[Rainbow123]

Anyone had any success with all natural elemental lithium at 5mg as opposed to the psychiatric dose of 400mg to start. I felt too flat on psychiatric lithium and thirsty, perhaps elemental lithium will work for me? Anyone tried Doctor's best brand elemental lithium? Experiences?

According to what I read on Livestrong.com, elemental lithium will not work for
treatment in bipolar illness. It must be bound to another substance to be helpful.

Three examples given were lithium oratate-oratic acid binds to lithium
and makes it helpful in bipolar illness. In fact, it was successful as a primary medication for alcoholism and used effectively in helping alcoholics go into remission.

Lithium aspartate is also effective. What happens in the digestion of lithium aspartate is that once digestion occurs, lithium is released to the bloodstream and is available to the brain for use.

Lithium bound to vitamin B 13 will be beneficial in bipolar illness.

Supposedly, according to Livestrong, lithium is used very much like calcium and zinc in the system, although neither of them could substitute for lithium.

One should never use lithium in any form without a doctor's okay because it can cause toxic effects in some people who get too much or who can't tolerate it. The major concern is that lithium (over long periods or in high dosage) causes closure of the tiny arteries in the kidneys and there's nothing doctors can do about that. (This is quoted from my nephrologist.)