Community | May 02, 2009 | 19 comments

Japanese Study Finds Lithium in Drinking Water Lowers Suicide Rates

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

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

Researchers examined levels of lithium in drinking water and suicide rates in the prefecture of Oita, which has a population of more than one million.

The suicide rate was significantly lower in those areas with the highest levels of the element, they wrote in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

High doses of lithium are already used to treat serious mood disorders.

But the team from the universities of Oita and Hiroshima found that even relatively low levels appeared to have a positive impact of suicide rates.

Levels ranged from 0.7 to 59 micrograms per litre. The researchers speculated that while these levels were low, there may be a cumulative protective effect on the brain from years of drinking this tap water.

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

In an accompanying editorial, Professor Allan Young of Vancouver's Institute for Mental Health said "this intriguing data should provoke further research.

"Large-scale trials involving the addition of lithium to drinking water supplies may then be feasible, although this would undoubtedly be subject to considerable debate. Following up on these findings will not be straightforward or inexpensive, but the eventual benefits for community mental health may be considerable."
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19 comments // Japanese Study Finds Lithium in Drinking Water Lowers Suicide Rates

  • nursediesel
    • 0
      nursediesel  

    • lithium carbonate and lithium citrate are anti- psychotics used to prevent mania.
      Bi-polar(manic depressive) patients are on this drug for the prevention of the manic phase, not the depression phase.
      It stabilizes the 'mood'.
      And is a very dangerous drug and must be given only under strict meticulous doctor care.
      It has also, in the past been used to increase white blood cell count in patients with leukopenia(low white blood cell count), because increased WBC(White Blood Count) is a side effect.
      Two of it's most common side effects are lethargy and fatigue, and are usually why patients are hard to keep compliant with their therapy.
      Which would you rather be: lethargic and tired all the time or revved up, euphoric and on top of the world?

    • 3 years ago
  • georgywww
  • Mikeysfake1
  • PrincessTiffany
    • 0
      PrincessTiffany  

    • I would never drink water from the tap (My advice to those of you that do, boil the water first & then chill the water.). Lithium isn't the only thing that is put into the water supply....

    • 3 years ago
  • bombastinator
  • diabolical44
  • ddhboy
  • charfman
  • charfman
  • isnamthere
    • 0
      isnamthere  

    • Hey. why not put appetite suppressants in the water, too? Then we won't have to worry about food shortages around the world. And put lots of caffeine, too, so the people will be alert and work extra hard.

    • 3 years ago
  • racheanne
    • 0
      racheanne  

    • This makes sense, but people should only take medication consciously and by choice. Not everyone needs mood regulators, and those who do are free to take them without them being in the drinking water. To do it this way is unethical.

    • 3 years ago
  • GavinRags
  • DeliaTheArtist
    • 0
      DeliaTheArtist  

    • Um...no.

      There was recently an article (if I can find it I'll post a link!) about the possibility of our dependence on medication affecting our evolution. Basically the theory was if we rely on external forces to constantly regulate our emotional state, we will lose the ability to do it ourselves.

      Suicide is sad, but there are better ways to handle depression than putting more chemicals in the water.

    • 3 years ago
  • RaceBannon
  • mandroid
    • 0
      mandroid  

    • as benificial as lithium may be, I don't like the Idea of "big bro" force feeding me happy pills. One would hope that they at least informed the public they they were testing on!

    • 3 years ago
  • ticobrohay69
  • Equmex
  • Eat_Disco
    • 0
      Eat_Disco  

    • Well yeah...
      Lithium is used as an antidepressant by the pharmaceutical companies, and is prescribed by doctors. What is bad about this is that if after being exposed to lithium for a long period of time you no longer ingest it, it will be likely that you will start to feel depressed.

    • 3 years ago
  • sk8bs55
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