Lithium orotate: what it is, dosage, and safety

What is lithium orotate?

Lithium is a naturally occurring trace mineral. It shows up in rock, soil, drinking water, and small amounts in many foods. Lithium orotate is one form of it, made by pairing lithium with orotic acid, a compound the body itself produces. It is sold as a dietary supplement, usually in low, single-digit milligram doses of elemental lithium.

The number that matters is the amount of elemental lithium. A Biloraux gummy provides 5 mg of it. That is a micro-dose, and it is the reason lithium orotate sits in the supplement aisle rather than the pharmacy.

How lithium orotate differs from prescription lithium

This is the distinction people most often get wrong, so it is worth being exact about.

The doses are not on the same scale. Prescription lithium is measured and monitored because, at therapeutic levels, its safe range is narrow. A 5 mg supplement dose is a small fraction of that. None of this makes lithium orotate a substitute for a prescription, and it should never be used to replace one.

What the research actually says

Here is the honest picture. Most of the strong human research on lithium studies prescription lithium, not low-dose lithium orotate. Research on lithium orotate specifically is limited and early, and there are no large clinical trials behind it.

Some epidemiological studies have looked at naturally occurring lithium in drinking water and population-level mental health. Those are associations across populations, not proof, and they do not test any particular supplement. So the fair way to describe lithium orotate is a wellness supplement with limited human evidence, not a proven remedy. If a brand promises their lithium orotate is proven to work like a medicine, be skeptical of that claim.

Dosage in context

Biloraux uses 5 mg of elemental lithium per gummy, taken once a day. Low-dose lithium orotate products generally range from about 1 mg to 5 mg of elemental lithium. Stay within the amount on the label, and do not stack more than one lithium supplement at a time.

Safety and who should avoid it

Talk to your physician before using lithium orotate if you:

• are pregnant or nursing
• are under 18
• take any medication, especially for mood, blood pressure, kidney, or thyroid conditions
• have a kidney or thyroid condition

At the high doses used in medicine, lithium can affect the kidneys and thyroid and interacts with several drugs, which is exactly why prescription lithium is monitored. A supplement dose is far smaller, but if any of the points above apply to you, check with your doctor before starting.

The bottom line

Lithium orotate is a low-dose form of a trace mineral, sold as a supplement for general wellness. It is not prescription lithium, not a medication, and not a treatment. Keep it in that frame, respect the dose on the label, and involve your physician if you have any reason to be cautious.

Keep reading

• Lithium orotate benefits: what a 5 mg micro-dose is for
• Lithium orotate dosage: how much to take, and when
• Lithium orotate side effects and safety
• Lithium orotate vs prescription lithium