Toxicity typically starts at around blood levels of 1.5 mEq/L, are considered severe at around 2.0 mEq/L, and are a medical emergency at 3.0 mEq/L or greater. Toxicity can vary quite a bit depending on the amount of Lithium present in the blood.

Patients that are prescribed Lithium usually have a dosage between 9mg per day, and a safe blood level is ranges from 0.6 to 1.2 mEq/L.įigure 1. The main targets for Lithium include the brain, kidneys, liver, bone, muscle and thyroid, as shown in figure 1 below. Lithium is known to cross the placenta and can be found in breast milk as well. The serum elimination half-life can vary quite a bit and is roughly 12-27 hours. The other 5% tends to be removed via sweat and feces. The kidneys excrete the vast majority of Lithium from the body at a whopping 95%. Lithium absorption is rapid and its bioavalibility is close to 100%. This very well maybe one reason it works so well to treat mania and depression. The results from this study suggests that Lithium has the ability to silence certain neurons in the brain and stimulate a calming effect. This allows Lithium to keep glutamate levels between cells at a stable, healthy level.Ī cool study at MIT using worms showed that Lithium inhibits key proteins in the brain for making neurons linked to avoidance behavior. Many have drawn the conclusion that glutamate is the key factor because Lithium has been shown to change the inward and outward currents of the glutamate receptors. There are scientists that have their theories though – some believe that therapeutic action may be due to the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3, inositol phosphatases or modulation of glutamate receptors. The video below dives a little deeper into how Lithium helps treat Bipolar Disorder.Įven though Lithium has been used to treat mental health disorders for decades, the mechanism of action is still unknown. These are typically known as Lithium salts and are most commonly used to treat Bipolar Disorder (BD) and mania, and they were the first drugs to be approved by the FDA to do so. Lithium is typically found as compounds, not just a free element. It’s even makes up a small percentage of the Earth’s crust. It is rather soft in its natural state – to the point it can be cut with a knife! Lithium can be used in several different ways: batteries, manufacturing and medications. Image found here Background Information 1

Lithium antidote