In a new study, a team of researchers has shown that, when given in a formulation that facilitates passage to the brain, lithium in doses up to 400 times lower than what is currently being prescribed for mood disorders is capable of both halting signs of advanced Alzheimer’s pathology and of recovering lost cognitive abilities.
The above snippet is from a press release published last month on Science Daily: Can lithium halt progression of Alzheimer’s disease? Keep in mind that this is an animal study but the results are so promising. I’m also very intrigued by the delivery method (more on that below).
In order to give this microdosing context, a typical adult prescription for is 900-1800mg lithium carbonate/day. I reached out to the lead author for clarification about the dosing of this new formulation and lead researcher Dr. Cuello shared this with me:
I calculate that our lithium dosage is 285 times lower concentration than the 900 mg dose (based on 70 kg of body weight) and 570 times lower than the 1800 mg dose.
This translates to around 3.2 mg to 6.4 mg NP03 based on 70kg of body weight (which is around 154.3 lbs).
NP03 is a disease-modifying nano dose formulation of lithium citrate which is used sublingually. I assume it’s not yet commercially available.
Also from the press release: “our findings show that microdoses of lithium in formulations such as the one we used, which facilitates passage to the brain through the brain-blood barrier while minimizing levels of lithium in the blood, sparing individuals from adverse effects, should find immediate therapeutic applications.”
Here is a link to the actual paper: NP03, a Microdose Lithium Formulation, Blunts Early Amyloid Post-Plaque Neuropathology in McGill-R-Thy1-APP Alzheimer-Like Transgenic Rats
Can we compare NP03 to low dose lithium orotate?
What is really interesting is that low dose lithium in the form of lithium orotate is commonly recommended by integrative practitioners for anxiety, mild mood swings, brain fog, ADHD and insomnia. I have found it to be extremely beneficial for many of my clients and have used it personally with success (for brain fog and insomnia).
Just how much lithium orotate is low dose? Typical doses are 5-10 mg per day, increasing to 20mg per day.
Can we compare NP03 to low dose lithium orotate? It’s too early to know for sure but we I believe we can start to make extrapolations, especially given that both are very low doses.
Integrative psychiatrist, Dr. James Greenblatt, MD has written extensively about low dose lithium orotate for the above purposes and for Alzheimer’s too. In this article, Lithium: The Cinderella Story About a Mineral That May Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, he shares that
Scientists first became interested in the use of lithium for treating neurodegenerative disorders when they observed that bipolar patients using lithium therapy seemed to have lower rates of cognitive decline than peers on other medications.
He writes how an enzyme called Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) – a serine/threonine protein kinase – normally plays a major role in neural growth and development and how lithium
works as a direct GSK-3 inhibitor… halting inappropriate amyloid production and the hyper-phosphoryation of tau proteins before they become problematic.
If all this fascinates you as much as it does me, Dr. Greenblatt writes more about lithium orotate in his excellent book: “Nutritional Lithium: A Cinderella Story: The Untold Tale of a Mineral That Transforms Lives and Heals the Brain” (my Amazon link).
Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline have many root causes
Keep in mind that Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline have many root causes that must be considered. This may include inflammation, stress and candida, and even insecticide exposure.
Benzodiazepines have also been linked to increased Alzheimer’s risk which is why a nutritional approach for anxiety is the best approach. Let’s use the amino acids like GABA (for physical anxiety), and tryptophan (for worry and fears), as well as dietary changes and improving gut health instead of anti-anxiety medications.
The best Alzheimer’s book
The best Alzheimer’s book is “The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline” by Dr. Dale Bredeson (my Amazon link). He doesn’t mention lithium orotate so I look forward to hearing his thoughts on this new research. [I’ll come and update the blog when I do]
You can read about some of Dr. Bredesen’s work here: Alzheimer’s disease, mercury and mycotoxins
I look forward to human clinical trials of NP03. Dr. Cuello “ believes that there is an excellent opportunity to launch initial clinical trials of this formulation with populations with detectable preclinical Alzheimer’s pathology or with populations genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s, such as adult individuals with Down Syndrome.”
I would also love to see lithium orotate compared to NP03 in future research.
In the meantime I feel this early research is exciting because it supports some of what is being seen clinically with lithium orotate.
Have you used lithium orotate with success? How much has helped you and have you seen cognitive benefits? What about a more even mood, better sleep and less anxiety?
And have you or a family member seen improvements with the Bredesen protocol?
Dr. Joseph Mercola has shared thoughts on low dose lithium therapy
Karen
Thanks for letting me know – I can’t find anything online – do you have a link to share? And have you used low dose lithium orotate with success?
Hi there, how about lithium orotate which is the natural form which crosses the blood brain barrier so much easier than lithium carbonate. I would have thought it would be better.
Eleanor
My article is about lithium orotate 🙂
Oh, I only read the first bit and didn’t see your reference to lithium orotate. Duh!
Eleanor
No problem! Have you used low dose lithium orotate with success?
I started about 1 month ago taking 5mg, increasing after 2 weeks to 10mg. My Lyme doctor recommended it for insomnia and mood stabilization. I definitely sleep better now and my mood is much better. I’m thrilled, my husband takes it too & he sleeps much better & also has improved mood.
Dee, do you take the Lithium Orotate before you go to sleep or in the morning? or several doses during the day? with food or between meals or doesn’t matter?
Hi Suzanne,
I take it in the evening. Sometimes just before bed, sometimes earlier in the eve. I don’t pay any attention to food or no food as I wasn’t instructed to do so. I started at 5mg for 2 weeks then increased to 10mg.
Dee
Glad to hear your Lyme doctor recommended this and that it’s helping you and your husband. May I ask which product you’re using?
Thank you for this thread on Lithium Orotate & for your newsletter which I faithfully read! Pure Encapsulations is the brand we take. My Lyme doctor is world renowned & will introduce in May his new book called Chronic – about the underlying infections behind autoimmunity. I’m happy to share anything that might help others who are suffering.
Be careful with it. I tried lithium orotate and found it slowed my processing. I was almost in two car accidents because I couldn’t judge the timing of ongoing traffic while I was trying to make a left hand turn. I turned right out in front of cars and nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I immediately went off it. Now I’m afraid to recommend it.
Annie
Thanks for sharing – it sounds like it relaxed you too much! May I ask what product and how much you used? And why your practitioner recommended it?
Trudy, lithium orotate in “pixie dust” doses precipitates high blood sugar and extreme polyuria. My hair analysis shows no lithium. I know I need it, but am not sure what to do. How does one access microgram doses?
I mean, I have a high blood sugar and excessive urination reaction to very small doses of lithium orotate. I would like to try microgram doses.
Elaine
I have not had anyone report these effects. I would work with your practitioner to find a product that comes in mcg doses
When I tried lithium orotate at 10mg it was great for calming anxiety but gave me terrible night sweats and I had to discontinue.
Trudy, I asked this above but I’d like to ask it of you as well, since you use it and recommend it sometimes.
Re: Lithium Orotate..
1. .do you take the Lithium Orotate before you go to sleep or in the morning? or several doses during the day? with food or between meals or doesn’t matter? You said it helped with Brain Fog and insomnia, so not sure if it matters when you take it during the day, or just maintaining levels.
2. How and why do you increase the dose, and what feedback tells you when to increase from 5-10 mg to 20 mg?
Thanks so much for your excellent help!
Suzanne
I have my clients use it morning and noon 5mg each (typically with a meal) and after a week go up to 10 mg each time (based on how they’re responding i.e, doing better but could do even better)
My son tried it for 3 days a very low dose few drops I can’t remember now how many maybe 3 in a glass of water for brain fog he was 16 had was sleep walking from the first night which never happened before and was imagining something was in his bed was a scary experience so we stopped it and never tried again
Maisa
Thanks for sharing – I have not heard of this adverse effect but anything is possible. if you can remember the dose and product name that would be helpful
Biotics research produces Li-zyme Forte. It’s 150mcg of phytochemically bound vegetable culture source. I have used this product in clinical practice for 20 yrs with no adverse reactions.
Loren
Thanks for sharing! To give this context for the non-metric folks 150mcg is 0.15mg. May I ask how much you use and for what purposes? Do you find this form allows lower doses to be used with similar benefits to say 5 or 10mg of the lithium orotate?
Hi Trudy,
I use between 4 and 6 tabs a day in divided doses-Am/Pm.
I find it helpful for mood stabilization, anxiety, and cognitive support.
As people are reporting here, the 5mg works for some and others experience adverse reactions. This form not just the dose appears to make the difference.
Best,
Dr. Marks
Hi Loren, I’m interested to know what percentage of your patients have benefited from taking Li-zyme?
Have been taking 5 mg 3-4 x day & really feel it’s helped with calmness and clarity
Karla – thanks for sharing
Could anyone share experience in use of lithium orotate 5 mg and thyroid issues? My husband says it interferes with his thyroid meds and he has to increase his dose of thyroid hormone.
Janna
Prescription lithium carbonate is known for adverse thyroid effects. I’m not familiar with adverse thyroid effects with lose dose lithium orotate in the 5-20mg range. It is 5mg lithium orotate he has an issue with? May I ask what brand he used?
I tried taking 5mg lithium Orotate for a few days in response to undetectable lithium on my hair analysis test, but I stopped taking it as I found my brain fog became even worse. So it’s not for everyone.
Ps. Undetectable lithium is a hallmark sign of mercury toxicity.
Mila
Thanks for sharing. May I ask May I ask what brand you used?
The brand name is KAL.
1. An article on magnesium supplements at fixyourgut.com does not recommend magnesium citrate. They state that this formulation interferes with iron metabolism.
2. When I can afford it, lithium orotate keeps me from drooling. (I am certain I have Lyme Disease.) I learned about lithium orotate from Stephen Harrod Buhner who says it is neuroprotective.
Merry
How interesting that lithium orotate keeps you from drooling. Is your drooling at night only? This can be a sign of parasites especially when it happens at night when parasites are active. Lyme bacteria can live inside parasites
I’m curious where you’ve heard Stephen Buhner say this about lithium? And do you have a link to share?
Hi Trudy, Thank you for your passion to helping people get their lives back. I recently checked my lithium blood levels and it was under that the low range. I also did a Hair Mineral Tissue Analysis and my lithium level was low there as well. I am going to start with the 5mg of Lithium Orotate and work up to the 15 to 20 mg range. How long should one wait before retesting my blood lithium levels? Also I have low serotonin blood levels and my GABA was undetectable. Will bringing my lithium levels into “normal” range benefit my serotonin or GABA levels? Best regards.
Eddie
I don’t have answers about testing blood lithium levels but 1-3 months may be reasonable. I would guess hair retesting 3 months and longer. I would love to hear your results – blood work, hair and symptoms. Lithium does help with GABA production but I like to use GABA for supporting low GABA levels.
May I ask what are you using lithium orotate for? And which labs tested blood lithium, hair minerals, serotonin and GABA?
My client had pretty severe depression and was on an SSRI for about 15 years. She tried all sorts of alternative options including a serious amino acids cocktail- all to no avail.
Two pills of Lithium Orotate (5mg)/day (one in the morning, one in the afternoon) and she has literally had a miraculous recovery since.
I am astounded!
Michael
This is great to hear – thanks for sharing! I love to hear from counselors who are incorporating nutritional approaches into their work. Is this an approach you often use with clients and see often or is this a new approach?
You mention an amino acids cocktail – for future reference I find that using individual amino acids one at a time and dosed based on unique needs works better than a cocktail
No, I am too apprehensive to make these type of suggestions often. I WISH I had a better training in it to give me a better sense of competence so I could bring this to my clients and community.
Hi Trudy
I am a 65 year old male suffering Chronic fatigue an fibromyalgia. For the last two months I take 5 mg Lithium orotate from the KAL brand . It sure helps with my depression and anxiety but it hasn’t done anything for my terrible sleep. I feel now that I’m getting more tired then I already was. Should I take it before bed rather than in the morning as I do now or is there another brand that you could suggest that would work better for me? Thank you kindly, Peter
Peter
Some folks find it works better later in the day. Glad to hear it helps with depression and anxiety
Apologies for the delay in your comment approval and my response. We had a computer glitch where a large number of comments were hidden from view in a spam folder. It mostly affected new folks who were commenting for the first time but it’s hopefully resolved now.
I take Pure encapsulation 5 mg around noon everyday.
It has helped with anxiety and panic attacks. Although I still have shortness of breath when I get stressed. I used to have issues sleeping and I have slept great since taking it. So I will keep taking. I am thinking of trying 10 mg to see if that will help my anxiety symptoms
Lani
Thanks for sharing. 5-10mg is a typical dose for many.
Apologies for the delay in your comment approval and my response. We had a computer glitch where a large number of comments were hidden from view in a spam folder. It mostly affected new folks who were commenting for the first time but it’s hopefully resolved now.
What about the ionic liquid form of lithium would this be ok as I always prefer a liquid to tablets for absorption and no fillers ?
Anne
I can’t be sure but I suspect this would have similar benefits. The form and dosage is what is important. Please keep us posted if you do use it
It suggests a size on the bottle of 10 drops = 500 mcg. Do you think that sound suitable?
I have been using a product called Luma TC that has 5mg of Lithium Orotate. I had severe depression for years that went away within 6 weeks. I tried many anti depressants during that time and nothing. Not sure of how all this works in the brain but I,m really hoping it helps with my insomnia as well. I,m still getting used to what normal feels like.- John
John
This is wonderful to hear – thanks for sharing. Love this: “I’m still getting used to what normal feels like” !
This does have a few ingredients other than lithium orotate that contributing to these results – curcumin, folate, B12, NAC and vitamin B6. It’s a super combination but I’m not excited about some of the inactive ingredients.
You may find this helpful too https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/low-lithium-questionnaire-and-how-we-use-lithium-orotate-with-the-amino-acids/
Also, my book is an excellent resource for learning about the amino acids, and dosing and timing options, and all the other nutritional solutions, many of which also help insomnia too – The Antianxiety Food Solution https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
If you feel like you need guidance and support using GABA (low GABA is a common factor with insomnia), consider joining the online GABA Quickstart program so you can get help figuring it out. More here about the program and purchase info https://www.anxietynutritioninstitute.com/gabaquickstart/
My husband was diagnosed with early onset AD well over 7 years ago. We have managed to maintain some sort of a plateau by loosely following many of the protocols set out by experts like Dale Bredesen and administering coconut oil regularly. He is now 73 years old and the progression seems to have sped up. I would like to try him on the Lithium Orotate – can it be bought without a prescription in South Africa?
Also the medics are insisting that he go onto statins – which I have been avoiding doing although his cholesterol is high – Red rice yeast has not helped. He recently had three stents put in. Do you have any views on this?
ps I find your opinions on pyroluria so helpful, as I am someone who has always been tense and uncomfortable in socialising and am trying to take all of that in as well. Thank you.
Regards Ann
Ann
An integrative doctor in South Africa can order lithium orotate. I’m not a fan of statins but this is really something to discuss with the integrative doctor who would have his entire medical history and can offer dietary advice (presumably low carb/low sugar)
Wonderful to hear about pyroluria for you!
Hi Trudy- I took your advice and tried Gaba Calm. Its fine during the day for anxiety but activating at night for me. Is there a similar product without the nac l tyrosine? thanks so much and the Luma Tc is still working for me. Just need something to help with sleep. Very Frustrating.
John
A GABA powder (like NOW) or GABA/theanine combo (like GABA-T SAP from NFH) works well at night for many of my clients.
See more here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-pyroluria-supplements/
i just tried 5 mg of lithium before bedtime and noticed a strange pulsing feeling, kind of a fluttering heartbeat a bit after. this lasted maybe 20 to 30 minutes (guess). i felt concerned. is this from the lithium? i am nervous to try it again. maybe i shouldn’t have used it at bedtime. i am taking it for anxiety/depression. brand: Purely Holistic
thanks ahead of time, Karen
Karen
I’m not familiar with this brand and haven’t had this feedback from anyone. I don’t have clients push through and typically have them use less if they have benefits and adverse effects. I’d discuss these results with your practitioner
Karen
I’m not familiar with this brand and haven’t had this feedback from anyone. I don’t have clients push through and typically have them use less if they have benefits and adverse effects. I’d discuss these results with your practitioner