The word lithium is generally associated with bipolar disorder treatment and is seen as a medication rather than as a mineral.
In fact, when I suggest that clients take lithium in the form of lithium orotate (a classified dietary supplement), most often, they respond with whiffs of dread rather than excitement.
Why Lithium?
Why get excited over lithium you might continue to wonder. Well, lithium as a mineral is actually present in a variety of foods and beverages that a human being consumes on a daily basis.
It is commonly found in drinking water and in numerous foods, like grains, fish, dairy, meat, vegetables, pistachios, kelp, and blue corn. Some regions with fresh water, like river basins, often have higher concentrations of lithium.
The dosage of lithium is crucial as with all substances we consume. In the lithium medication (lithium carbonate), the amount of elemental lithium is ten times that in lithium orotate. That is crucial in how our liver is affected.
Lithium orotate is a safe, marvelous supplement.
Now that I have you hooked, let me tell you about its marvels.
How Does It Benefit You?
As a dietary supplement, lithium orotate can be used in small doses to alleviate numerous conditions like depression, aggression, PTSD, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, ADD, and alcoholism.
Lithium has reportedly helped in animal models of brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) diseases. Some clinical trial studies suggest that it stops ALS progression.
Along with counseling and a good nutritional program (including important supplements like B6, Vitamin D, and Omega 3s), the proper use of lithium orotate enhances certain individuals’ well-being. Numerous individuals have noticed improved mood and motivation, lower stress, and increased focus when taking lithium orotate.
Compared with the common, prescribed forms of lithium, such as lithium carbonate and lithium citrate, which have numerous side effects, lithium orotate has been shown to be actually safer. It has a GRAS status (“generally regarded as safe”— the same status as natural food supplements in health-food stores).
What Do The Experts Say?
Jonathan Wright, M.D., author of The Importance of Lithium Supplementation, states: lithium orotate is a not a drug but a mineral, part of the same family of minerals that includes sodium and potassium. Known as America’s top authority on lithium orotate, he believes that certain amounts of lithium, when taken properly, can be considered safe.
Mark Hyman, M.D., best-selling author of The UltraMind Solution, believes that lithium is an essential micronutrient and is present in all organs and tissues in the human body.
Many veterans suffer from PTSD and depression. Dr. Mark Millar, a leading authority on lithium orotate, in his eBook, Veteran Suicide Breakthrough: Revealing the Breakthrough Mineral for Suicide Prevention, PTSD and Depression “They Definitely” Don’t Want You to Know About, discusses lithium’s effects on both the brain and the human body.
Lithium is one of the oldest and most researched treatments for emotional problems. As per John Gray, author of The Mars & Venus Diet and Exercise Solution, many relationship problems and some addiction problems stem from a deficiency of amino acids and minerals in the body. Lithium also helps balance the production of two hormones: dopamine and serotonin.
How Much Should You Have?
Although it is not intended to be a “cure-all” for any symptom or disease, lithium orotate, taken at safe and low doses, can benefit individuals with debilitating conditions. Lithium orotate supplements are often sold in doses of 5 to 10mg of lithium ion in pills that might contain 120mg of lithium orotate (i.e., a pill might contain 5mg of lithium and 115mg of orotate).
Should You Try It?
If you have tried lithium carbonate or lithium citrate and had numerous side effects, and you think lithium orotate may help you, you might try it, with your physician’s approval.
It is always best to discuss your concerns or potential side effects, as well as any current supplements and/or medications, your diet, and your overall health, with your healthcare provider.
Lithium orotate doesn’t require any blood test or a prescription and doesn’t have any remarkable side effects. But individuals with renal or cardiovascular disease taking ACE inhibitors or diuretics need to consult their physician before using it. Lithium orotate should not be taken by nursing or pregnant women.
