New Food for Thought

Debrah Harding, ND, FABNO – Center for Integrative Medicine

Vithium, a soft alkali metal, is naturally found in certain minerals and brine deposits across the globe. While lithium is best known today for powering rechargeable batteries, this element also boasts a fascinating history as a medicinal agent.

In the early 20th century, “lithia water” and lithium-containing tablets were widely promoted as tonics for various common ailments. For instance, in Ashland, visitors have flocked to the renowned Lithia Springs since the early 1900s, attracted by its mineral-rich waters. In contemporary medicine, lithium’s most established role is as a prescription mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder. The high doses required come with significant side effects.

Recent decades have seen a surge of research exploring the therapeutic potential of very low doses of lithium, taken over long periods.

Surprising Evidence of Benefits in Drinking Water Studies.

The studies of lithium enriched drinking water show benefits, especially in mental health and longevity. Consider the following:

• Numerous ecological studies in South America, North America, Europe and Asia consistently show that communities with elevated lithium concentrations tend to have lower suicide rates.

• A large Japanese study involving over 1.2 million people found that higher lithium levels in drinking water correlated with lower all-cause mortality.

• Denmark studies (some, not all) have suggested reduced dementia risk in regions with higher lithium water levels

• Across North America, Texas studies found that higher lithium in tap water is associated with reduced suicide, homicide and overall mortality rates.

Although not all studies are uniformly positive, the breadth of global evidence has led some researchers to propose a “lithiumization” of drinking water.

How Lithium Supports Brain Health

Preclinical research suggests multiple pathways. Lithium inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), an enzyme integral to neuronal function, inflammation, and cell death. Overactivity of GSK-3 is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Moreover, lithium elevates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels—a protein essential for neuron growth and resilience. In Alzheimer’s disease models, lithium reduces the accumulation of harmful amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles, hallmark features of the condition. It also diminishes neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, both major contributors to cognitive decline and mood disorders.

In a study from Harvard Medical School published as this article was written, researchers found that mice deprived of lithium exhibited accelerated brain aging and Alzheimer’s-like pathology. Remarkably, supplementing lithium in their drinking water reversed these effects, improving memory and reducing brain damage.

Dose Matters

Natural lithium levels in drinking water generally range between two to five micrograms per liter—roughly 100,000 times lower than the prescription doses used in psychiatry. These trace amounts are considered nontoxic and potentially beneficial.

Some over-the-counter lithium supplements, such as lithium orotate, provide milligram doses—typically between one and 20 milligrams daily. Though lower than pharmaceutical doses, these amounts remain much higher than lithium levels supplied by water in the studies showing health benefits.

More research is needed. Clinically, my experience with low-dose lithium supplements appears to help conditions like depression, mild cognitive impairment, and anxiety in many patients.

In over-the-counter lithium usage, some mild side effects have been documented, as well as the possibility of withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt cessation. I advise consulting with a health care provider.

This article appears in the Source August 21, 2025.