Recent studies indicate lithium enriched water could reduce dementia risk; from Medscape 23/08/2017: Lithium in Drinking Water May Lower Dementia Risk
Megan Brooks
August 23, 2017
"Higher long-term lithium exposure from drinking water may be associated with a lower incidence of dementia, a large population-based study suggests.
"This is the first study ever investigating the association between lithium in drinking water and onset of dementia," Lars Vedel Kessing, MD, DMSc, from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, told Medscape Medical News.
"If confirmed by others, tablets of lithium in microdose could be used among individuals at high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, including those with a family history or certain genetic variations," Dr Kessing added.
The study was published online August 23 in JAMA Psychiatry. Neuroprotective Potential
The neuroprotective potential of lithium has been demonstrated in preclinical and some clinical studies. Animal studies have shown that lithium improves learning and memory, and observational studies suggest lithium may reduce the risk for dementia in patients with bipolar disorder.
In addition, a randomized placebo-controlled trial showed that daily treatment with subtherapeutic doses (150 to 600 mg) of lithium."
