Lithium Orotate

Lithium is an uncharged element, but when it goes into an aqueous solution it becomes a cation, as all Group I elements do. Being now charged, it binds with other elements to form compounds found in nature, as lithium carbonate, which is the form that is FDA approved to be marketed for the treatment of mood disorders in bipolar individuals. Read about the history of lithium use here.

There are other forms of lithium. The one that is often sold over the counter, without prescription, is the organic form of lithium orotate, which is a salt combination of lithium and orotic acid. Orotic acid is naturally made in the body. There are conflicting reports on the bioavailability of lithium in the lithium orotate form, with some saying the orotate form of lithium is much more bioavailable than lithium carbonate and others saying it is equally bioavailable. What does seem to be the case is that for over the counter purposes of supplementing lithium, at the microdose level, lithium orotate seems to not produce the side effects found in lithium carbonate. For this reason we use lithium orotate.

The first full description of lithium orotate use came from Hans Napier in 1973, so the over the counter use of this form of lithium is over 40 years old. And over those years, many clinicians have used lithium orotate as a supplement. In the United States, it is found in larger health food stores and sold over the internet. 

While the drug form of lithium, lithium carbonate, is typically prescribed by a physician at the 900mg-1,000mg doses, lithium orotate is sold at the 5mg-20mg dosages.

There are a variety of claims made on the use of lithium orotate, as a substitute for lithium carbonate for the prevention of manic episodes, but that is not what we are focusing on, or interested in. Please do not simply substitute lithium orotate for your lithium carbonate. While lithium orotate is over the counter and is a supplement, lithium carbonate has been prescribed for someone for a specific medical reason, at those specific dosages. Please do not simply think you can interchange these two forms by yourself. Any consideration involving lithium carbonate is beyond the scope of these pages, and should be discussed with the health care provider that prescribed the lithium carbonate. 

That said, exciting new research looks at the role lithium can play in other illnesses as well, found in the reference section here. Most interesting are studies looking at the role subtherapeutic, low dose lithium may play in slowing down the aging process, slowing the decline in memory that occurs with aging, including dementia, and helping increase the creation of new memories. Low dose lithium is also being researched for cancer prevention and treatment most importantly in cancer of the brain such as a glioblastoma. Lastly, low dose lithium’s impact is being examined for the treatment of neurological conditions, such as traumatic brain injury and symptoms associated with Parkinson’s Disease. Much of this research observes a hormetic response, not anticipated by the use of the standard dose of lithium.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not meant to diagnose‚ treat or cure any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor, or other qualified health care provider, before using any nutritional supplement discussed here, or before using these or any other product during pregnancy or lactation or if you have a serious medical condition.