Over 50,000 papers have been published about lithium in medicine. The major share of these publications covers lithium's roles in mental disorders, neuron functioning, sugar and lipid metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammation. Let’s take a closer look at how lithium works. 

It’s Not Enough Lithium 

People do not consume enough lithium: research shows that the deficiency is widespread and chronic. The US showed a mean intake of lithium as 37.4 micrograms per day, with New York ranging from 90 to 1,390, and San Diego, California, ranging from 313 to 545, while the proposed intake is 1,000 micrograms.

The U.S. has no current recommended dietary allowance for lithium. This means that the U.S. government does not officially recognize lithium as a required nutrient for human health, so there is no daily intake guideline like there is for vitamins, such as vitamin C, or minerals, like calcium and iron.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is a value set by health authorities that tells you how much of a nutrient you should get each day to stay healthy.

Because lithium is not currently classified as "essential" by U.S. nutrition standards:

• There’s no official RDA or Daily Value (DV) listed on food or supplement labels.

• It’s not included in national dietary surveys.

• Most people, including doctors, are not taught to consider lithium intake in diet or health planning.

Most people today consume only 10–200 micrograms of lithium per day, which is far below the proposed nutritional requirement. Experts suggest that a healthy human should get at least 1,000 micrograms (1 milligram) of elemental lithium per day to support brain function, emotional balance, and long-term health.

Without intentional supplementation or access to naturally lithium-rich water and foods, most people today simply do not get enough lithium to meet their physiological needs.

Mental Disorders And Neuron Functioning

Molecular mechanisms of lithium

At the molecular level, lithium directly affects key pathways involved in mood disorders. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is a protein that regulates neuronal growth, stress response, and inflammation. Lithium restricts GSK-3β, leading to increased production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF for short. BDNF supports the brain’s ability to change and adapt, and neurons’ ability to grow. 

Lithium also helps balance neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA, and norepinephrine, which are essential for mood and cognition. For example, lithium increases serotonin receptor activity, stabilizes dopamine release, and enhances GABA signaling. 

Lithium in water is linked to mental health

Lithium plays a key role in mood regulation and brain stability, even at trace levels. Ecological studies show that natural lithium in drinking water is linked to lower rates of suicide, depression, aggression, and psychiatric hospitalizations. For example, counties in Texas with higher water lithium concentrations reported significantly lower rates of suicide, homicide, and drug-related arrests. 

Similar results were observed in Austria, Greece, and Japan, where lithium concentrations in water were inversely associated with suicide attempts and psychiatric symptoms. A meta-analysis of 13 environmental studies, covering over 3.7 million people, confirmed a protective effect of lithium in water against suicide.

Low lithium levels are associated with a range of psychiatric disorders, including suicide, depression, aggression, and cognitive decline. Hair analyses show that violent offenders have significantly lower lithium levels compared to non-violent individuals. In adolescents, low-lithium tap water was linked to higher rates of psychotic experiences and emotional distress. Lithium deficiency has also been observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease, ALS, and chronic cerebral ischemia, with significantly lower lithium levels in their blood compared to control groups.

Lithium supplementation benefits for brain

Clinical studies suggest that low-dose lithium supplementation improves mood, cognitive function, and stress resilience. For instance, a study using lithium ascorbate in patients with early cognitive decline showed improved BDNF levels, memory, and mood scores.

Long-term lithium therapy is also associated with reduced risk of dementia. Animal studies confirm that lithium improves neurogenesis, reduces aggression, and restores behavioral stability after chronic stress.

Lithium also performed well in animal stroke models. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 studies showed “smaller stroke volumes, decreased apoptosis, and improved poststroke function”.

Alzheimer’s Disease

In a recent study, low lithium levels in the human brain and blood samples were associated with Alzheimer's and dementia symptoms. This means that the lithium level in blood might be a possible diagnostic marker of neurodegeneration.

Another marker of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s is formation of plaques and tangles in the brain that prevent effective neuron functioning. In mouse models, lithium helped to reduce the amount of these formations even if given at small doses.

In mice, low lithium levels were also connected to worsened neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. However, adding lithium to the mice’s diet reversed Alzheimer’s-related brain damage, reduced neuroinflammation, and restored memory performance.

Stroke Recovery

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis examined 42 high-quality studies about stroke recovery and lithium effects. 

In animals, lithium consistently reduced the size of stroke-induced brain injuries and helped protect brain cells from dying. It also promoted the growth of new neurons and improved movement and memory after a stroke. 

Studies in humans consisted of six papers, so the results are less clear. Observational data suggest that people taking lithium may have a lower risk of stroke — one study of over 150,000 individuals found a 29% risk reduction. More research is needed, but early findings indicate lithium may hold therapeutic promise in stroke recovery.

Stress

Lithium is recognized for its powerful effects on the brain's ability to adapt to and recover from stress. Lithium restores balance in brain circuits affected by chronic stress. In both clinical and experimental studies, lithium has been shown to enhance neuroplasticity, reduce neuronal damage, and promote resilience. In people with bipolar disorder, lithium helps normalize the biological pathways that are often disrupted by long-term stress, including those tied to mood regulation and cellular health.

In rodent studies, lithium reversed stress-induced impairments in memory, movement, and mood by modulating serotonin metabolism, a key chemical system in the brain. In another study, lithium stopped the overgrowth of dendrites (branches of neurons) in the amygdala, a brain region linked to fear and anxiety. This structural protection helps preserve emotional balance and may reduce the risk of developing stress-related disorders. Notably, lithium had no disruptive effects on healthy, non-stressed brains, indicating it acts only when needed.

Another study showed that lithium ascorbate helps neurons survive toxic stress conditions and improves physical and emotional outcomes in stressed animals. Rats treated with lithium ascorbate had lower stress hormone levels, fewer ulcers, stronger immune responses, and exhibited calmer, more exploratory behavior.

These findings suggest that even low-dose lithium, in safer and more accessible forms, could become a promising tool for stress resilience, neuroprotection, and mental wellness.

Blood Pressure, Inflammation, and Sugar

Lithium helps the body keep blood pressure in a healthier range. Lithium also protects blood vessels. In animal studies where mice were fed a high-fat diet to create clogged arteries, lithium reduced the buildup of fatty plaques. Lithium can also dial down unnecessary inflammation in blood vessels.

Lithium can slow down the overreaction of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain, as well as boost BDNF, which supports the repair of neurons. In one of the studies, mice that were socially isolated for four weeks became more prone to seizures and showed signs of brain inflammation. But when they were given lithium, their brains became less reactive — seizures were reduced, and inflammation markers dropped.

Lithium can also regulate glucose by promoting insulin release from the pancreas and enhancing the insulin sensitivity of cells. Some studies suggest that lithium therapy might aid glycemic control in diabetic patients.

Fat Management And Weight Loss

Hormones, such as leptin and adiponectin, act like fat managers who decide when to store and burn fat as well as when to signal your brain that you are full when you eat. Lithium helps to regulate these hormones.

For example, lithium affects brown fat. Unlike white fat, brown fat is active and burns calories, generating heat. Lithium supports that process by increasing certain proteins that trigger lipolysis — fat breakdown. Lithium also boosts mitochondria — the cells’ energy engines. 

In recent studies, animals given low doses of lithium lost more weight, had higher energy, and burned more fat — especially in brown fat tissue.

In humans, lithium ascorbate supplement, in addition to a body weight program, helped participants lose pounds. The researchers enrolled 55 participants and monitored changes in body weight and emotional well-being over the course of three months.

By the end of the study, participants taking lithium ascorbate lost an average of 26 pounds, while the control group lost 19 pounds. Lithium may help enhance weight loss by improving mood and motivation — two factors that often influence a person's ability to stick with a dietary plan.

Lithium Protects Us From Diseases

Lithium interacts with many body systems and helps protect the body and brain from chronic and age-related diseases. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. In metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes and obesity, lithium improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar, and promotes fat burning. Natural lithium in drinking water is also associated with lower rates of depression, suicide, and mood disorders.