Lithium is a naturally occurring element found in the Earth’s crust, trace amounts of water, soil, and certain foods.
It is not a synthetic drug—it exists in nature as a mineral salt and has been part of the human environment for thousands of years.
In medicine, lithium carbonate (prescription) is best known for its long-standing role in psychiatry, particularly in the treatment of bipolar disorder, mood instability, and suicide prevention. Its use in modern psychiatry dates back over 70 years.
This makes lithium carbonate (prescription version) one of the most well-studied treatments in mental health.
At CareSync Psych, lithium is understood through a mind–body, metabolic psychiatry lens, where brain chemistry, inflammation, kidney health, and overall physiology are all considered together.
Lithium Orotate
Lithium has one of the strongest evidence bases in psychiatry—especially for mood stabilization and suicide risk reduction. But lately, there’s growing buzz around a supplement form: lithium orotate.
So what does the research about lithium orotate say? Let’s start with-what is lithium orotate?
What is lithium orotate?
Lithium orotate is a compound where lithium is bound to orotic acid and is sold as a an over the counter dietary supplement (not a prescription medication). However, because it’s regulated differently than prescription lithium, dose consistency and quality can vary by product—and it may not be appropriate or safe for everyone (Devadason, 2018).
Potential benefits of lithium orotate
what early evidence suggests
1) Different pharmacokinetics may change potency
Preclinical work suggests lithium orotate may distribute differently in the body compared to lithium carbonate (commonly prescribed form), potentially delivering lithium to the brain more efficiently at lower doses in animal models. (Pacholko & Bekar, 2021).
2) Anti-manic effects displayed in mice model research.
In a mouse model of mania, lithium orotate showed anti-manic–like effects at lower elemental lithium doses than lithium carbonate—raising the question of whether it could be a more “potent” option in controlled settings (Pacholko & Bekar, 2023).
Is Lithium Orotate Safe to Take?
1) Human Research Trials of Lithium Orotate Are Still Very New and Limited
There are no large, high-quality human clinical trials establishing lithium orotate as a standard treatment for bipolar disorder, mania, or depression. Current discussion in the literature is cautious and exploratory (Devadason, 2018).
2) Safety and toxicity concerns remain real
A toxicological review highlights that safety depends on dose, duration, and exposure—and that “supplement” does not mean risk-free (Murbach et al., 2021).
3) Lithium is lithium—monitoring still matters
Prescription lithium requires careful monitoring because it can affect kidneys, thyroid, hydration/electrolytes, and interacts with common medications. The core clinical challenge is always balancing mental health benefits with renal safety (Strawbridge & Young, 2022).
Potential harms & interactions to know
Lithium (including lithium orotate or supplemental forms) could become unsafe with dehydration, illness, or interacting meds.
Major interaction categories include:
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NSAIDs (ibuprofen/naproxen) → can raise lithium levels
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ACE inhibitors / ARBs (common BP meds) → can raise lithium levels
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Diuretics (especially thiazides) → can raise lithium levels
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Dehydration, vomiting/diarrhea, heavy sweating → can raise lithium levels
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Kidney disease or reduced kidney function → higher risk
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Pregnancy/breastfeeding → requires specialist-level risk/benefit discussion
(General lithium safety principles; reinforced by clinical emphasis on renal balance in Strawbridge & Young, 2022.)
Is lithium orotate ever recommended?
In mainstream psychiatric practice, lithium orotate is not a first-line or standard recommendation for bipolar disorder/mania because:
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robust human trial evidence is lacking
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supplement regulation and dose reliability vary
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lithium still carries real interaction and organ-risk considerations
That said, the preclinical findings are interesting and may justify future clinical research—but for now, decisions should be individualized and medically supervised. (Devadason, 2018; Pacholko & Bekar, 2021; Pacholko & Bekar, 2023)
CareSync Psych take
If you’re considering lithium orotate because you want a “safer lithium,” here’s the safest framework: