Lithium, part 2: other effects

[Guest guest]

What would you call a substance associated with a

significant reduction in the incidence of homicide,

suicide, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, mental

hospital admissions, and drug addiction-related

arrests? Some would call such a substance a " miracle

drug, " others would call it a godsend. But according

to responsible researchers writing over a decade ago,

this miracle substance is lithium!

Last month you read about exciting recent research

(mostly reported since the late 1990s) which strongly

suggests that the mineral lithium is a " brain

anti-aging " nutrient. You read that lithium not only

protects brain cells against " normal wear and tear, "

but also offers additional protection against a whole

variety of toxic molecules, including patent

medications affecting the brain. " Basic science "

research has recently demonstrated that lithium can

promote brain cell regeneration and increase brain

cell mass. Researchers have written that lithium may

be useful in treating Alzheimer's disease, senile

dementia, and possibly, Parkinson's disease. Despite

these exciting possibilities (I'd call them

probabilities) for lithium, there's even more exciting

potential for this little-known mineral.

Using ten years of accumulated data from 27 Texas

counties, researchers found that the incidence of

homicide, rape, and suicide were significantly higher

in counties whose drinking water supplies contained

little or no lithium, compared with counties whose

drinking water contained 70-170 micrograms per liter.

(For the scientifically inclined, p < 0.01 for these

results.) The incidence of robbery, burglary, and

theft were also lower in the higher-lithium counties

(p < 0.05). Using data from 1981-1986, the researchers

also found that arrests of both adults and juveniles

for possession of opium, heroin, and codeine were also

significantly less in higher lithium counties. For

juveniles, there were less arrests for " run away from

home. " (To be complete, the researchers also reported

no statistically significant associations with arrests

for alcohol intoxication, DUI, or possession of

marijuana.)

The researchers wrote: " These results suggest that

lithium at low dosage levels has a generally

beneficial effect on human behavior ... increasing the

human lithium intakes by supplementation, or the

lithiation [adding lithium] of drinking water is

suggested as a possible means of crime, suicide, and

drug-dependency reduction at the individual and

community level. " (1)

Another researcher tested lithium levels in tap water

and 2400 urine specimens collected from 24 Texas

counties. Statistically significant relationships were

found between more lithium in tap water and urine and

fewer homicides, mental hospital admissions,

accompanied by fewer diagnoses of psychosis, neurosis,

schizophrenia, and personality disorder. (2)

These results are every bit as good (in fact better)

than the early data which led to dumping toxic waste

(fluoride) into so many public water supplies. So why

haven't public health and public safety " authorities "

been pushing for further intensive research on

water-borne lithium and criminal behavior? Isn't the

possibility of reducing homicide, suicide, rape,

robbery, burglary, theft, mental hospital admissions,

and drug addiction-related arrests just as important

as possibly preventing tooth decay?

Perhaps I'm being cynical again, but I suspect it's

because no huge, politically connected industry has

enormous quantities of lithium-containing waste lying

around. (In the 1940s, that's exactly how " water

fluoridation " began, by using up huge quantities of

fluoride-containing toxic waste generated by the

politically-connected aluminum industry.)

Aggressive Behavior in Children

If lithium can help reduce violent and aggressive

behavior in adults, it should do the same for children

and teenagers. Sixty-one children between 5 and 12

years old hospitalized for severely aggressive

behavior were treated in a double-blind,

placebo-controlled trial of either lithium or

haloperidol (a major anti-psychotic formerly patented

medication). Both lithium and haloperidol were found

to be significantly better than placebo in reducing

aggressive behavior. (3)

Anorexia Nervosa

Women with anorexia lose weight, and are sometimes

hospitalized because weight loss is so severe.

Although zinc is a usually-successful mainstay of

anorexia treatment, lithium can help in regaining

needed weight. Two adult women suffering from anorexia

for many years were given (high dose) lithium; in just

six weeks, one gained 26 pounds and the other, 20

pounds. Although neither women was cured of anorexia,

there were significant improvements in several

behavioral parameters. (4)

Alcoholism and Relatives of Alcoholics

According to one reviewer, (5) " double-blind studies

show that lithium reduces the number of days

incapacitated by alcohol, or by drinking severe enough

to require detoxification " in alcoholics who also

suffer from mood disorders, but that the reduction in

alcoholism is not caused simply by reducing depression

or other mood disorder. The reviewer also wrote:

" Non-blinded and uncontrolled experiments also show

that symptoms of both alcoholism and affective

disturbance are reduced in patients treated with

lithium. " All of the studies reviewed used high dose

prescription lithium.

However, in 30 years of nutritionally-oriented

practice, I've been told by many alcoholics and

relatives of alcoholics that low-dose lithium can be

very helpful for both alcoholism and associated mood

disorders. For " practicing " alcoholics, I recommend a

trial of lithium orotate, 10 milligrams three times

daily (along with diet advice, niacin, glutamine, and

other supplements; See Nutrition and Healing, March,

1998). I ask " non-practicing " alcoholics to try 5

milligrams, three times daily (occasionally more). The

majority of both practicing and non-practicing

alcoholics report improved mood and decreased desire

for alcohol.

I often recommend that direct blood relatives of

alcoholics (parent, child, sibling) consider a trial

of lithium orotate, 5 milligrams two or three times

daily, even if no mood problem is noted by that

individual. I explain carefully that this is a

" personal clinical trial, " and a safe one, to be

discontinued in six to eight weeks if no difference is

noted. I also ask that the individual discuss this

" personal clinical trial " with their husband, wife, or

other close household member, since experience has

shown that the individual himself or herself often

doesn't note subtle (or even not so subtle) mood

changes, but immediate family members notice ...

particularly when they're gone! The majority report a

positive change: less depression and irritability

(sometimes pre-menstrual, sometimes not) for women,

and less irritability and " temper " for men. A minority

report no difference noted by anyone, and are of

course, advised to discontinue. (I haven't kept a

count of how many individuals have been advised to try

this over the last 30 years, but it's likely three to

four hundred or more.)

The longest duration of continuous low-dose lithium

use of which I'm aware has been 22 years. This

individual (whose brother was alcoholic) reports that

if she discontinues the lithium, she 'gets a little

depressed every time.' She had been unaware of this

minor depression prior to her own " personal clinical

trial " of low-dose lithium.

Cluster Headache

" Cluster headaches " (usually severe) attack

relentlessly for weeks to months, and then often go

into remission for months to years. Often, the

headaches occur seasonally, more often in the spring

and fall. The cause isn't known, but lithium (in

relatively high doses) can significantly reduce both

the severity and incidence.

One researcher asked nineteen men (ages 26-67) with

cluster headaches to take lithium treatment. Eight had

rapid improvement in their " headache index " within two

weeks, an average 85% reduction. Four individuals had

both cluster headaches and psychiatric symptoms; these

four had almost complete elimination of their

headaches. Seven had only a slight effect. (6)

Another research group tried lithium therapy (again,

relatively high quantities) for 14 individuals with

cluster headache; 5 individuals had complete

disappearance of their headaches, 4 had significant

improvement, and 4 had no change. (7)

Fibromyalgia

Three women who had not responded to conventional

treatment for fibromyalgia took lithium, two at a

" standard " high dose, and one at a smaller quantity

due to a tremor (an early sign of lithium excess).

When lithium was added to the conventional treatment

(there was no explanation why the ineffective

conventional treatment wasn't just discontinued), all

three had a marked reduction in symptoms, particularly

pain and stiffness. (8)

Herpes Simplex and Other Viruses

One research group reported that lithium inhibits the

reproduction of several DNA viruses, including herpes

simplex viruses (HSV 1, HSV 2), adenovirus (the

" common cold " virus), cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr

virus (associated with mononucleosis and many case of

chronic fatigue), and the measles virus. Lithium did

not inhibit RNA viruses, specifically the influenza A

virus and encephalomyocarditis virus. (9)

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

of lithium carbonate (doses ranging from 150-900

milligrams daily) demonstrated " a consistent reduction

in the mean number of herpes episodes per month, the

average duration of each episode, the total number of

infection days per month, and the maximum symptom

severity. In contrast, treatment with placebo resulted

in an increase in three of the four severity

measures. " (10)

In addition to lithium, selenium, lysine and other

nutrients can both suppress the reproduction of herpes

simplex (and other viruses) and speed the recovery

process should an active infection occur. Since it's

usually preferable and safer to use small quantities

of several effective nutrients rather than a larger

quantity of just one, nearly ten years ago I worked

with Bio-Tech Pharmacal (www.whatever.com,

1-800-WHA-TEVER) to achieve a useful anti-herpes

formula. We combined low-dose lithium with selenium,

lysine, vitamin C, olive leaf extract, and other

nutrients into two formulas, one for prevention of

herpes simplex (HPX), and the other for treatment of

outbreaks (HP[X.sup.2]). Those who need it tell me it

does the job, cutting down or eliminating recurrent

herpes infections and/or helping them heal more

quickly when they do occur. HPX and HP[X.sup.2] are

both available through natural food stores,

compounding pharmacies and the Tahoma Clinic

Dispensary (see " Resources " ). [i am affiliated with

Tahoma Clinic Dispensary, and work with Bio-Tech

Pharmacal on this project.]

Hyperthyroidism/Graves Disease

In 1972, Mayo Clinic researchers published the first

clinical investigation (11) of lithium treatment for

Graves' disease. Using high-dose lithium for 10

individuals, they reported that serum thyroxine (T4)

levels fell by 20-30% within 5 days. In a subgroup

pretreated with a conventional patent medication, the

decrease was 23-59%.

Twenty-six years later, in a review (11) of more than

10 successful trials of lithium therapy for Graves'

disease, the authors wrote: " a small number of studies

have documented its [lithium's] use in the treatment

of patients with Graves' disease ... its efficacy and

utility as an alternative anti-thyroid [treatment] are

not widely recognized .... " They also note lithium's

rapid effect: " Lithium normalizes T4 levels in 1-2

weeks ... " but caution that " ... toxicity precludes

its use as a first-line or long-term therapeutic

agent. " Now if they'd just added flaxseed oil and

vitamin E to their treatment ....

Gout

Although there are no publications on this topic, over

the years I've found the combination of low-dose

lithium (10-15 milligrams twice daily) and vitamin C

(2 grams twice daily) to be very effective in

preventing recurrent attacks of gout. (And yes,

drinking 32 ounces or more of cherry juice at the

first sign of a gout " attack " usually eliminates the

pain!) Vitamin C significantly reduces serum uric acid

levels, and lithium makes uric acid more soluble, so

it doesn't crystallize into painful " needles " of uric

acid. These two actions combine to produce significant

reduction in gout attracks.

Increasing White Blood Cells and Platelets

Psychiatrists using high-dose lithium were the first

to notice that white blood cell numbers increased

significantly in some individuals. Since chemotherapy

and radiation frequently reduce the white blood cell

count to dangerously low levels, lithium has been

tried and found to increase white cell numbers again,

even when the radiation and/or chemotherapy is

continued.

Researchers have found that lithium achieves these

effects by stimulating the " stem cells " in bone marrow

which then turn into platelets and white blood cells.

From time to time, I see someone who's definitely not

taking radiation or chemotherapy, but has a

persistently low white blood cell or platelet count.

If no cause can be found (allergy is frequent), I've

observed that low dose lithium (5-10 milligrams twice

daily) will usually raise the count to normal.

Conclusion

Perhaps the recent research reports about lithium and

brain cell protection and regeneration reviewed last

month will re-stimulate interest in all of the uses of

lithium discussed in this issue. Perhaps researchers

will accumulate enough evidence to " prove " that

lithium can actually slow or even reverse brain aging.

Perhaps researchers will conclude that putting very

low dose lithium into drinking water to reduce a

significant reduction in the incidence of homicide,

suicide, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, mental

hospital admissions, and drug addiction-related

arrests is even more important than adding fluoride to

prevent tooth decay. But don't hold your breath!

Lithium isn't patentable, and isn't likely to be

" approved " for these or other uses. (Remember,

" approval " does not insure safety or effectiveness; it

just means that procedures have been followed, forms

have been filled out, and money has changed hands.)

Patent-medicine companies aren't likely to be

funneling huge quantities of research dollars into

unpatentable lithium, making " approval " unlikely.

If you and I are to benefit from the brain anti-aging

effects of lithium before our brains age too much

further, or if we're to take advantage of lithium for

the uses discussed in this issue, we'll need to

examine the presently-available evidence for both

efficacy and safety of lithium. As with any new

treatment or preventive measure, even if it's

" all-natural, " it's wisest to consult with a physician

skilled and knowledgeable in natural medicine as part

of your decision.

A version of this article originally appeared in

Nutrition & Healing Newsletter, written by V.

, MD, with Kerry Bone, FNIMH, FNHAA. Published

by Agora Health LLC, 819 North Street,

Baltimore, land 21201 USA, 800-851-7100,

www.wrightnewsletter.com

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_249/ai_114820666/pg_2

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