NationStates Jolt Archive

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Lithium in water 'curbs suicide'

Drinking water which contains the element lithium may reduce the risk of suicide, a Japanese study suggests.

Researchers examined levels of lithium in drinking water and suicide rates in the prefecture of Oita, which has a population of more than one million.

The suicide rate was significantly lower in those areas with the highest levels of the element, they wrote in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Marry and Reproduce

High doses of lithium are already used to treat serious mood disorders.

But the team from the universities of Oita and Hiroshima found that even relatively low levels appeared to have a positive impact of suicide rates.

Levels ranged from 0.7 to 59 micrograms per litre. The researchers speculated that while these levels were low, there may be a cumulative protective effect on the brain from years of drinking this tap water.

The discussion around adding fluoride to water to protect dental health has proved controversial - criticised by some as mass involuntary medication.

In an accompanying editorial, Professor Allan Young of Vancouver's Institute for Mental Health said "this intriguing data should provoke further research.

"Large-scale trials involving the addition of lithium to drinking water supplies may then be feasible, although this would undoubtedly be subject to considerable debate. Following up on these findings will not be straightforward or inexpensive, but the eventual benefits for community mental health may be considerable."

Sophie Corlett, external relations director at mental health charity Mind said the research "certainly merits more investigation.

"We already know that lithium can act as a powerful mood stabiliser for people with bipolar disorder, and treating people with lithium is also associated with lower suicide rates.
conform
BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8025454.stm)

so it looks like all that jibber jabba about fluoride might be onto something! (fluoride is used for washing your teeth much like how its used for your brain)sleep

would you be all for adding lithium into the water supply? so what do you think about adding hormones into to the nations water supply to increase/decrease fertility rates?

so much already goes into our bodies in the form of chemicals do you think human sociaty is being effected by it? the game

research it thoroughly then if it seems reasonable implement.

I think that an exhaustive scientific study should be done to weigh the risks and benefits of introducing lithium into our drinking water. We're talking at least three years, studying multiple countries, and possibly repeated clinical trials.

If the study finds no appreciable danger, then I would support adding lithium to the water supply.

research it thoroughly then if it seems reasonable implement.

but what about lithiums added effect of making you more docile and happy?

The idea that extremely low doses of lithium might be helpful in themselves is pretty interesting in its own right. As someone who was on lithium for a while and was helped by it, but got off it largely due to the risks associated with normal dosages, I'm going to have to go hunt down information on the subject now. :)

My poor, poor bodily essesnces will never be pure again :(

but what about lithiums added effect of making you more docile and happy?

Lithium has such an effect? Since when?

It would also make the general public even fatter. No ta.

--snip--
Lithium actually can interact with several medications. For instance, it can interfere with how your kidneys handle several classes of antihypertensive medications.

Ha! I don't drink water! :D

I say... stop putting stuff in our water. keep the 'purifying' agents in there, but remove the floride and other shit that doesn't clean the water. if people want to strengthen their teeth, then let them take floride!

don't force me to take chemicals just because someone thinks everyone should.

Ha! I don't drink water! :D

you don't (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28PLDFK8RCE)?

I drink the blood of my slain foes. So will this affect me positively?

Why stop there? I can think of numerous useful drugs we could add to the water supply: Weight loss supplements, anti-depressants, contraceptives. Thumbs up! :D

you don't (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28PLDFK8RCE)?

ICE IS HERESY!:wink:

I drink the blood of my slain foes. So will this affect me positively?
Only if you have bipolar depression :tongue:

so it looks like all that jibber jabba about fluoride might be onto something! (fluoride is used for washing your teeth much like how its used for your brain)

Massive fail.

Fluoride isn't used for washing teeth.

The function that fluoride in water, (toothpaste, fluoride salts, and fluoridated milk) serves - is enabling your teeth to remineralise. Fluoride helps replace calcium in teeth - it isn't used for cleaning.

My poor, poor bodily essesnces will never be pure again :(

I can no longer sit back and allow Japanese infiltration, Japanese indoctrination, Japanese subversion, and the international Japanese conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

Fluoride isn't used for washing teeth.

Of course not, he pointed out its real purpose only a few words afterward.

Of course not, he pointed out its real purpose only a few words afterward.

Except it wouldn't be used to 'wash' your brain either - it would be used to 'calcify' it, if that would be of any use.

Except it wouldn't be used to 'wash' your brain either - it would be used to 'calcify' it, if that would be of any use.

Even the phrase "brainwashing" is a subtle conspiracy by the government to make people think it's a good thing. After all - a clean mind, who wouldn't want that? They don't want to reveal that they're actually mineralising your brain!!

Even the phrase "brainwashing" is a subtle conspiracy by the government to make people think it's a good thing. After all - a clean mind, who wouldn't want that? They don't want to reveal that they're actually mineralising your brain!!

My brain! All mineralized! *gak*

Didn't work for Kurt Cobain.

Free bottled water laced with lithium at every Emo concert. That'll kill off the fanbase faster than they'd do to themselves.

Doesn't lithium have a bunch of nasty side-effects?

Why stop there? I can think of numerous useful drugs we could add to the water supply: Weight loss supplements, anti-depressants, contraceptives. Thumbs up! :D

This was my thought as well.

I'm not keen with flouride being in the water as it is. I grew up with well water (no flouride thanks) and my teeth are fine. Don't see the massive need.

Contraceptives in our water? Octa-mom has an enumerated right to have as many babies as she wants.

Contraceptives in our water? Octa-mom has an enumerated right to have as many babies as she wants.

No, we're pumping those water to the Muslim community.

Poor people shouldn't breed and rich people are too smart too.

No, we're pumping those water to the Muslim community.

Maybe we can find a drug that will cause the gay people to calm down and stop having so many gay babies.

Serenity (http://www.browncoats.com/) now.

I say... stop putting stuff in our water. keep the 'purifying' agents in there, but remove the floride and other shit that doesn't clean the water. if people want to strengthen their teeth, then let them take floride!

don't force me to take chemicals just because someone thinks everyone should.

I agree.. because it's just right.

Funny thing. I grew up on well water and have never had a cavity. Everyone I've ever known who grew up on city water have molars full of metal. Including my parents. I'm sure there are more factors involved .. but it's always struck me as weird. Now I just need to meet other well water drinkers with no cavities to join me in this belief that the shit doesn't work in your drinking water.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am pretty sure Lithium can aggravate mania.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am pretty sure Lithium can aggravate mania.

Your name convinces me that the government should put Cheese in the water, *nod*

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am pretty sure Lithium can aggravate mania.

That would be very odd, seeing as it's specifically used to treat mania.

That would be very odd, seeing as it's specifically used to treat mania.

They do have those Depression pills that increase the chances of suicide....

completely irrelevant, but I still think its odd, lol...

lithium doesn't make you more manic. It -can in the doses they'd give for bipolar disorder- give you body tremors, increase hair loss, cause you to gain weight, and give you acne. Probably not at the doses they're talking about here, but I still think this merits a LOT LOT LOT LOT LOT further investigation before they put a potentially dangerous material like lithium in the water.

They do have those Depression pills that increase the chances of suicide....

completely irrelevant, but I still think its odd, lol...

Well, no one is exactly sure how that works. One of the popular theories, and one that makes sense to me, is that helping depression a little can be worse in some ways than not helping it at all, since if you're still utterly miserable but your energy level is up a bit, you're more likely to be able to kill yourself than when you were utterly miserable and couldn't work up the effort to get out of bed, let alone go buy a gun. I've never heard of antidepressants increasing depression, though.

Well, no one is exactly sure how that works. One of the popular theories, and one that makes sense to me, is that helping depression a little can be worse in some ways than not helping it at all, since if you're still utterly miserable but your energy level is up a bit, you're more likely to be able to kill yourself than when you were utterly miserable and couldn't work up the effort to get out of bed, let alone go buy a gun. I've never heard of antidepressants increasing depression, though.

Not as a direct side effect (I know, eh), no, but antidepressants increased my depression. I took prozac for several months, which caused tremors, destroyed my appetite, and rendered me unable to sleep for several days at a time. I lost 2 stone (28lbs) in a month due to maintaining a university life whilst not eating. So side effects can have the cause of making the anti-depressant depress the person taking them more.

Not as a direct side effect (I know, eh), no, but antidepressants increased my depression. I took prozac for several months, which caused tremors, destroyed my appetite, and rendered me unable to sleep for several days at a time. I lost 2 stone (28lbs) in a month due to maintaining a university life whilst not eating. So side effects can have the cause of making the anti-depressant depress the person taking them more.

Oh sure, of course. Prozac actually made me sleep 18 hours a day, oddly enough, so I kept sleeping through classes, my grades suffered, and I was pretty friggin' unhappy about that. I've had more than one anti-depressant cause significant weight gain, which, when part of why you're taking the things in the first place is that you have major body issues, is not exactly helpful in the not-sitting-around-crying-and-hating-yourself department. But they don't directly cause depression, anyway. :p

Oh sure, of course. Prozac actually made me sleep 18 hours a day, oddly enough, so I kept sleeping through classes, my grades suffered, and I was pretty friggin' unhappy about that. I've had more than one anti-depressant cause significant weight gain, which, when part of why you're taking the things in the first place is that you have major body issues, is not exactly helpful in the not-sitting-around-crying-and-hating-yourself department. But they don't directly cause depression, anyway. :p

I know! The whole 'helps you get fat' thing is why I'm not currently bothering with lithium. Avoiding my manic periods is less important than me swelling to 17stone and stewing in a bath of my own self loathing and chocolate. Especially when, besides the feeling of being completely out of control and unable to focus on anything which isn't that pleasant, the energy I get with a mania or hypomania often helps me do stuff like get out the damned house. it's the depression that I want rid of. :P

lithium doesn't make you more manic. It -can in the doses they'd give for bipolar disorder- give you body tremors, increase hair loss, cause you to gain weight, and give you acne. Probably not at the doses they're talking about here, but I still think this merits a LOT LOT LOT LOT LOT further investigation before they put a potentially dangerous material like lithium in the water.

I agree. Hence my suggestion for an exhaustive scientific study costing millions of taxpayer dollars.

I don't really understand why people would allow themselves to be medicated. I'm perfectly happy with how abnormal my thought processes are - to the degree that someone with my disorder can feel "happy".

I'd need to know what effects lithium would have on my sociopathy before I advocated mass-medication. I really wouldn't enjoy my senses being dulled.

The unforseeable consequences suggest that mandatory lithium disages through the water supply is a bad idea. A better option would be to create some sort of faucet-mounted or plumbing-integrated home system. Besides, what environmental damage could result?

This was my thought as well.

I'm not keen with flouride being in the water as it is. I grew up with well water (no flouride thanks) and my teeth are fine. Don't see the massive need.

There is often as much fluoride in well water, as there is in city water. Sometimes more - places in Wyoming and Colorado have to heavily DE-fluoridate their water.

I agree.. because it's just right.

Funny thing. I grew up on well water and have never had a cavity. Everyone I've ever known who grew up on city water have molars full of metal. Including my parents. I'm sure there are more factors involved .. but it's always struck me as weird. Now I just need to meet other well water drinkers with no cavities to join me in this belief that the shit doesn't work in your drinking water.

Not only does it work, but the fact that your parents had bad teeth is evidence of it.

Even people not directly on city water nowdays often get the required dosage of fluoride because - while YOU may have paranoid ideas about fluoride in your water, the people that make all the products that you eat and drink have no such concerns. It's called 'The Halo Effect' - the expanding ring of vectors for fluoride... not the least element of which, is toothpaste.