At the 2025 Linus Pauling meeting what I attended, a presenter explained that it had been shown that taking low-dose lithium, in the form of over the counter tablets of lithium orotate, one could prevent the development of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other dementias.  I began taking it daily in September, 2025.

Lithium orotate is a nutritional supplement that provides lithium in a form bound to orotic acid. Unlike the high-dose, prescription-only lithium carbonate used for bipolar disorder, lithium orotate is sold over-the-counter in much lower doses and is purported to cross the blood-brain barrier more easily

“Lithium is most well-known for its mood-stabilizing effects in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Due to its narrow therapeutic window (0.5-1.2 mM serum concentration), there is a stigma associated with lithium treatment and the adverse effects that can occur at therapeutic doses. However, several studies have indicated that doses of lithium under the predetermined therapeutic dose used in bipolar disorder treatment may have beneficial effects not only in the brain but across the body. Currently, literature shows that low-dose lithium (≤0.5 mM) may be beneficial for cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, metabolic, and cognitive function, as well as inflammatory and antioxidant processes of the aging body. There is also some evidence of low-dose lithium exerting a similar and sometimes synergistic effect on these systems. This review summarizes these findings with a focus on low-dose lithium’s potential benefits on the aging process and age-related diseases of these systems, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, obesity and type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and the chronic low-grade inflammatory state known as inflammaging. Although lithium’s actions have been widely studied in the brain, the study of the potential benefits of lithium, particularly at a low dose, is still relatively novel. Therefore, this review aims to provide possible mechanistic insights for future research in this field.”

Common side effects associated with lithium products include: 
  • Fatigue and drowsiness
  • Nausea and upset stomach
  • Diarrhea
  • Increased thirst and frequent urination
  • Mild hand tremors