Low-dose lithium?

I think Lithium found in nature is a salt.


So you’re talking about the supplement not the pharmaceutical lithium?

I know someone who was on the Pharma lithium for many years - Taking about 200 mg
The Pharma one is used for mood stabilization (mania/depresson)

I have not heard it being used for Lyme disease though..

Girlie said...
I think Lithium found in nature is a salt.


So you’re talking about the supplement not the pharmaceutical lithium?

I know someone who was on the Pharma lithium for many years - Taking about 200 mg
The Pharma one is used for mood stabilization (mania/depresson)

I have not heard it being used for Lyme disease though..

Yes, it seems like a supplement although it was mixed up by a pharpacy and I had a prescription for it.

In the paper bag it says 1mg lithium / calcium carbonium (if I can understand the handwriting). And in the plan written by the dr I should take 1/day for encephalitis. I don't know for sure if I have such a condition but he thinks I do based on my symptoms and some other things.

There are posts on the internet saying low-dose lithium can help the lyme brain... Maybe I should go ahead and read some of them in full-length.

Georgia Hunter said...
If you search my posts, you will find I have been an advocate for low dose lithium for quite some time.

Okay – that's interesting indeed! Thank you.

I'm just not sure how to search for your posts here? How does it work? The Search-button? I'm with the phone now so I can't see clearly, hehe.

I'd really like to know what you have to say about it. Maybe I will start it tomorrow.

Girlie said...
I think I’d trust taking the supplement at low dose - sounds like that’s what you have - but not the Pharmaceutical one

Yes, you're right. Thanks.

I think the reason why I was feeling a bit afraid was because I recalled one doctor (another one who I saw two years ago) suggesting the same substance but calling it a chemical?! He wrote me a note saying "5-10mg" but this LLMD says 1mg. Probably that's better...

I was afraid for this supplement to be a chemical like "miracle mineral supplement".

But it seems that it isn't. Let's hope it will do something good.

1000Daisies said...

Girlie said...

1000Daisies said...
I am very confused about your post. You are referring to this as a supplement, but from the details, it sounds like you have the pharmaceutical version. Can you please clarify?

Lithium orotate : trace mineral, salt; over the counter supplement
Lithium carbonate : pharmaceutical medication, prescribed by a doctor, bought at pharmacy

The pharmaceutical medication is much different from the lithium orotate supplement. The pharmaceutical medication is a serious medication, and you would need to be monitoring your water intake with this (and I think salt too?) and monitoring kidneys.

When most people say "lithium", they are referring to the pharmaceutical medication (which is most commonly used to treat mental illnesses like bipolar disorder). In my experience, few people know about lithium orotate.

Blood levels of the pharma lithium should be done regularly.

ND's know about lithium - my previous LLND suggested my husband try it. The dosing is quite low in comparison to the pharma lithium. (ie 1-5 mg)
I can't remember what the reason was for him suggesting it for my husband.

I would assume since it's only 1 mg it is the supplement....since the pharma dosing is generally in the 'hundreds'

Eaglet - you could call the pharmacy and ask them about it. Although even 1 mg of the pharma probably wouldn't do anything/cause harm anyway.

Yes, Girlie, those in ND or functional medicine know about it. But others, not so much. Not many posts on bbs about it either. Lithium orotate is mostly found on bipolar type websites/forums. Just not a lot of information out there and not many talking about it (IMHO).

I was introduced to it years ago (nearly a decade ago) by a functional medicine nurse who was very bright.

It did not help my child, but remember, very few things did help him. I think lithium orotate has a lot of potential and worth investigating.

Also, the OP said he is using this: "lithium / calcium carbonium" and that the doctor prescribed it and he got through a pharmacy. This makes me he think he is talking about the pharmaceutical medication and not the lithium orotate.... but I am really unclear from the post.

Well, first of all I apologize for any confusion caused by my post. English nor any language related to it isn't my native language, hence I might write something in a bit unclear way. However, in this case I don't think that was the reason. The reason was rather that this topic is confusing. I am just as confused as you are and that is why I started the conversation. And that is why I have not started taking the pills yet. As I said, I wasn't informed what this stuff is, I just got the prescription and it was also written down on my plan. In the paper it says "low-dose lithium 1mg 1/day (compound pharmacy), later Luteoline if our shop will get it, as "brain gain supplement"".

In the paper bag where the pills came in it says "lithii 1 mg calcium carbonium".

That's all I know.

But it should be noted that I had a prescription for NAC as well although it is an OTC supplement.

I wonder if it is possible that the doctor meant lithium orotate but the pharmacy made the other thing... Probably not but for these uncertainties I have not wanted to rush into taking it.

1 mg is the prescribed dose so no matter which one it is, it should not be the actual pharma thing that is being used for depression. As I said earlier, LDN (low-dose naltrexone) is a completely different thing as compared to the same substance naltrexone (just plain naltrexone) where the dose is much much higher. With LDN it is usually 1,5 - 4,5 mg. Naltrexone for alcohol withdrawal it is, I don't remember exactly, but at least in the tens or even hundreds. Same with physiological dosing of hydrocortisone that people use for adrenal fatigue. It's not the same as if you were using cortisone in a big dose. Well, probably you know these things already.

Nevertheless it's interesting and important to hear that lithium orotate and the other one (the one with calcium am I right?) are two different things. I would want this thing to be cleared out for sure!

But Girlie, I cannot call to the pharmacy since it is in another country and at the pharmacy they only speak Polish which I am still only learning, hehe. Or well, maybe they could understand if I asked but seems like it would be complicated... to ask whether this is a medication or a supplement... The dr sees it as a supplement I think, probably because it's only 1mg.

Oh... now I'm even more confused! Has anyone heard of the pharma lithium being used in a very small dose? If lithium orotate is a different thing...?

I'm not starting it yet.

Here is an article about the use of Lithium orotate, the nutritional supplement (not lithium carbonate the prescription most often used in bipolar disorder) in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease. .

https://bottomlineinc.com/health/alzheimers/best-supplements-for-alzheimers-disease

I have been taking 5mg Lithium orotate for years now and based on my age will take 10mg when I get around to increasing it. I buy it over the counter or on-line. This is just one example of a product you can purchase on line that is not full of extra ingredients, but there are others. https://www.naturalhealthyconcepts.com/lith-oro-5mg-BTP-100.html?afd_number=27141&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3ebdBRC1ARIsAD8U0V7FEWRwYNYZ4BFDP8iKl_L4tVmmd2kcm2NCz1VT68ZIadbY3rpkiekaAtKIEALw_wcB

Because of heavy metal toxicity I have a number of neuro probs and this helped to calm them some as well as my mood.

I have severe MCS, but noted nothing negative after starting the Li.

Post Edited (Gladioli66) : 10/7/2018 2:15:28 PM (GMT-6)