Mental health conditions are known to afflict as much as one fifth of the population in the US. Psychiatric patients with one of the many mental disorders are likely to experience or exhibit tell tale symptoms that require a treatment regimen to handle the symptoms and mitigate the underlying condition. Mood swings, erratic behavior, mania and depression are some of the many symptoms that may be experienced. Treatment includes lithium orotate for stabilizing moods, as the medication possesses a mechanism of action that is most conducive for handling mood swings. The medication is part of holistic treatment regimen to manage the condition. Here is an in depth look at the medication, its mechanism of action and the possibility of lithium orotate side effects.
Mechanism of action of lithium orotate
To understand the mechanism of action, it is essential to know a little more about the properties of lithium and orotate. Lithium is a trace element and has proven properties in exerting a calming effect. It is essentially a nutraceutical, and documented studies clearly indicate that lithium helps to regulate moods effectively and helps individuals cope with and decrease certain tendencies. For instance, the inclination to be aggressive or violent, suicidal tendency and other behavior or responses have been found to be lesser in entire communities when traces of lithium were found in potable water.
Orotate plays the role of enabling or facilitating better delivery of lithium to the body, as the two combine to be made available in a form that is easily absorbed. Mental health conditions are also linked heightened brain activity, and lithium orotate helps to reduce or regulate the activity to an extent that decreases the symptoms associated with mental health conditions. As a neuroprotective agent, lithium orotate tackles the unusual brain activity typically witnessed in individuals with psychiatric and mental health conditions.
Story behind use of Lithium Orotate
The medication was initially not intended for use by patients with metal disorders, but was intended for treatment of gout. It later found use in treating conditions associated with mental health disorders, mainly due to its mechanism of action. Mania, aggression and other behaviour linked to mental health disorders are attributed to the levels of glutamate between neurons. When the levels are either less or more than required, individuals tend to exhibit erratic behavior. Lithium orotate is known to change the glutamate receptors, thereby helping regulate the glutamate between neurons.
Effectiveness of Lithium orotate in treating common symptoms
The neuroprotective agent is effective in controlling or reducing the following symptoms:
- Alzheimer’s
- ADHD
- Deaddiction therapy
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Other degenerative conditions
- Bipolar disorder
- Migraine
- Headaches (cluster headaches)
- Parkinson’s
- Glaucoma
- Stress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Blood disorders (anemia)
- Eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia)
- As a part of combination therapy or treatment for:
- Epilepsy
- Liver ailments
- Renal impairment
- Seborrhea
- Aggression
- Movement disorders
Commonly reported lithium orotate side effects
Medications and nutraceuticals come with the possibility of side effects and lithium orotate is no exception. The undesirable effects may either be mild/moderate in nature or adverse in nature. Most patients on the nutraceutical are unlikely to experience any unwanted outcomes, while some may experience certain effects. The actual intensity or the duration of the effects may differ from patient to patient and depends on many factors, including the health of the patient and other medications.
Commonly reported side effects of the nutraceutical include:
These effects are typically known to last for a short duration among most users and will resolve naturally without the need for any medical intervention or medication.
Effects experienced with long term use
Long term use of lithium orotate may bring about other typical side effects, unseen with short term use. These effects may affect the conduct of the patient and caregivers or family members are required to bear this in mind during the course of treatment. Thirst may be experienced by patients, at a level that may be regarded as unusual; and this may in turn create the urge to urinate more frequently than usual. Other effects that may be observed or experienced with long term use includes vigors/tremors. In certain instances, this could be attributed to general weakness in the muscles as outlined earlier.
Visible effects on the body due to the medication
There are clear visible effects that may be witnessed in patients with long term use of the medication. For instance, there is the possibility of an eating disorder as mentioned above, and as a consequence of over eating, patients may put on additional weight. Apart from this, there is also the possibility of accumulation of body fluids that may result in swelling in the body. Pre-existing skin conditions may aggravate with long term use of the medication. For instance, patients with acne or psoriasis or rashes may find that regular treatment brings lesser than desired results. Additional treatment may be required in such circumstances, and this includes the need for careful monitoring lithium levels in the blood. This is typically achieved through laboratory tests at periodic intervals, and appropriate treatment to control the skin condition effectively.
Adverse or serious Lithium orotate side effects
As mentioned earlier, there is the possibility of a small section of users experiencing severe or adverse side effects, that may require some kind of medical attention or treatment. This includes effects on heart rhythm; and patients with existing heart conditions are at risk of experiencing serious outcomes, if left untreated. Other adverse effects include impact on renal conditions; the kidneys may be unable to either process or remove lithium from the body, and as a consequence, side effects may be pronounced. It may be necessary to modify dosage accordingly to ensure that the medication delivers the desired outcomes, despite the lesser ability of the kidneys.
Lithium and serotonin syndrome
There is a possibility of lithium triggering serotonin syndrome, or delirium or neuroleptic malignant syndrome as a result of neurotoxicity. When the levels of serotonin spike, there is the possibility of an impact on the central nervous system, which may in turn result in unwanted outcomes. This also extends to anesthesia administered during surgical procedures. Patients are to stop intake of lithium and its salts prior to undergoing any procedure, with a gap of atleast two weeks between the last dose and the procedure. Wherever, it may be necessary to conduct an unplanned or emergency surgical procedure, where it may be difficult to enforce a two-week gap, the procedure is to be carried out under special attention, with caregivers expected to intimate the specialists regarding use of lithium orotate.
Elevated serum thyroid due to lithium orotate
Lithium decreases thyroid serum synthesis, and this results in elevated serum thyroid. Consequently, this may have an impact on patients, Caregivers are advised to intimate thyroid conditions to healthcare providers to mitigate or prevent the possibility of such elevation. It is essential to compare the desired outcomes of lithium orotate and thyroid medications and determine the order of importance of each medication, and choose to continue one of the either. The undesirable outcomes of each medication may also be compared, and depending on the severity of both outcomes, medications may be discontinued or dosages altered accordingly. Patients also have the option of temporarily stopping either of the medications, to help cope with the undesirable effects.
Effect of lithium orotate on pregnant women
There is the possibility of the medication affecting the fetus in pregnant women on the medication. This includes the possibility of birth defects or heart complications, and it is therefore necessary for pregnant women to either discontinue use of lithium orotate or modify dosages accordingly. In circumstances, when it is necessary for the medication to be administered, it is mandatory for careful, close and constant monitoring of the patient and the health of the fetus. Nursing mothers are also advised discontinue lithium orotate as it is known to find its way into breast milk. This may affect the health of the infant, with possible long-term consequences.
Drug interactions and lithium orotate side effects
There is the possibility of lithium interacting with medications. This may also extend to other OTC formulations and products that are not regulated by the FDA, such as herbal remedies and supplements. Drug interactions could result in reduced efficacy of either of the medications, or it could also increase the potency of either of the two interacting medications. The most probable and common interaction of Lithium is when it is taken as part of combination medications with antidepressants. Serotonin levels are likely to increase significantly, and care givers are advised to follow recommended precautions to prevent excessive serotonin related complications, such as serotonin syndrome.
MAOI medications are also known to trigger interactions, when taken with lithium orotate. Patients with depression are prescribed MAOI, acronym for monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and when taken with lithium orotate may result in increased serotonin. As outlined above, this may result in serotonin syndrome, that may have adverse effects. Hypertensive patients on ACE inhibitors may also experience the effects of drug interactions when the medication is taken along with lithium and its salts. One of the consequences of this interaction is increased lithium levels; when the levels of lithium are higher, the risk of commonly reported side effects may also increase significantly.
Other interactions include consequences as a result of the medication taken with calcium channel blockers. Prevention of undesirable drug interaction effects is possible when suitable measures are in place to mitigate or pre-empt the interactions; such as staggering of dosages, or temporary discontinuation of dosages.