Nutritional Lithium: A Cinderella Story: The Untold Tale of a Mineral That Transforms Lives and Heals the Brain

This book is a must read for anyone who has an interest in holistic health, mineral balancing, and who is looking for a "missing piece" of their physical and mental health issues. The author gives fascinating information about lithium as a trace mineral that one can take in mi realized water, supplements, and in a specific prescription drug from through a medical doctor.

This is a good book, an important book, and needed to be written. I've been studying orthomolecular medicine as it pertains to mental health, for a long time, and lithium isn't a nutrient that gets hardly any attention. This book does a good job of explaining the benefits of lithium for the brain, cites some good studies, etc. However, I had a couple of issues with the book. On page it the authors say "When patients display signs of mania, or have suicidal thoughts, pharmaceutical lithium is clearly indicated." But then, throughout the book, they mention case studies of patients, even manic ones, who responded dramatically to nutritional doses, and low nutritional doses, at that. I'd like to have heard a more detailed discussion on perhaps why some patients respond so dramatically to such a low dose, whereas some need 600mg or more of prescription lithium. If a low dose can be some dramatic, why would someone ever need 5 or 10, 20 times as much? Also, I'd like to have heard more perspective on these amazing results at such low doses. Such as, how common is it to respond at such low doses? How many patients perhaps didn't respond at nutritional doses? I can only assume these miracle cases are rare in the extreme. My second issue with the book is that sections of it repeat in various chapters. The benefits of lithium are covered in at least two different sections, pretty much verbatim. I found myself thinking "didn't I already read this?" and I turned back a few pages, and sure enough, I had. So although it's not a perfect book, it fills a void in the literature on nutritional management of psychiatric disorders that was very needed.

This is an important contribution to the field of Integrative Psychiatry. The most important lesson from this book is that Nutritional Lithium may prevent several disorders including Bipolar Disorder, Dementia and even violence. Patients who suffer with these disorders may be suffering from a Lithium deficiency and require a higher dose of this mineral than the general population. While Nutritional Lithium may prevent these disorder from developing once a patient suffers with an episode of psychosis it is unlikely that Nutritional Lithium alone will solve the problem. Psychosis literally causes brain damage probably as a result of an inflammatory reaction in the brain. Once this occurs anti-psychotic medications may be the only thing that can keep these disorders under control. This may well be because antipsychotic medications have been found to be anti-inflammatory and so they calm the "Brain on Fire" that occurs as a result of psychosis. An interesting question is whether long term treatment with Nutritional Lithium may help the brain to heal allowing the dosage of anti-psychotic medications to be reduced.

A heavily researched and documented case for the nutritional or low dose use of lithium. For many people suffering from depression or some other mental ailment, this could be a life altering experience.

WHY haven't we heard before that lithium is an essential nutrient? Like any essential nutrient, a shortage contributes to certain common health disorders affecting quality of life... From the book: Based on drinking water samples from around the world... Among areas tested, those with the lowest levels of naturally occurring lithium in the water supply had higher levels of aggressive and violent behavior. Adequate lithium is needed for neurological health. This includes: -- Mental health - depression, ADHD, Bipolar, substance abuse, addiction, etc. -- Cognitive health - dementia and Alzheimer's. -- Other disorders involving the nervous system - frequent headaches including severe cluster headaches, Fibromyalgia, Glaucoma and Lyme disease. This does NOT mean low dose lithium supplements will cure a disorder, as there are other contributors, but it has helped many people. The book is easy to read and understand. DISCLAIMER I'm giving some info here that might help people without you reading the book, but it's at your own risk if you don't read the book. Many details are explained, including which type of lithium supplement is for which health problems (or for prevention). I think Lithium Carbonate was used in one or more of the studies on cluster headaches. The most common type is Lithium Orotate. Always start with 5 mg and SLOWLY, GRADUALLY increase to what works best for YOU. It might be 10 or 20 mg. NEVER go up to more than 40 mg unless you're under the care of a doctor very experienced with lithium. After a certain amount of time I believe it's advised to reduce to a maintenance dose depending on what you're taking it for (research is in the book). One amazon reviewer said they started with 15 mg and did well. This is NOT advised, everyone is different, some people will have unpleasant effects if they go too quick for *them*. Start with 5 mg and go slow/ gradual. Research articles are referenced at the end of each chapter (very convenient) instead of a long list at the end of the book.

Having had Bipolar for about 20 years, I know the value of Lithium. My last episode was in 2007, have been well since then, (on Lithium). Am showing signs of tremors though, so as suggested in the book have started on a dose of Flaxseed oil, here's hoping. I'm 69yrs. Dorothy.

Ich habe das Buch gelesen, war begeistert, habe mir Lithium über das Internet bestellt und in geringen Konzentrationen eingenommen. Ich fühlte mich zunächst besser, jedoch bekam ich von Anfang an ein Ziehen in der Nierengegend. Ich musste deutlich häufiger auf die Toilette. Irgendwann wurde aus dem Ziehen ein leichter Schmerz, dann habe ich es gleich wieder gelassen. Ich finde es gefährlich, dass Lithium, und speziell Lithium-Orotate hier als so ungefährlich angepriesen wird. Ich persönlich kann verstehen warum es keine Zulassung in Deutschland hat. Und das liegt nicht daran, dass es zu billig ist und böse Pharmakonzerne damit kein Geld verdienen könnten, sondern weil es - zumindest in meinem Fall - starke Nebenwirkungen haben kann.

Dit boek beschrijft op heldere en overtuigende wijze de heilzame invloed van lithium op de gezondheid van de hersenen. Een aanrader voor iedereen die geïnteresseerd is om met een gezond brein oud te worden.

Very informative and interesting.