Lithium (low-dose, longevity context)

Trace lithium comes from drinking water (about 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L). In ecological studies in Japan, Texas, and Europe, more of it has been linked to lower all-cause death. The proposed mechanism is two-fold: it inhibits GSK-3β and induces autophagy. And lithium extends lifespan in the worm C. elegans. Therapeutic-dose lithium carbonate (300 to 1800 mg a day) is approved worldwide for bipolar disorder. It also shows neuroprotective signals. But long-term use is limited by toxicity to your kidneys, thyroid, and parathyroid glands. Microdose lithium orotate (1 to 5 mg of elemental lithium) is sold differently. In the US it is a dietary supplement under DSHEA. In Germany it is a food supplement (Nahrungsergänzungsmittel). It is not a licensed medicine, and BfArM has historically treated higher-strength versions as medicinal. No adequately powered RCT supports a longevity use. In August 2025, the Yankner group reported something new (Liu et al., Nature). The brain's own lithium is depleted in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's, with amyloid-β trapping the available lithium. A small 2026 JAMA Neurology pilot RCT (about 80 people) in MCI missed its primary endpoint. But it reported a verbal-memory signal. Neither result establishes a longevity use.

Last reviewed: June 22, 2026

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