Lithium: Benefits, Side Effects, Best Time to Take It & More

Lithium

(Li)

Evidence: Very High
Possible Benefits: High
Safety: Reasonable

What is lithium?

Lithium is a trace mineral often sold in dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals for the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder. This article is about the main benefits of lithium, its potential side effects, the best time to take it, and more.

What does lithium do for the body?

Lithium is neither a stimulant nor a depressant. It acts as a mood stabilizer.

This mineral improves the body’s ability to synthesize serotonin and increases its release. It also decreases the number of serotonin receptors in the hippocampus. Together, these effects are responsible for improving mood and reducing feelings of anxiousness.

Possible benefits

It is important to note that all of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. Generally, the higher the dose, the more pronounced the effects are. However, they do reach a plateau at a certain point. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.

Major benefits

Reduced manic episodes – High-dose lithium is mainly prescribed to those suffering from bipolar disorder because it is very effective at lowering the frequency and intensity of manic episodes. The mineral can help reduce abnormal activity in the brain even in those who are not diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Treatment of depression – Both low-dose and high-dose lithium usage can lead to significant reductions in symptoms and frequency of depression related to bipolar disorder and other causes. A great amount of evidence shows anti-suicidal effects even when lithium is taken at very low doses. Higher levels of this mineral in groundwater correlate with lower rates of suicide.
Reduced anxiety and panic attacks – Both low doses and high doses of the mineral can reduce anxiety and panic attacks by increasing the amount of free serotonin in the brain.
Reduced cognitive decline – This effect may only apply to low doses. High doses of lithium taken for prolonged periods may have the opposite effect and reduce cognitive abilities in the long term.

Minor benefits

Reduced negative symptoms of autism – Lithium supplements and medications seem to reduce disruptive behaviors, impulsivity, and anxiety related to autism.

Possible side effects

These side effects are dose-dependent. The risk for them increases (often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as you increase the dose. Some of the side effects only apply to very high doses.

Shaking
Fatigue
Headaches
Gastrointestinal problems
Nausea
Diarrhea
Metallic taste
Frequent urination
Thirst
Weight gain
Lithium toxicity – While acute toxicity is rare, taking high doses of lithium could lead to chronic toxicity over time. Ionic lithium and lithium orotate are only responsible for very few reported cases of toxicity and none of these cases are severe. Medications with lithium carbonate and citrate are responsible for many more cases of toxicity because they are taken at much higher doses. The toxicity mainly occurs in the kidneys and the thyroid gland. Those suffering from toxicity may experience confusion, trouble walking, blurred vision, muscle weakness, drowsiness, flu-like symptoms, psychosis, seizures, and coma. That is why it is best to avoid high doses unless necessary and approved by your doctor.

Who should not take lithium?

You should probably avoid taking the supplement if you:

experience a severe adverse reaction after taking the supplement
already consume enough lithium from food and water
do not suffer from any kind of mental health condition
suffer from kidney or thyroid problems
take psychedelics, NSAIDs, ACE inhibitors, or angiotensin-II-receptor antagonists (sartans)

Who will benefit the most?

You should consider taking the supplement if you:

suffer from bipolar disorder, depression, or extreme anxiety
have suicidal thoughts
get below 1 mg of this mineral from food and water
only want to take a trace amount to see how it affects you (doses lower than 3 mg have no apparent side effects and seem to improve many people’s well-being)

Types of lithium supplements

The different types of lithium supplements and pharmaceuticals include:

Lithium orotate – This is the most popular supplemental form you can order without a prescription in most countries. The main difference between lithium orotate and prescription medications containing lithium lies in the dose.
Lithium aspartate – This form is also sold as an over-the-counter supplement and has an almost identical effect as lithium orotate.
Ionic lithium – This type is sold as a liquid containing lithium chloride. A typical dose of ionic lithium ranges from 0.3-1 mg.
Lithium carbonate – This form can only be obtained as a prescription medication in most countries. A daily dose often contains about 112 to 225 mg of lithium, which is a significantly higher dose than what is found in lithium supplements. Lithium carbonate is about as safe as lithium orotate or aspartate per milligram but it is responsible for significantly more side effects because lithium orotate and aspartate are usually taken at much lower doses.
Lithium citrate – This is another popular form mainly used as a prescription medication for the treatment of bipolar disease.

The main difference between these supplements and medications lies in the dose. Ionic lithium is the safest of all these types because the typical dose is so low. On the other hand, lithium carbonate and citrate have the worst safety record because they are prescribed in such high amounts. Lithium orotate and aspartate lie somewhere in between.

How much lithium should you take?

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.

Ionic lithium liquids only contain trace amounts of this mineral, usually under 1 mg in a daily dose. Lithium orotate is usually supplemented at doses of 1-20 mg/d while lithium carbonate and citrate are taken at doses of 20-225 mg/d.

Therapeutic doses of 100+ mg/d should only be considered if you suffer from bipolar disorder. Never take such high doses without approval from your doctor.

Doses as low as 0.3-0.6 mg/d can be effective for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms. For more serious psychiatric or neurological disorders, 5-10 mg/d of lithium orotate may be more beneficial while still being relatively safe.

The upper safety limit is not well-established. To stay on the safe side, don’t take more than 10 mg daily unless you have a great reason to do so. Higher amounts may cause multiple health problems, especially if you take lithium for a prolonged period.

Food sources of lithium

We consume on average about 0.64 to 3 mg of lithium from food and water daily.

The main sources in the diet are grains, legumes, vegetables, and some mineral waters. If you eat at least some whole plant foods or the water you drink is rich in Li, you should not worry about being deficient in this mineral.

Best time to take lithium

This mineral is water-soluble, so you don’t have to take it with food to absorb it well. Taking the mineral with food is better if it causes stomach upset when you take it on an empty stomach.

Lithium is best taken in the evening. It is not a problem if you take the mineral in the morning, just make sure to take it at the same time every day.

Interactions

Inositol
Lithium works by depleting inositol levels in the brain. Many of lithium’s side effects are related to inositol depletion. Low doses of inositol can help reduce some of these side effects by preventing the deficiency of this compound in the rest of the body.
Diuretics
Diuretics can speed up the loss of sodium through urination. Decreasing sodium in the body can increase lithium levels in the body and thus increase both its positive and negative effects.
ACE inhibitors
ACE inhibitors can increase lithium levels in the body.
NSAIDs
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) might increase lithium levels in the body.
Psychedelics
Combining the mineral with serotonergic psychedelics (such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms) can increase the risk of psychosis and seizures and should be avoided. Psychedelics can be even more beneficial than lithium for improving mental health and overall well-being but do not experiment with these two interventions at the same time.

Where to buy lithium

Amazon is the best option for ordering lithium supplements in most countries. They offer some very affordable products backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands without having to search through other markets on the internet.

Beware some brands display the dosage per serving instead of per pill or capsule. Therefore, you may accidentally buy something less potent than you intended. Do not fall for this marketing trick.

FAQ

Lithium usually isn’t cycled. When you stop taking the mineral, keep in mind it should be tapered gradually over 2-3 months.

All of these options are fine. The two most important things to consider are the price and dosing. Powders are almost always the cheapest form. However, you may need a highly accurate scale to dose them correctly (preferably 0.001g). You can get one for as little as $20 from Amazon. Dosing the powders also takes some time that can add up over months or years. The disadvantage of capsules is that they often contain bovine gelatine, which rarely comes from an ethical source.

Yes. The mineral doesn’t impact your sleep in any negative way. Taking lithium at night may even be better than taking it in the morning. Whatever time of day you choose, make sure to take it at the same time every day.

The supplements should not become harmful once they exceed the expiration date, but they can lose potency over time.

Keep the supplements in a cold, dark, and dry place, and they should remain just as potent for many months or even years.

While acute toxicity is rare, taking high doses of lithium could lead to chronic toxicity over time. Ionic lithium and lithium orotate are only responsible for very few reported cases of toxicity and none of these cases are severe. Medications with lithium carbonate and citrate are responsible for many more cases of toxicity because they are taken at much higher doses. The toxicity mainly occurs in the kidneys and the thyroid gland. Those suffering from toxicity may experience confusion, trouble walking, blurred vision, muscle weakness, drowsiness, flu-like symptoms, psychosis, seizures, and coma. That is why it is best to avoid high doses unless necessary and approved by your doctor.

The main difference between different types of lithium supplements and medications lies in the dose. Ionic lithium is the safest of all these types because the typical dose is so low. On the other hand, lithium carbonate and citrate have the worst safety record because they are prescribed in such high amounts. Lithium orotate and aspartate lie somewhere in between.

The half-life of lithium in the body is about 18-36 hours. The nutrient stays in your system for about a week after you consume it.

In the long term, it typically takes about 1-3 weeks of taking the mineral to begin noticing the effects.

Most lithium supplements and medications on the market are vegan-friendly but always check the label to be sure. If you buy the mineral in a capsulated form, beware that the capsules often contain animal-based gelatine. Instead, find a brand that puts its products into cellulose capsules.

The nutrient is water-soluble, so you don’t have to take it with food to absorb it well.

No, it doesn’t. The supplement does not interfere with fasting in any significant way.

References

Most of the information provided in this guide is supported by scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We highly encourage you to use the library to verify anything said in this article. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.

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