Mean disease duration for the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose lithium-treated patients who received MRIs were 1.3 years, 1.5 years and 3.5 years, respectively. Correlations between the multi-shell FW values and those obtained using the MarkVCID script with only the b=1000 shell data exceeded 0.943 for all of the ROIs. There was an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.94 between pSN FW data using MNI-defined and manual pSN ROI placement. Schrag A., Jahanshahi M., Quinn N. What contributes to quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease? J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry. 2000; 69:308–312. [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar] Most people get about 0.64-3 mg of lithium from food and water daily. This amount is extremely safe and has little to no side effects. Aarsland D., Kurz M.W. The epidemiology of dementia associated with Parkinson disease. J. Neurol. Sci. 2010; 289:18–22. [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar]

Lithium orotate has been researched as a treatment for alcoholism, and it showed promise since this addictive behavior is propelled by mood swings. Low-dose lithium could also be used to augment treatment for severe depression. Lithium in the prophylaxis of unipolar depression: a review” Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (1983) Decressac M., Kadkhodaei B., Mattsson B., Laguna A., Perlmann T., Bjorklund A. Alpha-Synuclein-induced down-regulation of Nurr1 disrupts GDNF signaling in nigral dopamine neurons. Sci. Transl. Med. 2012; 4 163ra156. [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar] For these trace levels, there are virtually no known acute side-effects and no risk for toxicity. This is unsurprising, as we all ingest some level of naturally-occurring lithium from food and water. These trace levels may in fact benefit brain and mental health. However, certain populations such as the elderly and pregnant women may be sensitive to long-term exposure of small amounts of lithium. For this reason, we need more studies to better understand the effects of trace-level lithium supplementation on different populations. Low Dose Supplementation: Lithium Orotate Lithium is a trace element whose use in human health has been increasingly recognized. While its best-known role is that of supporting mood, lithium has recently been recognized as having the ability to play a role in maintaining cognitive function. 1,2Ohgami H, Terao T, Shiotsuki I, Ishii N, Iwata N (2009) Lithium levels in drinking water and risk of suicide. Br J Psychiatry 194:464–465 The side-effects and toxicity associated with lithium are dose-dependent and usually only seen with high-dose medications. Trace-Level Supplementation: Ionic Lithium and Plant-Based Lithium Lithium citrate– This is another popular form mainly used as a prescription medication for the treatment of bipolar disease. Rybakowski JK, Lehmann W (1994) Decreased activity of erythrocyte membrane ATPases in depression and schizophrenia. Neuropsychobiol 30(1):11–14 Cui J, Shao L, Young LT, Wang JF (2007) Role of glutathione in neuroprotective effects of mood stabilizing drugs lithium and valproate. Neuroscience 144(4):1447–1453

Though lithium is not addictive, overdosing can be highly dangerous. Too much lithium in the body functions as a poison, which is why it can be a risky medication if you suffer from anxiety complicated by depression. Similarly, lithium itself can have what's known as a "paradoxical" reaction where it actually creates more anxiety and depression, which is another important reason not to use lithium without talking to your doctor.Ayotte JD, Gronberg JM, Apodaca LE (2011) Trace elements and radon in groundwater across the United States, 1992–2003; Investigations Report; U.S. Geological Survey: Reston, VA, USA However, a psychiatrist may prescribe lithium orotate to people who have gone off lithium therapy or experience milder symptoms. Lithium Orotate: Weight Loss

Reimann C, Birke M (2010) Geochemistry of European bottled water. Gebrüder Borntraeger Verlagsbuchhandlung: Stuttgart, Germany The article below will explore the effects of lithium on the brain, as well as its potential negative side effects, to help gauge its potential benefits as well as its risk factors for people suffering from anxiety. What is Lithium? Some case reports state confusion as one of the possible side effects, but it may result from other conditions. One study examining the effects of long-term low-dose lithium treatment found that it doesn’t impair kidney function. However, several other side effects were observed, such as a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus, increased body weight, increased neutrophils and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and occurrence of arrhythmias. Lin C.H., Yang S.Y., Horng H.E., Yang C.C., Chieh J.J., Chen H.H., Liu B.H., Chiu M.J. Plasma alpha-synuclein predicts cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry. 2017; 88:818–824. [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar]Schrauzer GN (2002) Lithium: occurrence, dietary intakes, nutritional essentiality. J Am Coll Nutr 21(1):14–21