Lithium: The Cinderella Mineral for Cognitive Decline

This overlooked mineral just may be a fairy tale come true.

Most of us remember Cinderella, the poor little girl who was neglected and badly treated by her stepmother and stepsisters until she transformed into a beautiful princess to find favor with the handsome young prince. The mineral lithium truly has its own Cinderella story:  a common and simple element on the Earth for billions of years, it’s only now beginning to receive recognition for its remarkable positive effects on mental health and regeneration. 

We tend to only really associate lithium with the powerful psychotropic drug that has been used since the 1960s to treat severe mental illnesses. Or, you may think of the lithium-ion batteries in our cell phones and computers.

Still today, patients suffering from bipolar disorder and a range of manic issues are given high doses of lithium at about 1800 mg per day. But now, research has found that low-dose (microdose) levels of lithium (20-80 mg per day) can be highly effective for a range of mental health conditions.

Benefits of Low-Dose Lithium

As an essential mineral – like sodium, magnesium, potassium, and chloride – lithium is crucial for our survival. Its function is to protect the brain from neurodegeneration. It stops the progression of cognitive decline as we age, and it can even reverse Alzheimer’s disease and cerebral atrophy. Lithium has been shown to inhibit the growth of plaques and amyloid deposits in the brain that can lead to cognitive decline. When given in low doses, lithium can effectively improve memory and enhance cognition, prevent, and even reverse dementia, reduce the risk of stroke and its damage, and improve effects of brain trauma. And because it boosts overall brain function, it is well documented to improve several mental health issues including anxiety, depression, ADD and ADHD, and PTSD.

I rediscovered lithium several years ago when I was researching my book and came across Reversing Alzheimer’s by Dr. Timothy Smith. Here is his personal lithium story:

“In 2003, an MRI scan of my brain showed cerebral atrophy. This wasn’t a surprising finding; most sixty-year-olds have some brain shrinkage as a “normal” feature of aging. A few months later I read a research article in Lancet showing that low-dose lithium reversed cerebral atrophy, so I added 20 mg a day of lithium orotate to my supplement program.

A couple of years ago, a repeat MRI revealed, to my surprise, that the atrophy was completely gone! Recent research has unveiled the mechanism: lithium triggers BDNF production that stimulates the growth of stem cells, leading to neuro-regeneration. Nothing else is known to reverse brain atrophy, so I assume it was the lithium. What a gift!”

Lithium Protects the Brain from Degenerative Disease

I had known about lithium’s benefits at low doses for years but was particularly inspired after reading Dr. Timothy Smith’s moving testimonial. I’ve since come across the work of Dr. James M. Greenblatt, author of “Nutritional Lithium: A Cinderella Story” and recently interviewed him on my podcast. And there are many more real-life stories that I have heard from others about the benefits of low-dose lithium. The published evidence is solid and documents Lithium’s ability to protect the brain from degenerative disease.

Here’s the skinny: As a trace element, lithium is officially listed alongside zinc, iron, iodine, selenium, chromium, and others by the World Health Organization. It is naturally occurring in both food and water – primary sources are vegetables, grains, eggs, and milk. At microdose levels, lithium has no known side effects or adverse reactions, and it is not toxic. There is no reason that low-dose lithium should NOT be seriously considered as a treatment of cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, and other mental health issues.