Lithium orotate
Encyclopedia
Lithium orotate, is a salt of orotic acid and lithium
. It is available as the monohydrate, LiC5H3N2O4·H2O.
Lithium orotate is generally marketed as a dietary supplement
used in small doses to treat mental conditions including stress, bipolar disorder
, alcoholism
, ADHD, ADD, aggression, PTSD, Alzheimer's and to improve memory. It has controversially been promoted as an alternative to lithium carbonate
. In this compound, lithium is non-covalently bound to an orotate ion
, rather than to a carbonate
or other ion. Lithium orotate is sold under a wide variety of brand names and is available at some drugstores and health food stores.
Although a few psychiatrists prescribe lithium orotate to their patients, it is most often naturopaths
and other alternative health practictioners
who recommend this lithium compound to their patients.
An animal study by Smith and Schou suggests that the kidney
s clear lithium orotate significantly less effectively than lithium carbonate, and that this accounts for the higher serum levels of lithum when lithium orotate is taken compared to the equivalent amount of lithium carbonate. They conclude: "The higher lithium concentrations could be accounted for by the lower kidney function. It seems inadvisable to use lithium orotate for the treatment of patients." Equal doses of the carbonate and orotate salt were compared.
The study, which concluded that lithium orotate was inadvisable for treatment of patients, was done as a direct follow-up study to one performed by Kling, Manowitz, and Pollack in 1978. Their study suggested that lithium orotate could be used in lower amounts than the amounts required when using lithium carbonate, while achieving therapeutic results. However, an earlier study did not find a difference in the uptake, distribution, and elimination of the orotate salt, as compared to carbonate or chloride salts of lithium.
The active principle in these salts is the lithium ion Li+, which interacts with the normal function of sodium ions to produce numerous changes in the neurotransmitter activity of the brain. Therapeutically effective amounts of lithium are only slightly lower than toxic amounts. Thus, the concentration of lithium ions in the blood must be carefully monitored during treatment. This means that self-treatment of a psychiatric disorder with lithium salts is potentially dangerous.
This medication is not recommended due to the lack of evidence for its safety and efficacy. There have been anecdotal reports of poisoning from lithium orotate. Many online salesmen market this supplement as a cure all when in fact it is not proven to be beneficial in any way and may actually be harmful.
Lithium
Lithium is a soft, silver-white metal that belongs to the alkali metal group of chemical elements. It is represented by the symbol Li, and it has the atomic number 3. Under standard conditions it is the lightest metal and the least dense solid element. Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly...
. It is available as the monohydrate, LiC5H3N2O4·H2O.
Lithium orotate is generally marketed as a dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
used in small doses to treat mental conditions including stress, bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
, alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, ADHD, ADD, aggression, PTSD, Alzheimer's and to improve memory. It has controversially been promoted as an alternative to lithium carbonate
Lithium carbonate
Lithium carbonate is a chemical compound of lithium, carbon, and oxygen with the formula Li2CO3. This colorless salt is widely used in the processing of metal oxides and has received attention for its use in psychiatry. It is found in nature as the rare mineral zabuyelite.-Properties:Like almost...
. In this compound, lithium is non-covalently bound to an orotate ion
Ion
An ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge. The name was given by physicist Michael Faraday for the substances that allow a current to pass between electrodes in a...
, rather than to a carbonate
Carbonate
In chemistry, a carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid, characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, . The name may also mean an ester of carbonic acid, an organic compound containing the carbonate group C2....
or other ion. Lithium orotate is sold under a wide variety of brand names and is available at some drugstores and health food stores.
Although a few psychiatrists prescribe lithium orotate to their patients, it is most often naturopaths
Naturopathic medicine
Naturopathy, or Naturopathic Medicine, is a form of alternative medicine based on a belief in vitalism, which posits that a special energy called vital energy or vital force guides bodily processes such as metabolism, reproduction, growth, and adaptation...
and other alternative health practictioners
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
who recommend this lithium compound to their patients.
Scientific studies
There is no evidence for the use of lithium orotate in clinical treatment in preference to lithium carbonate. However, one study suggests that lithium orotate may be useful in the treatment of addictions. Some patients prefer to use it in place of lithium carbonate, as they believe that it is more bioavailable and the side effects are perceived to be significantly reduced.An animal study by Smith and Schou suggests that the kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
s clear lithium orotate significantly less effectively than lithium carbonate, and that this accounts for the higher serum levels of lithum when lithium orotate is taken compared to the equivalent amount of lithium carbonate. They conclude: "The higher lithium concentrations could be accounted for by the lower kidney function. It seems inadvisable to use lithium orotate for the treatment of patients." Equal doses of the carbonate and orotate salt were compared.
The study, which concluded that lithium orotate was inadvisable for treatment of patients, was done as a direct follow-up study to one performed by Kling, Manowitz, and Pollack in 1978. Their study suggested that lithium orotate could be used in lower amounts than the amounts required when using lithium carbonate, while achieving therapeutic results. However, an earlier study did not find a difference in the uptake, distribution, and elimination of the orotate salt, as compared to carbonate or chloride salts of lithium.
The active principle in these salts is the lithium ion Li+, which interacts with the normal function of sodium ions to produce numerous changes in the neurotransmitter activity of the brain. Therapeutically effective amounts of lithium are only slightly lower than toxic amounts. Thus, the concentration of lithium ions in the blood must be carefully monitored during treatment. This means that self-treatment of a psychiatric disorder with lithium salts is potentially dangerous.
This medication is not recommended due to the lack of evidence for its safety and efficacy. There have been anecdotal reports of poisoning from lithium orotate. Many online salesmen market this supplement as a cure all when in fact it is not proven to be beneficial in any way and may actually be harmful.
External links
- Ask the Expert article on lithium orotate by Ron Pies, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry at Tufts University and popular Psychiatric Times columnist.