Low-dose lithium uptake promotes longevity in humans and metazoans

Abstract

PurposeLithium is a nutritionally essential trace element predominantly contained in vegetables, plant-derived foods, and drinking water. Environmental lithium exposure and concurrent nutritional intake vary considerably in different regions. We here have analyzed the possibility that low-dose lithium exposure may affect mortality in both metazoans and mammals.MethodsBased on a large Japanese observational cohort, we have used weighted regression analysis to identify putative effects of tap water-derived lithium uptake on overall mortality. Independently, we have exposed Caenorhabditis elegans, a small roundworm commonly used for anti-aging studies, to comparable concentrations of lithium, and have quantified mortality during this intervention.ResultsIn humans, we find here an inverse correlation between drinking water lithium concentrations and all-cause mortality in 18 neighboring Japanese municipalities with a total of 1,206,174 individuals (β = −0.661, p = 0.003). Consistently, we find that exposure to a comparably low concentration of lithium chloride extends life span of C. elegans (p = 0.047).ConclusionsTaken together, these findings indicate that long-term low-dose exposure to lithium may exert anti-aging capabilities and unambiguously decreases mortality in evolutionary distinct species.

Is lithium potentially a trace element?

“…Taken together with another finding that an exposure to a comparably low concentrations of lithium chloride extended the life span of Caenorhabditis Elegans, these findings suggest that long-term low-dose exposure to lithium may exert anti-aging capabilities [14] .…”

“…Interestingly, an inverse correlation was found between lithium levels in drinking water and not only suicide but also all-cause mortality in 18 neighboring Japanese municipalities with a total of 1206174 individuals [14] . Taken together with another finding that an exposure to a comparably low concentrations of lithium chloride extended the life span of Caenorhabditis Elegans, these findings suggest that long-term low-dose exposure to lithium may exert anti-aging capabilities [14] .…”

Lithium in the Kidney: Friend and Foe?

“…1 In agreement, humans living in areas with relatively high natural lithium levels in their drinking water display reduced all-cause mortality rates and less harmful behavioral problems, like homicide and suicide. 2,3 Other than the necessity of trace amounts of lithium, the benefits of lithium in the treatment of bipolar disorder have been known for .60 years, and despite large efforts of pharmaceutical companies to develop alternatives, lithium is even today the most effective medication for this disease. 4 However, an important drawback of lithium medication is the development of severe renal side effects (Table 1).…”

Dissociations of Complexes Between Monovalent Metal Ions and Aromatic Amino Acid or Histidine

“…It is, however, used as a first-line therapeutic agent to control bipolar disorders. Nutritional studies in mammals have recently indicated lithium's importance to health, leading to a suggestion for it to be classified as an essential trace element; it has even been hypothesized that naturally occurring lithium in drinking water may increase the human lifespan [4].…”