Lithium studies?

[gomelgo]

In the Promise of Lithium Thomas Gattuso mentions several studies that were scheduled to end this year. Anyone aware of the results or if they are in? Also, is anyone willing to testify to their experience, especially low dose (5mg) and what symptoms were alleviated if any? Thanks in advance for your help.

[Bolt_Upright]

I take 30 mg of Lithium Orotate based on the open label study from a year ago: healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

[gomelgo in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Thank you! Did you work up to it or just start right off with 30?

[Bolt_Upright in reply to gomelgo]

I think I started with 10 and then when I saw that the low does in the study had no effect I gradually went to 30 over a period of a few months. 30 mg is between the low dose and the medium dose (which was effective) in the trial.

[gomelgo in reply to Bolt_Upright]

What benefits did you notice and how long was it before you started noticing any?

[Bolt_Upright in reply to gomelgo]

Well... I have not been diagnosed with PD, but I feel much better than did 3 years ago. I don't really fight in my sleep anymore.

But... I do a lot of things: rbd-pd-protocols.blogspot.c...

I do think the 30 mg of Lithium Orotate helped. I am also a big believer in the gluten and lectin free diet, the berberine, and the Nicotinic Acid.

So... I don't know. I feel good. It's a slow slow process, but my sore shoulder, back, and neck are all gradually getting better.

[Ghmac in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Bolt can you explain again why you choice the flush over no flush nicotinic acid?

Thank you

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Ghmac]

Please go to this post: healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

And then scroll down to Patrickk 's comment, and then read the ones that follow his comment.

This is Patrickk's comment:

2 years ago

CAUTION: SLOW RELEASE 800 mg Niacin is associated with liver damage.

From the book titled: Grow Young with HGH: The Amazing Medically Proven Plan to Reverse Aging Paperback – January 1, 1998 -- by Ronald Klatz

amazon.com/Grow-Young-HGH-A...

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Ghmac]

When perusing that other post, take note of this comment from me:

"For one thing, as I understand it, Nicotinic Acid is the only form that binds with GPR109A. This binding is the foundation of the Augusta study that showed to be effective."

So, in a nutshell, the affect on GPR109A is what drew me to NA, and NA is the only form of B3 that impacts GPR109A. Also, all the stories I have seen on B3 causing damage are from non-flush B3. Except for diabetes. NA does raise your risk of diabetes.

[LAJ12345 in reply to Bolt_Upright]

30 is a lot!

[Deforel_Ch in reply to LAJ12345]

I take 60 and feel good. Made a check-up last month which showed no health issue.

[LAJ12345 in reply to Deforel_Ch]

I did not know you could take that much. Ours is 5mg

[gomelgo in reply to Deforel_Ch]

How llong have you been taking it?

[Deforel_Ch in reply to gomelgo]

About a year and a half. I started taking it in 2006 and increased the dosage to 5 mg every 2 years or so.

[gomelgo in reply to Deforel_Ch]

Wow you have been doing this for nearly 20 years! Would you be willing to share why you have increased the dosage? Any kidney or other issues?

[Deforel_Ch in reply to gomelgo]

Well in fact I take Lithium since 1986. The first fifteen years I took it in the form of gluconate (from Labcatal laboratories in Montrouge, France, under the name Oligosol, one ampoule per day with another ampoule of Magnesium Oligosol). Then I continued with 5mg of orotate. I had to increase the doses little by little because the effect faded or during periods of great stress. No health issue update.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to LAJ12345]

30 mg is halfway between the low dose (which was ineffective) and the medium dose (which was effective):

"The open-label clinical trial investigated the effects of lithium, which has shown promise in animal models of Parkinson disease, in 16 people with Parkinson disease. The study randomized 5 patients to “high dose” lithium (lithium carbonate titrated to achieve serum level of 0.4–0.5 mmol/L), 6 patients to “medium-dose” lithium (45 mg/day of lithium aspartate), or 5 patients to “low-dose” lithium (15 mg/day of lithium aspartate) over 24 weeks.

[LAJ12345 in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Ah lithium carbonate is different. He takes lithium orotate. I think it is better absorbed. Aspartame mignt be more soluble too. Have you seen any comparison for that? I’m not sure you can take 30 mg Li equivalent of the orotate?

[Bolt_Upright in reply to LAJ12345]

I asked Dr Gattuso why he used aspartate instead of orotate and he said it was due to some rat studies that showed increased cancer rates from orotate use. In terms of effectiveness, he thought the 2 formulations were likely equivalent.

Of course, that is a "likely" equivalent, AND the study did use aspartate. I think lithium aspartate is available and just as cheap as lithium orotate.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Caution on aspartate: Lithium Aspartate Vs. Lithium Orotate - livestrong.com/article/3169...

"Lithium aspartate and lithium orotate are available over-the-counter and contain lower dosages of lithium than lithium carbonate, which must be prescribed by a doctor. Most proponents of low-dose lithium therapy such as Dr. Jonathan Wright recommend them equally. However, aspartate is thought to be an excitotoxin, a substance that binds to nerve cell receptors and may cause damaging over-stimulation. Marlina E. Borkwood, MSc states that excitotoxins can cause headaches, brain edema, eye inflammation, vascular system and central nervous system problems in sensitive individuals. Those who want to try low-dose lithium therapy and have experienced sensitivity to another excitotoxin, monosodium glutamate -- a food additive commonly known as MSG -- may wish to stick with lithium orotate."

[LAJ12345 in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Ok thanks

[Fumaniron]

I take 20mg a night. I sleep better

[Neurosmith]

We started my wife on Lithitate earlier this year after reading his book. Ramped up to 30 mg per day. Didn't see any definitive improvements. A month or so ago we cut back to 15 mg per day. So, while we haven't seen definitive, drastic improvements, he makes a pretty strong compelling case in his book so we're continuing her on a maintenance dose. FWIW, I also started taking it at the same time she did, but at just a 5 mg/day dose. I do it as a precaution since over the past 25-30 years we've both been exposed to the same potentially harmful environmental factors (pesticides) that are linked to PD.

[MarkPrana]

I take 20mg / day, definitely makes me more chilled out I'd say and less likely to get stressed or end up arguing with my other half

I was taking 30mg / day but started to get really noticeable 'brain fog' that seemed to subside when I lowered the dose.

[MarkPrana]

Btw. Guttuso has secured additional funding to extend his current trial - not sure if it will delay publication of his findings - I am really interested in lithium potential as a 'disease-modifying' therapy:

cureparkinsons.org.uk/2024/...

[gomelgo in reply to MarkPrana]

Thank you! I wonder if there is a way to collect the citizen science on this, and use it to add validity to these studies. Is there such a thing as self reported studies or something? I mean this could be a great crowd sourcing experiment if so many of us are taking it. Sort of how Mischley collects her data maybe?

[gomelgo]

well I started with 5mg yesterday and I did do that a few years ago before my physical symptoms started. I only did it for a month or two though. So now I'm a bit more aware of the possible effects. Anyone get any tremor relief from it?

[Wellesley-]

Hello,

I was diagnosed with PD 2 years ago (2022) but my symptoms started in 2017, I have been watching these posts for a while now and find a lot of interesting and very helpful information, special thanks to Bolt_Upright and Park_Bear who usually have answers to anything and research to back it up, I can just appreciate that, I am taking amantadine for about a year now and 3 types of sleeping medication, sleeping is my biggest problem, it drives me crazy because if I don't get enough of it then my symptoms spiral down, I started taken Lithium orotate 5mg twice a day a few weeks ago, I feel it already helps my brian function and maybe slightly on some motor function but I do have a little more hand tremor, hoping this will go away after my body gets used to the Lithium, or do you know of any naturals that help for tremors?

[gomelgo in reply to Wellesley-]

I don't know of anything yet that truly helps with tremor, which is my most troubling symptom. But Mucuna Pruriens definitely relaxes my muscles, which makes the tremor slightly less intense but only slightly.