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Title: Miracle Mineral Protects Your Brain
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URL Source: http://www.rockcreekfreepress.com/CreekV4No3-Web.pdf
Published: Mar 6, 2010
Author: Sheila Casey
Post Date: 2010-03-06 22:15:01 by christine
Keywords: None
Views: 336
Comments: 23
Numerous studies have found that a common mineral heals the brain by stimulating the growth of new brain cells and protecting brain cells from every known neurotoxin. It has been shown to reduce the incidence of violent crime, homicide, suicide, and drug addiction, while preventing the brain shrinkage and memory loss that otherwise occurs naturally with age, as well as helping people with alcoholism, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, cluster headaches and traumatic brain injury. Although occurring naturally in tomatoes article published in the journal Addiction showed that kids with a family history of alcoholism are more likely to crave sweets, suffer from depression, and become alcoholics themselves.) But Wright didn’t start using low dose lithium himself until 1999, when an article in the British medical journal The Lancet reported the astonishing finding that just four weeks of high-dose lithium therapy caused a three percent increase in brain volume — translating into billions of additional brain cells. These findings turned on its head the conventional wisdom that we are born with all the brain cells we will ever have, and that brain shrinkage is an unavoidable consequence of aging. In the past ten years, says Wright, there has been an “avalanche of research” about lithium. In addition to proving definitively that lithium stimulates the brain to grow new cells, it has also been shown to be, Wright says, a “wonderful neuroprotective agent from any type of toxin there is.” This neuro-protective mechanism is so strong that one respected lithium researcher said, according to Wright, that it “verges on malpractice to prescribe any psychotropic medication without lithium to protect the brain.” Psychotropics include antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds, and sleeping pills. Dr. Wright has even heard, anecdotally, from numerous patients, that when they are taking lithium they don’t get bad hangovers. Lithium protects the brain from the damaging effects of alcohol, reducing the pain the morning after. Wright cautions that one can’t simply pop a tablet of lithium along with a pitcher of margaritas to achieve this effect, one would have to be taking it regularly, prior to a night of overindulgence, to protect brain cells. Likewise, it has been shown that if the blood supply is suddenly cut off to the brain, such as with a stroke, brain cells suffer much less damage if the stroke victim has been taking lithium. (It does not work to take the lithium after the stroke, when the damage has already occurred.) Mentioning that a recent medical journal carried a story with the headline “Can lithium prevent Alzheimer’s disease?” Dr. Wright said, “You know when you see a headline like that, that in another ten years you’ll see the same headline without the question mark.” He then enumerated multiple ways in which lithium interferes with the Alzheimer’s disease process. Although he has no family history of mental illness or alcoholism, Wright has been taking 20 mg/day of elemental lithium (in the orotate form) for over ten years, purely to protect his brain and keep his IQ and memory in tip-top form, for as long as possible, as he ages. In over 30 years, Wright has encountered only two or three people who have had a possible reaction to a dose of 20 mg/day or less: they thought it might have caused a slight tremor — which went away when the lithium was discontinued. On the other hand, he’s had dozens of patients report that their benign tremor improved on low dose lithium Wright cautions that every patient is different and it is wise to also take fish oil and flax seed oil, if one is taking lithium. These healthy oils are routinely used to treat lithium toxicity in patients who are so severely bipolar that stopping their lithium is not an option, and they add an extra layer of safety for those using over the counter lithium without a doctor’s supervision. Wright defines low dose lithium as anything up to a maximum of 55 mg of elemental lithium per day, which is the equivalent of a single 300 mg. capsule of prescription lithium carbonate, or 11 tablets of over the counter lithium orotate or aspartate, which typically contain 5 mg. of elemental lithium per tablet. No one, he says, should consider going higher than that without regular blood testing to insure that they are not toxic, and damaging either their kidneys or thyroid gland. Symptoms of lithium toxicity are: tremor in the hands, rising blood pressure, and flulike symptoms. Given the many amazing neurological benefits of lithium, why has there been so little it in the press? A search at nytimes.com for “lithium alcoholism” brought up just two relevant articles: from 1973 and 1975. A search for “lithium Alzheimer’s” at both MSNBC and CNN brought up no relevant articles. Dr. Wright has a theory about this, and it’s not flattering to either science writers, pharmaceutical companies or biosciences academics. The problem begins, he says, with the fact that lithium cannot be patented, so no real money can be made from selling it. Thus, there are no armies of press agents blanketing science writers with press releases touting its eye-popping benefits. And science writers, Dr. Wright says, “do not dig, and they have not been digging into this lithium at all.” If they don’t receive a press release about it, says Wright, science writers are unlikely to find out about new discoveries. Not only is there no money to be made selling lithium, lithium represents direct competition to drugs that are currently earning many billions of profit for pharmaceutical companies. The central nervous system (CNS) drug market is expected to increase to $64 billion this year. By comparison, lithium aspartate is available at vitacost.com for less than $6 for a 30 day supply. I asked Dr. Wright “If everyone were taking low dose lithium, as you are, wouldn’t there be a greatly reduced market for psychotropic drugs, Alzheimer’s drugs, alcoholism drugs?” and he replied: “Yes. I don’t know when the news about lithium will break through into public awareness. When it does, it will probably be opposed, because there are so many professors who are on the payroll of patent medicine companies. Anybody who comes out and promotes something that is in competition with a product from the patent medicine companies is going to be called crazy and a quack by those on the payroll of those same patent medicine companies.” The news that lithium is good for our brains raises some compelling questions. Is lithium an essential nutrient for human health that is deficient in our water supply and the soil that grows our food? With so many people now filtering their water or drinking purified bottled water, are we eliminating even trace amounts of lithium from our diets? Lithium is one of the most abundant minerals in the sea, with 50 micrograms in a tablespoon of seawater. Could that be part of the reason why people the world over flock to the sea, and feel so relaxed and calm after a day spent splashing in the waves? Until these questions are answered, one thing seems clear: your brain has a good friend in lithium. Sheila Casey is a DC based journalist. Her work has appeared in The Denver Post, Reuters, Chicago Sun-Times, Dissident Voice and Common Dreams.
Poster Comment: This was highly recommended by a friend who's been taking Lithium Aspartate for a short time and reported to us that he's thinking more clearly and feels better physically than he has in years. He's taking 10 or 11 5 mg capsules a day.
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#1. To: christine (#0)
True, but the bottle says one/day. I may need to warn him. No longer am I of the school, if one is good, ten are better.
HOW TO ENLARGE YOUR BRAIN AND IMPROVE BRAIN PERFORMANCE By Dr. James Howenstine, MD. Conventional medical thinking concerning the brain have always believed that the brain steadily decreased in size with aging and that when brain neurones (nerve cells) died they were lost forever. This explains why elderly persons generally have slightly smaller brains than younger individuals. Preserving And Renewing Brain Cells With Lithium Medical students are taught that there is a slow steady loss of brain cells with aging culminating in gradual shrinkage of the brain. Lithium has long been known to be an effective therapy for Bipolar Disorder (manic depression) when taken in high doses. However, recent research has shown that low doses of lithium preserve and renew[1] brain cells. Eight of ten persons given lithium showed an increase in brain grey matter of 3 % after only 4 weeks. By promoting brain cell regeneration and increasing brain size lithium can function as an anti-aging nutrient for the brain. Lithium also accomplishes the following benefits for brain cells: Lithium enhances DNA replication which is the first step to formation of new cells. The damaging effects of excitotoxins. (monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame (Nutrasweet) etc. can be blocked by lithium.[2] Animal research shows that lithium can decrease the areas of cell death after induced strokes by 56 %. Lithium protects rat brain cells from the. increased levels of brain cell death caused by anti-convulsant drugs (Dilantin phenytoin , Tegretol, carbamazepine etc.) Lithium may protect against adverse effects from mood altering drugs, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, 'uppers"and "downers", and marihuana all of which cause brain damage with long term use. Abnormally functioning signaling pathways may become repaired by lithium. The aluminum felt to be a possible cause of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). is chelated[3] by lithium so it can be more easily removed from the body. Research has suggested that lithium blocks the secretion of beta-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease and prevents damage from pre-existing beta amyloid. Overactivity of the brain cell protein tau contributes to death of neurones in Alzheimer's Disease. Lithium inhibits this tau protein damage and the formation of the neurofibrillary tangles seen in AD. Ten years of research by 27 counties in Texas disclosed that the incidence of homicide, rape, robbery, burglary, arrests for drug possession, and suicide[4] were higher in counties whose drinking water contained little or no lithium. Counties whose drinking water naturally contained higher amounts of lithium had significantly lower rates of all these crimes. These counties with higher levels of lithium in their tap water experienced fewer hospitalizations for homicides, mental illness[5], psychosis, neurosis, schizophrenia, and personality disorder. Low dosage lithium benefits alcoholism and mood disorders seen in heavy users of alcohol and their relatives. This therapy is often obvious to family members[6] when depression, premenstrual tension, temper flareups and irritability cease affecting the individual. Lithium has been helpful in reducing aggressive[7] behavior in children. High dosages of lithium helped two adult women with severe anorexia nervosa[8] regain 26 and 20 pounds in six weeks. Both women experienced improvement in behavioral problems. Low dosages of lithium have been found to be safe.[9] Dr. Jonathan Wright suggests 20 to 30 mg. of lithium aspartate or lithium orotate daily as an appropriate dose to stop brain aging. This is 1/3 to 1/6 the dosage of lithium carbonate used to treat manic depressive disorder. Dr. Hans Nieper of Germany has learned that lithium orotate or lithium aspartate penetrate cells more effectively than lithium carbonate so smaller doses can be used. One tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily along with 400 I.U. of vitamin E ensures that no lithium toxicity can develop. These lithium products can be obtained from Tehama Clinic 425-264-0059. Should Lithium Be Added To The Water Supply In The U.S.? The answer is yes, particularly for parts of the country where lithium water levels are low. Placing lithium in the water supply would almost certainly lower crime rates and would also improve the productivity of many emotionally troubled persons. Is this likely to occur? Probably not because there is no large corporation that would profit from the placing of lithium in water. To understand the political environment surrounding an issue like this it is important to have an awareness of how fluoride was placed in U.S. water supplies. Why did fluoride get placed in U.S. community water supplies? A politically important industry (aluminum manufacture) had an enormous problem disposing of the very toxic sodium fluoride created as a byproduct of the production of aluminum. Other than use as a rat poison, sodium fluoride had no economic value. Was there any evidence that fluoride decreases the incidence of cavities? No, not then or since then. Were any studies conducted to verify if the placing of fluoride in the water was safe for the American public? No. Did anyone know how much fluoride should be added to water? No. The dose selected one part per million[10] was selected arbitrarily. When the legislation to place fluoride into U.S. water supplies was passed every congressman had bottled water placed in their offices. A prominent senator always carried a flask of spring water in his coat pocket when he dined in a fashionable Washington restaurant. He stated to his dinner companions " Not one drop of fluoridated water will ever pass my lips." Such are the guardians of our nation. Since placing lithium in our water could improve general health and decrease the need for pharmaceutical drugs there is little possibility this will occur. Preserving Brain Function An interesting study was done in elderly nuns living in a convent to try to ascertain what factors seem to contribute to declining brain function in the elderly (dementia). What was discovered was that those who were involved in activities that challenged the brain (learning new skills, working crossword puzzles, playing chess, etc.) were less likely to become demented than those who had no interests and were simply vegetating. This fits with "use it or lose it concept regarding brain function in the elderly" which appears to be valid.
sunbeams, are never made like me.... :)
“we were respected as the most disinterested and charitable nation in the world.” - Robert A. Taft
55mg a day is still considered low dosage. it is recommended that one take fish oil and flax oil along with it.
Dr. Wright has a theory about this, and it’s not flattering to either science writers, pharmaceutical companies or biosciences academics. The problem begins, he says, with the fact that lithium cannot be patented, so no real money can be made from selling it. Thus, there are no armies of press agents blanketing science writers with press releases touting its eye-popping benefits. And science writers, Dr. Wright says, “do not dig, and they have not been digging into this lithium at all.” If they don’t receive a press release about it, says Wright, science writers are unlikely to find out about new discoveries. Not only is there no money to be made selling lithium, lithium represents direct competition to drugs that are currently earning many billions of profit for pharmaceutical companies. The central nervous system (CNS) drug market is expected to increase to $64 billion this year. By comparison, lithium aspartate is available at vitacost.com for less than $6 for a 30 day supply. I'm shocked! Do you hear me? SHOCKED! That Big Pharma is in business to MAKE MONEY not necessarily for the welfare of patients. That was such a surprise. Of course that would explain the, Big Pharma controlled, FDA's attempts to make vitamins and supplements illegal or prescription only. But we know that can't be true because the government loves us and would never collude, by virtue of political control, with private interests seeking to use government enforcement powers to suppress competition. Would they?
"One of the least understood strategies of the world revolution now moving rapidly toward its goal is the use of mind control as a major means of obtaining the consent of the people who will be subjects of the New World Order." K.M. Heaton, The National Educator
Correct.
Don't expect me to cry... Don't expect me t0 lie... Don't ever ask your love of me.. :)
“we were respected as the most disinterested and charitable nation in the world.” - Robert A. Taft
You're missing this whole section after the first paragraph: and in the water supply in many places, this mineral is rarely found in any vitamin-mineral supplement, and is not even commonly found in brick and mortar health food stores. Its name may surprise you: Lithium. Most people think of lithium as a drug for crazy people. While high doses of lithium carbonate are used to treat bipolar disorder, and are available only as a prescription, both lithium orotate and lithium aspartate are available cheaply over the counter, in much lower doses, at outlets such as vitacost.com and iherb.com. (Note: We have no financial connection with either outlet.) According to the controversial, and now deceased German orthomolecular physician Dr. Hans Nieper, the orotate form of lithium is more effectively transported inside cells, making it more effective at lower doses than the prescription form, lithium carbonate. Lithium has also been shown to be effective at ultra-low doses, such as those found naturally in tap water. A ten year Texas study found that the incidence of rape, homicide, suicide, burglary and drug addiction was significantly lower in counties where the water supply contained 70-170 micrograms of lithium per liter, compared to counties where there is little or no lithium in the water. A similar study in Japan found that lithium in the water supply significantly reduced the risk of suicide. Even a very thirsty Texan who drank three liters of water a day (100 ounces) would still be getting only a half a milligram of lithium per day, if they lived in an area where there is 170 mcg. of lithium per liter of water. Compare this to the amount commonly taken by bipolar patients: 900 mg/day of lithium carbonate, which contains 165 mg of elemental lithium. Put another way, the startling results of the Texas study were achieved with doses that were one-third of one percent of the amount taken by bipolar patients. These highly beneficial effects from low dose lithium have prompted some researchers to call for adding lithium to the water supply in the amounts found naturally in the high lithium Texas counties. One of these is Jonathan Wright M.D, author, founder of the Tahoma Clinic in Renton, Washington, and a member of the medical advisory board for the non-profit Life Extension Foundation. Dr. Wright first began working with lithium in the 70s, when research at a VA hospital showed that it dramatically reduced recidivism (otherwise known as “falling off the wagon”) among alcoholics. Not only were these vets drinking less, their families reported less anger, aggression and violence in the men, and less moodiness, weepiness and depression in the women. They were also sleeping better, and generally calmer and happier. Wright later began using low dose lithium with the children of alcoholics, who often have some of the same mood problems afflicting their parents. (A February 2010
thanks, Critter!
Does anyone know if the Berkey water purification systems filter out the lithium from our water?
“we were respected as the most disinterested and charitable nation in the world.” - Robert A. Taft
No, Berkey elements will pass almost all dissolved minerals.
Thanks.
Don't expect me t0 lie... Don't ever ask your love of me.. :) Just remember what Chrissie Hynde said: "One of the least understood strategies of the world revolution now moving rapidly toward its goal is the use of mind control as a major means of obtaining the consent of the people who will be subjects of the New World Order." K.M. Heaton, The National Educator
That's interesting. How was that determined? Cut out their brains and weight them? The volume of the cranium is finite. So, again, how was this "gain" determined? (not asking you directly. The article is deficient) EDIT: Interesting stuff about lithium and Texas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_pharmacology
“we were respected as the most disinterested and charitable nation in the world.” - Robert A. Taft
It would be nice if that were intelligible.
It's got a good beat and you can dance to it... :)
“we were respected as the most disinterested and charitable nation in the world.” - Robert A. Taft
As with cocaine in Coca-Cola, lithium was widely marketed as one of a number of patent medicine products popular in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, and was the medicinal ingredient of a refreshment beverage, 7 Up. Charles Leiper Grigg, who launched his St. Louis-based company The Howdy Corporation in 1920, invented a formula for a lemon-lime soft drink in 1929. The product, originally named "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda", was launched two weeks before the Wall Street Crash of 1929.[12] It contained the mood stabiliser lithium citrate and was one of a number of patent medicine products popular in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The beverage was marketed specifically as a hangover cure. Its name was soon changed to 7 Up. interesting about 7up too....
It is not really so clear that lithium should be a regular supplement or that it is good for your brain. I have heard the Niacinamide (vitamin B3), is very good for your brain. A study has even showed that Niacinamide can restore memory and normal brain function in mice with Alzheimer's. Niacinamide is also dirt cheap, and as far as I know there are little to no side effects with it in most people.
God is always good!
Lithium, as most people know, is a treatment for manic-depression. It accomplishes this because, at a certain dosage, it becomes toxic. The treatment consists of carefully monitored doses of lithium, measured by blood tests, until the amount in the body is on the very cusp of causing a toxic reaction. By keeping the body teetering on the edge of a fatal overdose, the lithium shocks the system and thereby displaces the manic-depressive cycle. People taking lithium are grateful for the end of their mood swings but also complain that their emotions generally are flattened and they seem to have lost whatever muse was behind their creativity. The point being that lithium is not harmless. Take too much - an amount easily attained - and it can kill. Is the enlargement of the brain a favorable sign of more brain cells or is it a sign of swelling (perhaps from buildup of fluid) that could be morbid? Do you really want to take that chance?
interesting
'It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand.' - Apache proverb
#2. To: All, HOW TO ENLARGE YOUR BRAIN AND IMPROVE BRAIN PERFORMANCE (#0)
www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james11.htm
May 5, 2004
http://NewsWithViews.com
#3. To: christine (#2)
#4. To: Lod (#1)
#5. To: christine (#0)
Given the many amazing neurological benefits of lithium, why has there been so little it in the press? A search at nytimes.com for “lithium alcoholism” brought up just two relevant articles: from 1973 and 1975. A search for “lithium Alzheimer’s” at both MSNBC and CNN brought up no relevant articles.
#6. To: christine (#4)
55mg a day is still considered low dosage. it is recommended that one take fish oil and flax oil along with it.
#7. To: Original_Intent (#5)
But we know that can't be true because the government loves us and would never collude, by virtue of political control, with private interests seeking to use government enforcement powers to suppress competition. Would they?
#8. To: christine (#0)
The only real restraint on gummints is people who say "live free or die" ... and mean it. - Enderby
#9. To: Critter (#8)
#10. To: Critter, christine, anyone (#8)
#11. To: Lod (#10)
Does anyone know if the Berkey water purification systems filter out the lithium from our water?
#12. To: Lod (#10)
Does anyone know if the Berkey water purification systems filter out the lithium from our water?
Mike Flaherty: Yeah, it's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
#13. To: Esso (#12)
#14. To: Dakmar (#7)
Don't expect me to cry...
"Bad boys get spanked!"
#15. To: christine (#2)
(Edited)
Eight of ten persons given lithium showed an increase in brain grey matter of 3 % after only 4 weeks.
#16. To: Original_Intent (#14)
(Edited)
Just remember what Chrissie Hynde said:
umm, ok :)
#17. To: Dakmar (#16)
(Edited)
#18. To: rack42 (#17)
#19. To: rack42 (#15)
In 2009, Japanese researchers at Oita University reported that low levels of naturally-occurring lithium in drinking water supplies reduced suicide rates.[8] A previous report had found similar data in the American state of Texas.[9] In response, psychiatrist Peter Kramer raised the hypothetical possibility of adding lithium to drinking water.[10] Bioethicist Jacob Appel lent moral support to the possibility shortly thereafter, arguing that "One person's right to drink lithium-free water is no greater than another's right to drink lithium-enhanced water."[11] [edit] Use in 7 Up
#20. To: christine (#0)
Until these questions are answered, one thing seems clear: your brain has a good friend in lithium.
#21. To: christine (#0)
#22. To: christine (#0)
#23. To: Shoonra (#21)
Is the enlargement of the brain a favorable sign of more brain cells or is it a sign of swelling (perhaps from buildup of fluid) that could be morbid?
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