Lithium Orotate

Lithium Orotate

Lithium is the most common element used for stabilizing mood swings, mania and depression. Lithium orotate (the lithium salt of orotic acid) is 20 times more bio-active than other lithium salts, allowing a reduction in dosage greatly reducing the likelihood and severity of potential side effects.

Orotate is an organic "carrier" that transports the natural Lithium exactly where it needs to be delivered so that it reaches the blood cells of our brain. This is where chemical imbalances occur. When organic Lithium is combined with Orotate, it is reported to be many times more effective than the chemical, inorganic Lithium and to have NO side effects.

Dr. Hans Nieper's theoretical explanations of the mechanisms behind his stunning success in the clinical application of sophisticated mineral transporters rely heavily on the concept of the fixed pore mechanism of active transport. The theory called "fixed pore mechanism" suggests that a carrier molecule, in this case Orotic Acid (B-13), is attached to the compound being transported. This research has lead to the creation of mineral chelates called orotic acid chelates, or orotates which offers a 20 fold increase in utilizing minerals.

In his writings on lithium orotate, Dr. Hans Nieper stressed how the primary function of lithium was the restoration of the proper electrical membrane potential by removing excess sodium from the inside of the cell. In the orotate form he was able to obtain results using small dosages, about 7% of the carbonate form, to successfully treat manic depression, migraine headaches, juvenile epilepsy, and alcoholism. Using calcium and lithium orotate together, Dr. Nieper obtained significant results in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. He reported that 5 mg of lithium orotate are closely equivalent to 100 mg of the carbonate form. According to Dr. Nieper, the lithium orotate releases lithium ions at the lysosomal membranes (structures within the cells), and withdraws sodium from them. The net result is a stabilization of the lysosomal membrane. If lysosomal enzymes are released within the cell they cause a cascade of destruction that leads to cellular death. The stabilization of the lysosomal membranes within the cell is a vitally important part of maintaining cellular health.

In 1998 a break-through discovery was reported by researchers from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. They discovered that neurons (from rat brains) that were treated with lithium for six to seven days were completely protected from glutamate toxicity. It seems that the lithium attached itself to the receptors where the glutamate normally docks. This prevented the hyperactivity and resultant overload of calcium into the cell.

This exciting new understanding of one of lithium's protective actions against neurotoxicity from excessive glutamate opens the doorway for increased utilization of low dose lithium orotate. It appears that both lithium and B12 (in the methylcobalamin form) have a very beneficial role to play in protecting the human brain from this destructive neurotoxic process.

Lithium Orotate may provide a natural help with the following

Mood Swings
Chemical Dependency
Depression
Mania
Bi-Polar
Fibromyalgia
Gout
Cluster Headaches
Alzheimer's
Brain Aging

The following are excerpts and quotes from an article by Ward Dean, M.D. and Jim English.

Lithium and Depression (Manic and Bipolar Disorder)

The orotic form of lithium is transported directly to the intracellular membranes of mitochondrial, lysosomes and the glia cells. It stabilizes the lysosomal membranes and prevents the enzyme reactions that are responsible for sodium depletion and dehydration effects of other lithium salts making it a far superior source than the pharmaceutical forms of lithium and far safer too. Lithium protects against the shrinkage of the prefrontal cortex and the reductions in glial cell density, which are otherwise seen in bipolar depression. It may provide the growth-promoting support necessary to restore, enhance, and maintain normal synaptic connectivity.

Lithium has been found to be one of the most effective treatments for manic-depressive illness (bi-polar disorder). Normally these patients are given antidepressant drugs which are known to deplete body stores of L-carnitine and Taurine. These amino acids should be supplemented using several grams daily to ameliorate the adverse side effects of these drugs.

Of course it would be better to avoid these drugs all together and that is what Lithium Orotate enables many to accomplish. This is an important consideration, especially when the therapeutic dose of lithium orotate for cases of severe depression is 150 mg/day (1-2 tablets), compared to 900-1800 mg of the prescription forms. In this dosage range, there are no adverse lithium side effects and no need for blood monitoring.

Recent Lithium Research: Evidence suggests that people with mania or depression may lose brain cells. Lithium may thwart that cell death. A study by Chuang and his colleagues reveals that lithium protects brain cells from being stimulated to death by glutamate, one of the many chemicals that transmit messages in the brain. Their new data suggest that lithium may calm overexcited areas of the brain or, more provocatively, preserve the life of brain (glial) cells whose presence guards against manic depression. It was also reported that it does take a week or two for the neuro-protective effects of lithium to fully take place.

Lithium supplementation shields neurons and intact brains alike against insults as wide-ranging as excessive doses of anticonvulsant medications, deprival of growth factors or essential electrolytes, the Alzheimer’s protein beta amyloid, and neurotoxins like oubain, quinolinic acid, and MPP+. Lithium supplements decrease the number of brain cells killed by experimental strokes by 40%, and help the animals to recover their balance and motility more quickly. Remarkably, most of these benefits can be gained even after the model stroke is over. Lithium supplements also aid brain regeneration in animal models of Huntington’s disease.

Lithium Orotate provides defense against excitotoxicity (the frying of brain cells by over stimulation). It does this through precision modulating of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMA) receptor’s response to the stimulatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Glutamate binds to a cell surface protein of the NMDA receptors when it excites a cell. Normally, activation of the NMDA receptor by glutamate triggers an influx of calcium ions, setting off a signaling cascade inside cells. However, cells treated with lithium let in far less calcium when exposed to glutamate. Lithium has a “push/pull” effect on glutamate raising its levels when they are too low and lowering them when they are too high by modulating it reuptake. This balancing act helps to prevent both excessive stimulation (which kills brain cells and inadequate activation of the NMDA receptor which interferes with normal activation and function of nerve cells needed for mood and memory. In people with manic depression, lithium may correct a dysfunction of the NMDA receptor by limiting calcium influx, speculates Chuang.

Lithium Orotate increases levels of the major neuroprotective protein bcl-2 in brain cells. Bcl-2 is a cell survival protein which inhibits cell death in response to a wide range of neurotoxins and cellular stressors, including large doses of cortisol (prednisone), ionizing radiation, free radicals, chemicals that deplete brain cells of the antioxidant reduced glutathione (GSH), and deprivation of crucial brain growth factors. Beyond its abilities to protect brain cells from toxic assault, it’s now emerging that lithium, acting through bcl-2, also helps to regenerate nerve cells, activating a genetic program (the ERK/MAP kinase pathway) that stimulates the growth of new axons and promoting the sprouting of new neurites (the branching “tips” of nerve cells which bridge the gap between neurons).

And perhaps most excitingly of all, lithium inhibits the activity GSK-3, an enzyme, which promotes the formation of the key pathological features of brains under assault by Alzheimer’s disease. GSK-3 is involved in forming the ‘tangles’ that characterize the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. So damping down the activity of GSK-3 would be expected to reduce tangle formation. And in animals given a gene that causes them to overproduce the precursor to the brain-wrecking amyloid beta protein, lithium supplements interfere with the formation of amyloid beta peptides and prevent plaque formation. This has led to the recommendation that the use of lithium in “experimental trials aimed to ameliorate neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease should be considered.”

Neuroregeneration

Lithium Orotate supplementation increases levels of N-acetylaspartate (a marker of brain cell viability and function). But more than that: Researchers have documented increases in grey matter in humans taking lithium supplements for just four weeks – with the largest increases occurring in the hippocampus, a region of the brain crucial for moving short-term memories into long-term storage, and which is the first and most severely-hit area of the brain in victims of Alzheimer’s disease. Importantly, these selective effects were specifically observed in areas where atrophy had previously occurred.

From Dr. Nieper: Lithium Orotates Improves Liver Function

Dr. Nieper points out that “it is not unusual for orthodox medicine to be quite helpless in the treatment of chronic liver ailments, especially chronic immunological liver inflammation. In these chronic liver inflammations…the continued release of lysosomal enzymes plays a role. These are very aggressive, cell-destroying enzymes released by little bubbles in the cell plasma known as lysosomes. These lysosomes exist not so much in the liver cells themselves, as the cells of the liver’s supportive connective tissue. One could attempt to seal the walls of these lysosomal bubbles, to prevent the release of these aggressive enzymes. In fact, a possibility for this exists. It is feasible to release calcium at the lysosome membranes by specifically transporting it there. This can be achieved by means of the special compound, calcium orotate.

In addition, the sodium content in these bubbles – and especially in their walls – must be kept as low as possible, i.e., sodium must be specifically displaced. This can be done by transporting sodium-displacing lithium to these sites using lithium-orotate. Another possibility for removing part of the sodium from the liver is given by the use of Taurine. This is a substance produced by large saltwater fish to remain “sweet” inside, and not as salty as the surrounding seawater.” (Please note any free form amino acid, such as Taurine, must be taken with Vitamin B6 in order to be absorbed efficiently. Why the manufacturers, many of whom know this don’t put B6 into their products confounds me.)

The famous mineral springs of Europe, such as Vichy in France, all have high lithium waters and are in high demand for liver cures. One of its mechanisms of action is displacing sodium with lithium in liver cells. This has the effect of softening the liver and facilitating other medicines into the liver. This form of lithium does not build-up in the blood to dangerous levels as the carbonate, citrate, and acetate forms do. This is simply because it’s absorbed by the cells much more readily than other forms.

Lithium orotate is often used with calcium orotate for high liver enzymes. Clinically we use it for addiction control/withdrawal, depression, headaches, and mania. For normal applications we use 1 tablet 2 – 3x daily, addiction control requires higher doses. Occasionally some patients will experience more fatigue, if so lower the dose.

Lithium Orotates role in Heart Disease

“A deficiency of hydrogen and chloride ions in tissues – especially in the heart and in blood vessel walls – increases the risk of cardiac infarction as well as that of hardening of the vessels, arteriosclerosis, kidney damage and high blood pressure, states Dr. Nieper”. He continues: “It is a widely practiced bad habit in orthodox medicine to prescribe diuretics or saluretics to cardiac and blood pressure patients, i.e., medications which increase urine and sodium chloride secretion. In this way the body is further depleted of hydrogen and chloride ions, as well as calcium. This further increases cardiac infarction risk. The use of these agents may shorten the life expectancy of a cardiac patient more than if they were not used at all. This was quite a shock for the followers of orthodox medicine, while metabolic physicians have long been familiar with this situation. It is at least necessary, when using such water eliminating medications, to replace the lost chloride and hydrogen ions. The administration of Taurine and Lithium Orotate, as well as potassium orotate, to improve water secretion is better yet. Even though this disastrous report on the negative side effects of diuretics was published some time ago, the misuse continues unabated, as can be generally observed.

Other Uses of Lithium Orotate

Vision/Eye Health: Dr. Nieper also reported that this form of lithium resulted in improvement in vision and reduction of intraocular pressure in patients with myopia and glaucoma.

Fibromyalgia/Blood Sugar/Graves: There is also some evidence that lithium may help to relieve fibromyalgia and to improve blood sugar metabolism in diabetics; as well, lithium is well-established as a therapy for Graves’ disease.

Epilepsy: Taurine has been a routine prescription against migraine and epilepsy for 25 years. The already mentioned Lithium Orotate is also effective against migraine and epilepsy

Lithium may improve ones ability to achieve Pregnancy

It is thought that women deficient in Lithium take a longer period of time to achieve pregnancy, needing more inseminations to conceive. When they do conceive the low levels of lithium may be responsible for low birth weight and abnormal lipid metabolism. Lithium deficiency is associated with depressed immune systems, chronic inflammation, splenic atrophy, excessive iron buildup and calcium deposits in the blood vessels. Moreover, the activity of enzymes involved in mitochondrial energy production is depressed by lithium deficiency. These children may become less assertive in social groupings and less attentive to stimuli.

Supplement Information

Net Content: 100 tablets

Other Ingredients:  Magnesium carbonate, Avicel, Duratex, Pure Food Glaze, Compritol, Ac-Di-Sol, Plasdone, Magnesium Stearate.

Contains no yeast, corn, starch, fructose, lactose, artificial coloring or flavoring.

Suggested Usage

Take 1 tablet 2-3 times daily with meals or as directed by your healthcare professional.

CAUTION:

Lithium should not be used by individuals with significant renal or cardiovascular diseases, severe debilitation or dehydration, or sodium depletion, and by individuals who are taking diuretics or ACE inhibitors. Consult your doctor before use if you are taking anti-hypertensive drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesic drugs or insulin. Lithium should not be used by pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers.