Lithium for Mental Health?

Currently, social networks are probably being flooded with half-truths about lithium. – That’s the only way I can explain why I’ve been asked again and again recently by relatives of patients with Alzheimer’s disease about a therapy with low-dose lithium to improve the mental health of their loved ones. But since MS patients have also approached me recently with the question whether they should take lithium to improve their cognitive function, I decided to write something on this topic.

Lithium is an elemental alkali metal that currently plays a major role in the production of battery packs. However, lithium salts have long been used in medicine to treat bipolar disorders and depressions and are very effective mood-stabilizing psychopharmaceuticals, which, among other things, demonstrably reduce the risk of suicide. The problem, however, is that lithium preparations have a very narrow therapeutic range. This means that overdoses can easily occur, with serious, possibly even life-threatening consequences. Therefore, the administration of lithium should be clearly indicated and a careful medical monitoring of the lithium serum levels should take place during intake. Self-medication is therefore strongly discouraged.

Lithium is quickly overdosed

Why is this an issue? Well, because there have long been research results showing that small amounts of lithium have positive effects on mental health. Lithium is supposed to stabilize mood, be neuroprotective and prevent depression and cognitive decline.

In line with this, a study on the role of endogenous lithium was published in the renowned scientific journal Nature in the fall of 2025, in which the researchers removed lithium from the diet of wild-type and Alzheimer’s mouse models. A reduction of endogenous lithium by about 50 % led to a significant increase in the deposition of amyloid-β and the accumulation of phospho-tau as well as a proinflammatory microglia activation, the loss of synapses, axons and myelin – the pathologically relevant features of Alzheimer’s disease – and an accelerated cognitive decline. On the other hand, lithium replacement therapy prevented the pathological changes and memory loss in Alzheimer’s mouse models and aging wild-type mice. These results do indeed suggest that a disturbance of the lithium homeostasis could be an early event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and the substitution of lithium a potential approach for prevention (Aron et al. Lithium deficiency and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Nature 2025 Sep;645(8081):712-721).

Despite all the enthusiasm, it should be remembered that this is “only” a research work in an animal model, the results of which cannot be directly transferred to humans. Nevertheless, this work is definitely a pro argument for the long-standing discussion whether lithium might be a sensible food supplement, comparable to the addition of iodine in table salt.

Unfortunately, however, this not yet concluded scientific discourse is being hijacked, as so often, by self-proclaimed “experts” who claim that lithium is the solution to all health problems and a conspiracy of the pharmaceutical industry would prevent patients from having access to this effective concept.

Better: Eat nuts and legumes

At the same time – how could it be otherwise – all sorts of preparations enriched with lithium are being touted via online mail order – of course, only out of pure philanthropy.

The fact is: Evidence-based medicine is intensively dealing with this topic, but scientific knowledge is a slow process. I am sure that we will have clarity in the foreseeable future and will then also be able to make clear recommendations on the role of lithium for mental health. Until then, however, the recommendation is to stay away from any dubious self-medication. For those who still “don’t want to miss anything”, foods containing lithium (e.g. nuts and legumes) or lithium-containing mineral water are recommended – these are available at normal prices in retail stores.