Lithium compound can reverse Alzheimer’s in mice: study

Emotional impact of Alzheimer’s

• Multiple commenters share personal stories of relatives with Alzheimer’s or related dementias.
• Emphasis that it is terminal, with severe bodily degeneration, loss of basic functions, aggression, mood swings, and “sundowning.”
• Some argue it’s among the worst possible fates; others point out there are diseases with more conscious suffering, so comparisons are difficult.
• A few explicitly state they would prefer to risk death or serious side effects over progressing into late-stage dementia.

Lithium orotate, self-experimentation, and “safetyism”

• Many note lithium orotate is already an OTC supplement and say they immediately ordered or already take low doses.
• One caregiver describes dramatic, rapid improvements in a parent’s late-stage neurodegenerative condition after microdosing lithium orotate, while acknowledging this is anecdotal and early.
• Others report negative subjective effects (apathy, sedation, “blah”) and stopping the supplement.
• There is debate over warnings in the article:
  • One side calls them empty liability-driven “safetyism” and argues patients/caregivers should decide risk–reward, especially given Alzheimer’s severity.
  • The other side stresses evidence-based medicine, mouse–human gaps, and real risks (kidney/thyroid damage, mood changes, drug interactions), especially at higher doses.

Lithium biology, dosing, and side effects

• Distinction between:
  • High-dose lithium carbonate for bipolar disorder (requires monitoring, kidney risk, many side effects).
  • Very low-dose lithium orotate as a supplement, argued by some to be orders of magnitude safer.
• Others counter that lithium ion is the active component regardless of salt; above certain doses, blood monitoring should apply to any form.
• Several point to observational work: lithium in drinking water linked to lower suicide/crime, and bipolar patients on lithium having lower dementia risk than those on other mood stabilizers.
• Side discussions cover unclear mechanisms of lithium’s psychiatric effects, its broad action on ion channels, and how little is truly understood.

Mouse models, mechanism, and skepticism

• Multiple comments warn that Alzheimer’s mouse models are notoriously unreliable and wild mice don’t naturally develop human-like Alzheimer’s.
• Some are still impressed that the study improved cognition in both Alzheimer’s-model and normal aged mice.
• Mechanistic discussion: amyloid plaques may sequester lithium; lithium orotate’s lower ionization and reduced amyloid binding might keep more lithium bioavailable.
• Concern that because lithium orotate is cheap and not patentable, strong industry-funded human trials may be slow or unlikely.