Effects of Adding Lithium to Water

Another Controversy May be Evolving Around the Possible Addition of Lithium to Water as a Means of Reducing Suicide and Violence

Lithium is a naturally occurring salt that is found in varying quantities (or none) in the soil, and hence, in water. Lithium is commonly used in psychiatry to treat bipolar disorder and as an adjunct in the treatment of depression. Numerous studies show that it reduces the risk of suicide in these high-risk groups by up to 50pc. These studies have shown that the effect is not simply due to controlling the illness but that it is independent of this.

It has been suggested that lithium, even in the tiny amounts that occur naturally, protects the nerves in the brain and may even stimulate their growth. Studies of the brains of those with bipolar disorder have confirmed that those taking lithium have more grey matter (indicating neurone growth) than those not using lithium, and than normal controls.

Some are now suggesting that as lithium has a known effect on impulsivity, its addition to water in tiny quantities might carry a public health benefit to society if behaviours linked to our self-control could be altered. It is being compared to the public health benefits of fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, in dental health.

A number of studies since the 1990s have shown that suicide rates are correlated with the level of lithium in the water, being lowest in areas where levels of lithium is highest and highest where it is absent or present in only minuscule amounts. While most studies have focussed on suicide, others have examined other behaviours related to impulsivity, such as rape and homicide, and found a similar relationship. These studies were done in the US, Japan, Greece and Austria.

A UK study found that there was no relationship between naturally occurring lithium levels and suicide rates in various parts of the country. However, lithium levels were much lower there than the levels noted in other countries carrying out similar studies, and this may explain the negative finding.

One problem is that these studies have not controlled for other factors associated with suicide, such as poverty and employment. What if employment was highest in those areas with the highest lithium levels - which of these conferred protection against suicide? A group of psychiatrists in Scotland, headed by DrDaniel Smith, ofGlasgowUniversity, is now carrying out a preliminary study to examine the relationship between lithium levels and suicide rates in drinking water, in collaboration with Scottish Water (who can measure lithium levels in all the postcode areas) and other bodies conducting health surveys and measuring suicide rates in local areas. This work will address many of the questions that beg answers.

Source: Independent

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