lithium further? Is it addictive in any way?
Since lithium is a trace mineral, do you expect Lithium Rotate to be widely available for another 50 years?
Thanks.
Tarik
Tank, I am no qualified to make a recommendation for your child. I suggest checking with his doctor about this. But Lithium is safely prescribed for children: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6262083/
Lithium does enhance the transport of Vitamin B12 and folate into brain cells.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6996457
“Is it true that giving B12 without sufficient presence of Lithium in the body depletes the body of Lithium further?” Comment: that doesn’t make any sense. Think about that logically Tank and come to your own conclusion.
Please scroll back to the top of this article and carefully read it all the way through. Then decide if you think Lithium could be addictive.
And I cannot predict what will happen in 50 years. But if the planet is still habitable I imagine Lithium Orotate will still be available. Although medical advances may be to the point where no one will need to supplement with anything including Lithium.