Dementia, Alzheimers, Parkinson's Disease And Depression
Today many people struggle with depression, ADHD, memory loss like Dementia and Alzheimers. It is no wonder the pharmaceutical companies are so rich off of prescription drugs that keep you sick. Most people want a quick fix so turning to medications is convenient, and at times effective, but it comes with a price, side effects! Lithium, a mineral source from the rocks that is plentiful in alkaline springs is a natural remedy that offers great promise.
Lithium has been known since early times. It was even added to the drink 7-UP until 1950, because it was known to keep you up and take the ouch out of grouch. (El-Mallakh & Roberts, 2007) Elemental lithium's atomic weight of 6.9 was rounded up to 7 giving it the name 7-UP. Lithium is efficacious in micro-doses or supplemental levels. In a research study done on Alzheimers patients, results validated that a scant 0.3 mg. of Lithium administered once daily to Alzheimer's patients for fifteen months (Nunes, 2013) demonstrated stable cognitive performance scores throughout the complete study, while those in the control group suffered progressive declines. Furthermore three months into the study, the seemingly impossible happened; the symptoms of disease in these patients actually improved. The Lithium treatment started demonstrating increasing scores on a standardized test assessing cognitive function, showing the incredible benefits of Lithium, not just in halting the on-going decline seen in dementia but also for enhancing cognitive repair in early treatment. Lithium does this by modifying activity of the enzyme Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3) in the nervous system. GSK3 aids in guiding natural growth and development by activating protein in the cells. This versatile enzyme is also important for synaptic remodeling, the biological process that drives memory formation. This makes GSK3 of particular importance when it comes to understanding Alzheimers disease. The general neuro-protective and neuro-generative effects are impressive. GSK3 helps orchestrate neural growth and development by activating proteins in the cells. This enzyme is also key for synaptic remodeling, the biological process that initiates memory formation. This is what makes GSK3 an essential topic in understanding Alzheimer's disease. (Jope & Roh, 2006; Hooper et al., 2008) Furthermore Lithium salts are known to stimulate autophagy, correcting the waste removal process in cells so that lesion-causing proteins are eliminated. (Sarkar, et al., 2005; Ravikumar, et al., 2010)
One essential factor is that Lithium regulates Glutamate an important factor in those that suffer from an excitatory brain. Glutamate is known to be the most important neurotransmitters for normal brain function. It is calculated that over half of all brain synapses release the chemical glutamate as a means to communicate, but due to its strong excitatory chemical, it needs to be cleared as quickly from the nerve cell junction to keep messages short. Excess glutamate can overwhelm neurons causing agitation, injury, and eventually cell death. (Hamilton et al., 2015) This is common in Alzheimers disease, where an overabundance of glutamate inundates the cells. Lithium prevents the absorption of glutamate into the cells by dismantling N-methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors, the main grouping of glutamate receptors in the nervous tissue. This activity prevents the neurons from its possible excitotoxic effects (Hashimoto et al.,2002) Balancing intracellular glutamate levels is another route which Lithium may use to halt cell death associated with Alzheimers disease and related indications of cognitive decline. There is big money in pharmaceutical treatments and developing expensive patentable drugs for dementia is profitable and quite lucrative, although up to date none of them have proven to be promising. Low dose lithium on the other hand has proven to be a fail-safe agent and yet with no patent and limited ability for profit, therefore it has not received the consideration it merits.
Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease affects nearly one million individuals in the United States and is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimers Disease. (Kowal, 2013) It is a chronic and progressive neurological disorder, characterized by an inability to control movement normally. As of now there is no cure for Parkinson's Disease, although there has been sizable financial resources given to funding and research for new pharmaceutical drugs to halt the disease. Progress has been slow in spite of unyielding medical procedures. Scientists are now acknowledging the need to explore the plausibility of natural substances that are more accessible to patients. Lithium is one such nutrient being noticed with several important neuro-protective mechanisms that could be key for Parkinson's patients. For instance, Lithium ions deactivate the enzyme GSK3 that damages the brain which is implicated in Parkinson's Disease pathology. Furthermore, it has demonstrated its ability to decrease oxidative stress, enhance antioxidant levels, and augment concentrations of the protein BDNF which protects the nervous system. These neuro-protective implementations may offset the nerve degeneration that provokes the horrific symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. The use of Lithium is being looked at in delaying and slowing the advancement of motor impairment in Parkinson's Disease. Low dose Lithium is especially fascinating, as side effects diminish when the dose decreases. Further research shows that Lithium deficiency may be a contributing factor to the onset of Parkinson's Disease in the first place. It's a win win because Lithium administration results in clinical improvement for mere pennies in individuals with neurological conditions. Lithium is also known to help with mood disorders, depression, and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder). Although treatments have been established, fewer than half of depressed individuals receive treatment. Popular medications such as Fluoxetine (prozac), Paroxetine (paxil), Sertraline (zoloft) work by balancing neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Unfortunately many medications do not work for for everyone. Studies show 50-66% of patients will not recover completely on medications, and side effects can be problematic, like suicidal thinking. For bipolar patients taking an anti-depressant alone can elevate the risk of switching to mania, or developing rapid cycling symptoms. (Thase & Sachs, 2000) Sadly, Lithium is one of the most studied but underused therapies available for the treatment of depression. Over sixty years of research and clinical evidence exists to prove that Lithium is safe and an efficacious antidotal therapy at a range of doses.
Some other important points about Lithium are:
Lithium facilitates Vitamin B12 and Folate transport which increases the uptake into the cells while supporting myelin production. This could be a main pathway in which Lithium reduces erratic or aggressive behavior. (Schruazer el al., 1992)
Lithium optimizes serotonin by acting pre-synaptically on serotonin sending cells to aid in more serotonin cells to be passed from one brain cell to another. Lithium ions than work post-synaptically, by up-regulating receptors on the cells that receive the serotonin, called 5-HT1A receptors so they can collect and benefit in greater volume. (Nutritional Lithium, James Greenblatt, MD and Kayla Grossmann, RN)
In conclusion, Lithium has abundant benefits on the brain in many aspects not noted here. It is worth the effort to research and include this small nutrient in your daily routine.
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