Lithium
LITHIUM is a controversial trace element that may be essential to health. Diets low in this element have produced fewer offspring in some animals, lowered birthweights and lifespan and altered liver and blood enzyme activity. Humans, apparently, only require a trace amounts of this element since that is all that has been found in body tissues; but toxic accumulations can form in the adrenals, bone, lymph nodes, and the pituitary. Lithium is not particularly toxic. However, problems do arise in its use during psychiatric treatments because of the narrow margin between therapeutic and toxic doses. Lithium is found mainly in seawater and its plants. It is a close relative of sodium and potassium.
Names include: Li, Li+, element 3.
Deficiency symptoms include: depression, alcohol cravings, unregulated conversion of essential fatty acids to prostaglandins, unstable serotonin neurotransmitter levels, decreased acetylcholine receptors, decreased lymphocyte levels, increased suppressor cell activity.
Toxicity symptoms include: birth defects, body fluid imbalances, altered sodium replacement in tissues.
Helpers are: Vitamin Bp and sodium.
There are no known inhibitors.
