Quick Summary
Which are the best low-dose lithium supplements?
We found that most of the lithium supplements contained their claimed amounts of lithium within a reasonable margin, but one product contained an extra 5.5 mg of lithium per capsule and was, therefore, NOT APPROVED. Among APPROVED products, ConsumerLab selected three as Top Picks for providing high-quality lithium at relatively low cost. ConsumerLab found the cost per serving, based on claimed amounts of lithium, to be 12 to 19 cents for 1 mg, 4 to 26 cents for 5 mg, and just 11 cents for 20 mg. Be aware that many supplements on the market provide more lithium than you want (see Dosage).
Brands of lithium supplements tested include Double Wood, KAL, Life Extension, Nutricost, Pure Encapsulations, Solaray, Swanson, and Vitamatic.
What is lithium?
Lithium is a mineral used in large doses (hundreds of milligrams) as prescription medication to treat bipolar disorder but at much lower doses (fractions of a milligram to a few milligrams) as a dietary supplement. The form in supplements is typically lithium orotate or lithium aspartate, while prescription medicine is lithium carbonate or lithium citrate (see What It Is). Although all forms will provide lithium, read labels carefully to understand how much lithium is being promised because lithium is only a small portion of lithium-containing compounds, e.g., only about 4% of lithium orotate is elemental lithium (see Forms of Lithium). Use the Results table to easily compare amounts of lithium in tested supplements.
Health benefits of lithium supplements:
There is no conclusive evidence that low-dose lithium from supplements helps. However, some observational studies and small clinical studies suggest that low-dose lithium may improve mood, reduce the risk of suicide, and reduce the risk and/or progression of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (see What It Does).
How much lithium should I take?
Suggested daily doses of supplemental lithium range from about 0.3 mg to 5 mg — similar to, or slightly above, the average amounts of lithium obtained per day from what we normally eat and drink (see Dosage).
Lithium safety and side effects:
Higher intakes of lithium (starting at about 30 mg or more per day) can cause side effects, affect thyroid function, and, at much higher intakes, cause coma or seizures (see Concerns and Cautions).
