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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[iii] Herbert V., Colman N. “Release of vitamin binding proteins from granulocytes by lithium: vitamin B12 and folate binding proteins.” Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 1980;127:61-78. (source)
[iv] Young W. “Review of lithium effects on brain and blood.” Cell Transplantation. 2009;18(9):951-75. (source)
[v] Schrauzer G.N., Shrestha K.P. “Lithium in drinking water and the incidences of crimes, suicides, and arrests related to drug addictions.” Biological Trace Element Research. 1990 May;25(2):105-13. (source)
[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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I’ve been taking this for (10mg / day) quite a while and I feel incredibly hung over every time I take it often until the next day. Do you know why this is?
It is possible you have an underlying medical condition that you are not aware of.
For example, see this section above under “Side Effects”: “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.”
If you have a heart problem or something going on with your kidneys, are dehydrated or lacking sodium then Lithium can cause problems. It’s also possible it is contraindicated with one of the meds you are using.
Hi David,
Any issues in taking Lions Mane (500 mg) with Lithium Orate? Also have you seen the studies of extreme micro dosing (300 mcg) lithium that halted Alzheimer’s? I’m very moody, lose patience/irritable and somewhat antisocial. Thanks,
“researchers evaluated the effect of a daily dose of 300 micrograms (hundreds of times lower than the dose used for mood disorders) administered to Alzheimer’s disease patients for 15 months. Their cognitive function was then tested periodically and compared to an untreated control group.
Key takeaway(s) from this research: Starting 3 months after treatment began, patients given lithium performed significantly better in cognitive tests than the control group, and this difference increased progressively throughout the study period.”
Harry, I have not seen that study. But 300 mcg is a smaller dose then what Lithium Orotate provides which is still small at 5 mg of lithium.
thanks love your website. yeah as far as I know there is onkly one seller i could find to the public with that small a dose its plant based lithium for consumption comes in 50 mcg and 150 mcg.
so would you stack lions mane with lithium orate or does it defeat the purpose? thanks,
Harry, yes, you can use Lion’s Mane Mushroom with Lithium Orotate. Lion’s Mane is used primarily for boosting Nerve Growth Factor which Lithium Orotate does as well. But no nearly as effectively. And Lithium Orotate provides so many other benefits not provided by Lion’s Mane.
Do I have to take breaks from taking Lithium Orotate occasionally, or is it not necessary? Is it better take it with food or an empty stomach? Thank you!
Martin, Lithium Orotate is water soluble so it does not matter when or how you take it. But you can safely use it 3-times per day and every day.
Hi David, while I like the affects of Lithium Orotate (I took 5 mg/day for two days), I am concerned that it’s not motivating me to deal with the issues that are really causing my severe depression and anxiety. Can you speak to this?
Also, are there withdrawal symptoms from stopping Lithium Orotate?
Philip, there are no withdrawal symptoms associated with micro-dosing lithium. And BTW, 5 mg per day is not going to do much. You need to use Lithium Orotate 3-times per day for it to be effective in treating specific cognitive issues.
But your anxiety and depression can be cause by a host of other things. See my article on each here:
https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-anxiety/
https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-depression/
Hello
David
Can a 8 year old with epilepsy and aggressive behavior take 5mg lithium orotate daily??
That is something you should check with their doctor. But as far as I know it should be safe.
Hi David! I’m innatentive type of ADD. Im very very very calm, hyperactivity isn’t my thing. Will lithium help me?
Sandra, is may help you. Lithium is a mineral our body needs and you can verify this by checking out the image below “How does Lithium work in the brain?” It may not make you any calmer but things may work a little better.
Hi David! My body will absorb 30mg of lithium orotate if I take this dose once a day? My lab tests showed me that my lithium is below reference. Thank you!
Sonia, it may but my experience has been that 3 doses spread evenly throughout the day are better used by your body and brain.
Thanks for the information. I suffer both from debilitating depression and anxiety. The lithium prorate seems to be a life saver for anxiety better than the meds. For a while now though I can’t get rid of anhedonia associated with the depression. I take 5mg LO 3 times a day. Do you think the LO is affecting dopamine possibly? I’m taking many other meds which might be doing this to me and in addition, I’m tapering some of them. If you can help, it would be great and appreciated. Thanks, Chaim
Chaim, Lithium Orotate increases uptake of norepinephrine but not dopamine.
I suggest you use Wikipedia and look up the side effects for each drug you are using. See if one of them is contributing to your anhedonia.
Hi David,
i was looking for a way to keep serotonin more prominent than Dopamine as i have some overactive fight and flight responses caused by social phobia.
Dopamine/glutamate/adrenaline/cortisol appeared to be contraproductive for me as it makes me more nervouss, shaky and seem to make my overall anxiety worse.
I tried almost all herbs for anxiety but i didnt liked them a lot as almost all with long term use made a lot of chaos in my neurotransmitter levels.
So i was looking for something more natural like mineral/amino acid which primary help with serotonin and Lithium seem to be fitting very well.
But i have an issue as everytime i take Lithium orotate 5mg from swanson i recieve some kind of headache. What could be the reason for it, should i keep taking it and the headache may dissappear ?
Dan, dopamine goes on to produce norepinephrine. And Lithium promotes norepinephrine which could be your problem.
Shouldnt Lithium in the end decrease Norepinephrine ?
But the headache isnt dangerous ? It couldnt cause some kind of build up and harm my brain.
Dan, the only time a ‘headache’ can be dangerous is if was caused by a tumor or cancer or a skull fracture. The half-life of norepinephrine 1 – 2 minutes. It cannot physically “build-up” in your brain.
If you believe dopamine to be dominant and are looking for something to counteract dopamine then raise your serotonin levels by using L-Tryptophan.
You state lithium orotate and ACE inhibitors should not be combined. How about Losartan instead; an ARB. I am on lisinopril and would like to try lithium orotate.
Larry, use this drug interaction checker: https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html. Enter the drug name in the search field and then click on “Check Interactions”. And then click the link that says “View all ____ medications”.
28 yr. old son, completely lost, zero self esteem, paranoid, can get aggressive emotionally, to hateful & lots of boxed in frustration…he’s scared & has cut all friends off…almost reclusive beard/ long hair…
William, there can be so many causes of this type of behavior. And unless you have been watching your son 24/7 there is no way to isolate what would cause this.
I am a 38 year old female interested in trying supplementation but I am nervous I will have a bad reaction due to my autoimmune diseases (lupus, RA, Hashimoto’s) and my medications (methotrexate injections, hydroxychloroquine, LDN, NP thyroid). I tried to speak to my GP about this and he rolled his eyes and told me I should get back on Zoloft, fully knowing that I stopped due to sharp stabbing pain sensations shooting across my skull in the middle of the night.
I have a history of low sodium (minor, off by a point or two) which my nephrologist blamed on me using water consumption as a coping mechanism for anxiety (I consumed about 2 liters a day). I disagreed, continued to drink water and my sodium is back to normal. I blame my autoimmune diseases for the low sodium spell.
I read that lithium orotate increases dopamine which I have been told I have produce too much of after doing a blood, urine and methylation gene mutation test. I had quite a few mutations that explained why it is so hard to treat my adhd with stimulants, as well as learned I have an overabundant supply of dopamine not caused by supplementation.
Ahhh. I’m so lost and I think I’ve been reading too much that I am just confused now.
Thank you for your time and your articles.
Jourdan, Lithium Orotate increases the uptake of norepinephrine but NOT dopamine. That does NOT mean Lithium makes more norepinephrine. It just increases its effectiveness.
And I’m not convinced that the “overabundance” of dopamine associated with methylation issues has anything to do with the amount of dopamine produced in your brain. Which cannot be measured unless we autopsy your brain. Which you would find inconvenient I think. 🙂
You should be able to follow my ADHD protocol without the use of stimulants. It doesn’t work for everyone. But it worked for me when I tested it.
Hi. Can you please clarify. I would like to find the Lithium Nootropic at 5 mg dose as that seems very applicable to me but the link for where to purchase is a 120 mg capsule and I cannot seem to find where I can get the nootropic. Would like to purchase asap.
Jah, all Lithium Orotate supplements contain 5 mg elemental lithium and the rest is orotic acid. Which acts as a carrier to help Lithium get past the blood-brain barrier and carry it into your brain.
I’m taking 5mg and it’s great, but I find it makes me feel like I need to urinate a lot, especially at night. Is that from the orotate part? Does it need so much? Don’t our bodies already make orotate? Are there brands with less orotate? Thanks.
Tina, if you scroll up to the “Side Effects” section above you’ll see this “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.”
Are you taking any type of drug that could cause this but interacting with Lithium Orotate? Or you could have issues with your kidneys that you were not aware of.
All Lithium Orotate supplements contain a similar amount of orotic acid. It helps boost the bioavailability of this mineral to your brain. If you replaced the orotic acid with something else it would not work nearly as well as it does in its present form.
Being pre diabetic or diabetic also can make you have to get up several times night. Do you have blood glucose issues?
i gather those with CKD can take this low dose 5 mg/d? or does it still pose a risk since I understand it is cleared by the kidneys.
Jenn, if you are dealing with kidney disease then Lithium Orotate may not be a good supplement for you. Even at this low lithium dose.
Thanks for the prompt reply!
hi david
i took 25mg of lithium per day for many months, yet still have deficiency?
is it okay to take 30mg per day ?
Salem, yes, 30 mg per day is OK.
david , can i take like one dose 10mg and the rest 20mg are divided into 5mg four times throught the day ?
and whats the upper the limit above 30mg thats consider as safe ?
really thanks for what u do
Salem, there is no published ‘safe’ upper limit for Lithium Orotate dosage. Whatever works for you within reason should be OK. Just keep in mind that “more in not better” for every supplement and drug on the planet.
This is a wonderful article. I suffer with anxiety depression and excessive negative thinking. I often wondered if lithium oritate is safe at 5-10 g a day is safe. Now I believe it is. Thank you so much?!
Anthony
Anthony, I think you have a typo because Lithium Orotate is 5 mg elemental lithium. If you try using 5 – 10 grams I doubt that you’ll survive.
Hello David! I’ve been taking 20-30mg of lithium orotate for my debilitating anxiety. I’m also on mood probiotics which are a godsend. A few years ago I was taking approximately 18mg of elemental lithium taken from the liquid lithium citrate. After about 5 months of taking it, I developed hypothyroidism, put on 10lbs and started having vertigo as a side effect. I stopped lithium and started taking NAC. But NAC stopped working, so I’m back on probiotics and lithium, but this time, I decided to take lithium orotate. Will 20-30mg of lithium orotate give me hypothyroidism? I love this form of lithium so much, it’s been great for my anxiety that I don’t want to stop but I’m worried about my thyroid. Thank you!!!
Annie, I do not think it will make you hypothyroid. Lithium Orotate is much more bioavailable than lithium citrate which is why you should be able to use lower doses.
But 30 mg Lithium Orotate is a fairly common daily dose for someone using it to replace the prescription form of lithium.
Thank you very much David!
Over time lithium can deplete iodine so it could have caused it but should be reversible!
Megan, is correct but I think this primarily is associated with the higher doses of prescription lithium used to treat conditions like mania, psychosis and bipolar disorder. Here is a study explaining how Lithium can build up in your thyroid and inhibit its ability to produce thyroid hormone: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9827658/
Hi David. Thanks for writing this article it is very informative! However, I do want to address one thing. The amount of elemental lithium you get from the orotate supplements is very low, but when you compare this to the prescriptions that give “900-1200 mg per day”, that is generally the total amount of lithium carbonate in the pill. Lithium carbonate supplies 18.8 mg of lithium per 100g, so the pharmaceutical dosages are more like 170-225 mg of elemental lithium.
So, while the supplements provide a lot less lithium, it is not several orders of magnitude less like many people believe.
Jon, you are correct. Thank you.
It’s been months since I took lithium orotate, last night I took one 5mg and I had a good sleep and also the next day I woke up I feel my brain fog and anxiety are almost gone.