What is the concensus based on Johnathan Wright's recommendations below?
Between the lack of any media coverage at all about the hundreds of encouraging lithium research papers, and the general impression that lithium is a prescription “drug” used “only” for bi-polar disease, even the most dedicated anti-aging enthusiasts I meet are seldom taking advantage of the brain-protective and anti-brain aging effects of low-dose lithium.
Just for the record: Lithium is a mineral element in the same “family” as sodium and potassium. It’s not a drug, and definitely not patentable, which is very likely why you haven’t read or heard much in the media about its enormous potential for protecting and improving brain health.
But there are many research findings that also strongly suggest that lithium will protect against potential Alzheimer’s disease and slow the progression of existing cases. In fact, some very recent studies have added even more weight to the already heavy mountain of evidence in favor of lithium’s brain-protective benefits.
A few years ago, back in 2004, I gave a presentation about lithium to a group of physicians, and included 38 of the most important research papers published over the previous decade about lithium and the brain. Below are titles of some of those studies, along with descriptions of what each article reported.
More brain power—literally
* “Lithium-induced increase in human brain grey matter” 1
* “Lithium stimulates progenitor proliferation in cultured brain
neurons” 2
The first study is the one that led me to start using low-dose lithium myself. Using MRI scans, the researchers in the first study found that lithium actually increases the numbers of brain cells in older individuals. The second headline explains at least part of how lithium does this. This study found that lithium stimulates “progenitors,” which promote the growth of new nerve cells.
Three-pronged protection against the most common brain-destroyers
* “Neuroprotective effects of chronic lithium on focal cerebral
ischemia in rats”3
* “Lithium at 50: Have the neuroprotective effects of this
unique cation been overlooked?”4
* “Lithium exerts robust neuroprotective effects in vitro and in the
CNS in viv Therapeutic implications”5
These studies explain more about how lithium protects the brain. There are lots of research articles showing that lithium protects against both internally produced molecules toxic to nerve cells (such as glutamate) and external toxins (including aluminum). But the first group of researchers above reported that lithium not only protects brain cells against toxins, but also against lack of blood flow.
The second article explained that one way lithium protects neurons is by increasing levels of a major neuroprotective protein called “bcl-2.” Bcl-2 also increases regeneration of neural axons, the “branches” that project out from the main bodies of nerve cells and contact other neurons.
And the third study headline shows just how impressive these results are: “Robust” is a term rarely seen in the titles of research articles. Basically, scientific publications use it as a restrained code word for “Wow! That really works!”
The best—and least used—treatment for Alzheimer’s
* “Lithium inhibits amyloid secretion in COS7 cells transfected
with amyloid precursor protein C100”6
* “Lithium protects cultured neurons against beta-amyloid-induce
neurodegeneration”7
Amyloid and beta-amyloid are byproducts of nerve cell metabolism that, in excess, contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. These two studies showed that lithium inhibits amyloid production and protects nerve cells against damage from excess beta-amyloid. Other researchers have reported that lithium also prevents the formation of “neurofibrillary tangles,”another contributor to Alzheimer’s disease.
And here’s another encouraging study “headline” that came out very recently:
“Lithium: a novel treatment for Alzheimer’s disease?”8
This research review from the Indiana University School of Medicine cites some of the evidence noted above and considerably more, and came to the following conclusion: “One intriguing clinical application is in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.”
But after reading all the other research evidence that came before this, I think its potential goes well beyond “just” treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. After all, “a milligram of prevention may be worth a kilogram of cure.” And since low-dose lithium is so safe, it really should be a part of everyone’s supplement program—especially if you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, senile dementia, Parkinson’s disease, any other neurodegenerative disease (or if you just want to “keep all your marbles”).
For general brain anti-aging, I recommend taking 10 to 20 milligrams of lithium (from lithium aspartate or lithium orotate) daily. I’ve actually been recommending these amounts since the 1970s. At first I was exceptionally cautious and asked all of my patients taking lithium to have regular “lithium level” blood tests and thyroid function tests. After a year or so, I quit asking for the lithium level blood tests, since 100 percent of them came back very low. Another year after that, I stopped requesting routine thyroid function tests, too, only doing one when I was suspicious of a potential problem. In the 30 years since, I’ve rarely found one.
In cases of Alzheimer’s, though, you might need higher doses of lithium. High-dose lithium (capsules containing approximately 30 milligrams of lithium from lithium carbonate) is available only by prescription. To find a doctor skilled in natural medicine who can help you with high-dose lithium therapy for Alzheimer’s, contact the American College for Advancement in Medicine at (800)532-3688 or visit www.acam.org.
But low-dose lithium (capsules or tablets containing 5 milligrams of lithium from lithium aspartate or lithium orotate) is available from a few natural food stores and compounding pharmacies, as well as from the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary.
To be on the safe side, I always recommend that anyone taking lithium also take a teaspoonful or two of flaxseed oil (or other essential fatty acid), along with 400 IU vitamin E each day.
References:
Moore G J, et al. “Lithium-induced increase in human brain grey matter.” Lancet 2000; 356: 1,241-1,242
2 Chuang DM, Hashimoto R, Kanai H., et al. “Lithium stimulates progenitor proliferation in cultured brain neurons.” Neuroscience 2003; 117(1): 55-61
3 Nonaka S, Chuang DM. “Neuroprotective effects of chronic lithium on focal cererbral ischemia in rats.” Neuroreport 1998; 9(9): 2,081-2,084
4 Manji HK, Chen G, Moore GJ. “Lithium at 50: Have the neuroprotective effects of this unique cation been overlooked?” Biological Psychiatry 1999; 46(7): 929-940
5 Chuang DM. “Lithium exerts robust neuroprotective effects in vitro and in the CNS in viv Therapeutic implications.” Neuropsychopharmacology 2000; 23(S2): S39
6 Takashima A, Murayama M, Murayama O, et al. “Lithium inhibits amyloid secretion in COS7 cells transfected with amyloid precursor protein C100.” Neuroscience Letters 2002; 321(1-2): 61-64
7 Diaz-Nido J, Alvarez G, Avila J, et al. “Lithium protects cultured neurons against beta-amyloid-induced neurodegeneration.” FEBS Letters 1999; 453(3): 260-264
8 Zhong J, Lee WH. “Lithium: a novel treatment for Alzheimer’s disease?” Expert Opin Drug Saf 2007; 6(4): 375-383
