Sounds nuts, but surprisingly serious

[kaizasosei]

Lithium apparently does a mind good. Checkout this article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8025454.stm

Drinking water which contains the element lithium may reduce the risk of suicide, a Japanese study suggests.


j

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Lithium apparently does a mind good. Checkout this article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8025454.stm

Drinking water which contains the element lithium may reduce the risk of suicide, a Japanese study suggests.


j

Interesting that this is being brought up again. I remember these discussions from my childhood. As I recall, some water supplies in Florida have lithium in them - naturally or artificially added, I don't recall.

Is lithium in the water keeping a city calm?

Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file) - Chicago, Ill.
Date: Dec 19, 1977

 

[Sukerkin]

You beat me to it, Bill.

I was just going to mention that this wasn't new and that I recalled discourse about it from when I was at school over thirty years ago.

Is there a reason why it's come 'alive' again, kaiza?

 

[kaizasosei]

As it is new to me, i'm afraid i don't have the answer to that.
So you are saying you've known about this, eh...
I knew that the substance was used in treatment of mental illness, but i had no idea that it might be that it is being added into the water supply.

j

 

[redantstyle]

fizzy-lifting drinks...


just an old skool 7UP.

 

[bluekey88]

Lithium is the classic, natural mood stabilizer. One of the original psychoactive medications. It's no suprise that it's presence in water is linked to a calmer populace.

Peace,
Erik

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Lithium is the classic, natural mood stabilizer. One of the original psychoactive medications. It's no suprise that it's presence in water is linked to a calmer populace.

Peace,
Erik

If I recall correctly, the issue was the presence of lithium in city water supplies in Florida and a few other places - naturally. It may be that there were some conspiracy whack jobs back then (not like you guys who have real concerns and are hardly whack jobs at all

of course) who thought that the lithium was being placed there on purpose.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Lithium apparently does a mind good. Checkout this article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8025454.stm

Drinking water which contains the element lithium may reduce the risk of suicide, a Japanese study suggests.


j

I am confused, as I thought Lithium has been used for a while for mental disorders, such as Bipolar disorders and other conditions as well.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I am confused, as I thought Lithium has been used for a while for mental disorders, such as Bipolar disorders and other conditions as well.

It has, but as a directly-prescribed medication in relatively high dosage compared to a background amount in the general water supply.

One might hearken back to the days of argument over putting fluoride in the water supply (which is done in the USA).

 

[tellner]

Even a sub-clinical dose can have a statistical effect over a very large sample. If lithium accumulates you could get enough effect a fraction of the at-risk population just enough to get something measurable.

 

[K-man]

The Japanese researchers called for further research in other countries but they stopped short of any suggestion that lithium be added to drinking water.

They didn't actually recommend adding Lithium. Just to research areas which have natural Lithium in the water.

Check out the indications and warnings.
http://www.drugs.com/pro/lithium-carbonate.html
Lithium is a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. That is, at the level the drug begins to be effective it is very close to becoming toxic. It interacts with many other drugs, has some really nasty side effects and IMHO would never be an artificial additive. As was stated by Rich Parsons is basically only used in Bipolar disorder. It hasn't been used for all that long in terms of psychoactive drugs. From memory they started using it around 1980. :asian:

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Oita is in the mountains. Its like everyone knows each other or something like those small town different then say Tokyo.

Tokyo is crazy very high suicide rate because of the work stress.

I do not know how much of the Lithium is mellow the mood in Oita compared to the relax mountain like living. If it was done in Tokyo then it might be something to compare. Just going to the bathroom in the train station in Shinjuku is stressful it stinks really bad.