Trace elements | Lithium: a bearer of hope with question marks

One of Europe's largest deposits of lithium is expected to be mined in the Saxon Zinnwald in the Ore Mountains from 2030. Photo: dpa/Sebastian Kahnert When most people think of lithium, they first think of batteries. The light metal is used for batteries such as those found in electric cars and smartphones. But lithium is also used in completely different areas, including medicine. Recently, the substance has been attracting attention as a potential anti-aging agent. The element is celebrated as a miracle weapon against aging processes and stress, particularly in social networks. But what's the hype?

Lithium does not occur in nature as a pure metal, but only in compounds - for example in rocks or salt solutions. Tiny amounts of the substance enter the human body through drinking water and food. Comparatively high doses in the form of lithium salts have long played an important role in psychiatry as they have a balancing effect on mood.

»Dietary supplements containing lithium may not be sold in any member state of the European Union.«

“The antimanic and mood-stabilizing properties of lithium have been known since around 1950,” says psychiatrist Gerhard Gründer, head of the Department of Molecular Neuroimaging at the Central Institute for Mental Health in Mannheim. The substance is still used today in the form of lithium carbonate, particularly for bipolar disorders, but also as an additional medication for difficult-to-treat depression. “As with most psychotropic drugs, the exact mechanism of action is not known,” says founder. It is now well documented that long-term treatment with lithium can reduce the risk of suicide.

Recently, lithium has been in focus as a potential agent for dementia prevention. There have been speculations for decades that the substance could prevent mental decline. Among other things, British researchers observed that people who took lithium because of a mental illness were less likely to develop dementia. A study by Harvard University that was published last August in the journal Nature also received a lot of attention: a team of scientists found lower lithium levels in the brains of people with cognitive impairments than in healthy people.

They were also able to show in mice that a lithium deficiency in the brain promotes protein deposits typical of Alzheimer's disease. Low doses of lithium orotate – a combination of lithium and orotic acid – were able to reduce the pathological changes in the rodents. "The study is promising," says Anne Pfitzer-Bilsing, head of science at the Alzheimer's Research Initiative. "But you can't simply transfer the results to humans." Many substances that gave hope in animal experiments failed to convince in clinical studies on dementia.

So far there is a lack of evidence that lithium protects the human brain. There was no effect in around 40 people with cognitive impairments who took lithium carbonate for two years as part of a pilot study. However, they consumed the substance in the form of a different salt than the mice in the study. “That could make a difference,” says psychopharmacologist Gründer. "The dosage may also have been too low."

However, in higher doses, lithium can have severe side effects. Among other things, it inhibits the absorption of iodine into the thyroid, so long-term use can easily lead to hypothyroidism. The substance can also cause long-term damage to the kidneys. Patients to whom it is prescribed as medication must therefore be monitored closely. The founder therefore warns against taking lithium on your own: “The hype has no scientific basis.”

Anyone who searches for lithium on the Internet usually comes across offers for aquarium owners, as the substance occurs naturally in seawater. But there are also shops that sell capsules with lithium orotate as an anti-aging agent. This is prohibited in this country: “Dietary supplements containing lithium may not be sold in Germany or in any other member state of the European Union,” says the consumer advice center.

Lithium is a so-called ultra-trace element that is not essential for humans. Since large quantities lead to poisoning, the consumer advice center advises against additional intake.

In contrast, voices have recently been raised that attach great importance to lithium. The doctor Michael Nehls is calling for the substance to be recognized as an essential trace element and for nutritional supplements with microdoses to be permitted. He receives support from the FPÖ and AfD, who have submitted a corresponding motion to the EU Parliament - so far without success.

But even in tiny doses, lithium is not harmless, experts and founders alike believe. Things can become dangerous, among other things, if other medications are involved: "If, for example, you also take certain antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs, the lithium concentration increases, which can lead to side effects," he explains. “With the current data available, the risks definitely outweigh the potential benefits.”

Apart from that, you automatically absorb traces of lithium through foods such as legumes, potatoes, eggs and water - the amounts vary depending on the region. Risks are unknown. As a harmless alternative to capsules, could you simply stock up on mineral water containing lithium? “You shouldn’t expect anything from it,” says Pfitzer-Bilsing. "There is no evidence that this prevents Alzheimer's."

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