Scientific studies of lithium supplements have made some interesting discoveries. In a 1997 study, researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health stated: "We found that long-term exposure to lithium chloride dramatically protects cultured rat cerebellar, cerebral cortical, and hippocampal neurons against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity... This neuroprotection is long-lasting, occurs at therapeutically relevant concentrations of lithium."

Simply stated: "Taking long term suplements of Lithium protects your brain cells from all kinds of damage." This has startling implications for the treatment of many diseases like Alzheimer and other mental disorders. But, it also has a huge potential impact on longevity and mental functioning.

Longevity Benefits

Dr Gregory J Moore G.L. in Lithium-induced increase in human grey matter. (Lancet 2000) states, "Rodent studies have shown that lithium exerts neurotrophic or neuroprotective effects ... Grey-matter volume increased after 4 weeks of treatment. The increases in grey matter probably occurred because of neurotrophic effects."

This is an indication that a brain with damaged cells can regrow them and even increase in size. This is stated in another article below.

In "How To Enlarge Your Brain", Dr. James Howenstine, MD. writes: "Medical students are taught that there is a slow steady loss of brain cells with aging culminating in gradual shrinkage of the brain. Lithium has long been known to be an effective therapy for Bipolar Disorder (manic depression) when taken in high doses.

However, recent research has shown that low doses of lithium preserve and renew brain cells. Eight of ten persons given lithium showed an increase in brain grey matter of 3% after only 4 weeks. By promoting brain cell regeneration and increasing brain size lithium can function as an anti-aging nutrient for the brain."

Many other Benefits

Dr Howenstine also cites research stating, "Ten years of research by 27 counties in Texas disclosed that the incidence of homicide, rape, robbery, burglary, arrests for drug possession, and suicide were higher in counties whose drinking water contained little or no lithium.

Counties whose drinking water naturally contained higher amounts of lithium had significantly lower rates of all these crimes. These counties with higher levels of lithium in their tap water experienced fewer hospitalizations for homicides, mental illness, psychosis, neurosis, schizophrenia, and personality disorder.

Low dosage lithium benefits alcoholism and mood disorders seen in heavy users of alcohol and their relatives. This therapy is often obvious to family members when depression, premenstrual tension, temper flareups and irritability cease affecting the individual.

Lithium has been helpful in reducing aggressive behavior in children. High dosages of lithium helped two adult women with severe anorexia nervosa regain 26 and 20 pounds in six weeks. Both women experienced improvement in behavioral problems."

Should Lithium be added to drinking water?

Dr Howenstine thinks so, "The answer is yes, particularly for parts of the country where lithium water levels are low. Placing lithium in the water supply would almost certainly lower crime rates and would also improve the productivity of many emotionally troubled persons."

In conclusion, there are many things we can do to increase our health and longevity. Most of them are much more difficult than others. Taking a lithium supplement is not only simple, it is very low cost, about $2 a month. I don't see why everyone wouldn't want to contribute to making the world a better place by gaining a little mental health edge.