Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have been using lithium orotate for a short time and have already stabilized my depression and mood swings more than any other time except when I first starting taking SAM-e about 6 years ago.
The problem I encountered with SAM-e is that my digestive system didn't tolerate it well, so I couldn't take the doses I needed to alleviate my bipolar symptoms (1200-2000 mg/day). I also noticed the same tendency other SAM-e users have had, which is to have the effectiveness of SAM-e decrease over time, necessitating higher doses to get the same effect. St. John's Wort doesn't work well for my Bipolarity because, although it alleviates my depression and gives me a sense of well being, it tends to push me into mania and panic attacks. Again, this is a common reaction to St. John's Wort among bipolar sufferers.
Lithium Orotate has already proven to be so effective for my bipolar disorder that I find myself calling people I haven't talked to in a long time, launching new projects that I have been procrastinating on, spending more quality time with our many companion animals, getting MUCH less up-tight about traffic problems (which used to be my number 1 anger producer) - in general, making me calmer and more interested in and enthusiastic about life, the result of alleviating my chronic depression without pushing me to the other polarity and making me manic.
There is an excellent article on lithium treatment for bipolar disorder in the 9/17/03 issue of the Journal of the AMA (one of the most respected sources of conventional medical information),
"Suicide Risk and Treatments for Patients With Bipolar Disorder'. Other sources indicate that lithium orotate is more efficiently absorbed than prescription lithium (lithium carbonate). It is also effective in alcoholism treatment. I know from being a recovered alcoholic that this makes sense since a number of health care practitioners believe there is a link between bipolar disorder and chemical dependency.
So I would recommend lithium orotate, but with a BIG caution:
First - I haven't used this particular brand. I'm here because I'm shopping for a cheaper alternative to the brand I started with ("Serenity"), so I can't attest to the efficacy of this brand.
Second - I have an extensive health care library, have done massive amounts of research, have seen a psychiatrist and a physician, and have started out with very low doses and gradually increased the dosage as I've detected no adverse effects. Treating mood disorders is a dicey proposition, even for professionals, since brain chemistry isn't well understood and can be tipped into a state worse than what you started with, particularly with a condition like bipolar that can't be treated with SSRI's because they often produce manic conditions. So:
- be aware that what you're taking is just a different form of lithium than what is otherwise available only by prescription, and carries some of the same risks as taking prescription lithium. As best I can tell, the only reason that lithium orotate is available as an over-the-counter dietary supplement and not as a prescription-only drug is that it hasn't been approved as a prescribable drug by the FDA.
- do your homework before trying this or any mood altering substance. There are many good sources available on the web. If you're suffering from chronic depression rather than bipolar disorder, there are probably better supplements to take than this, such as St. John's Wort, but don't take my word or any other amateur's word on this. Your mental health is at stake! So become as knowledgeable as you can about this before trying anything.
- start very slowly and cautiously and only increase your dosage after a period of time without adverse effects
- everyone's brain chemistry is unique, so don't expect something that works in a certain way for one person to necessarily work the same way for you
- know what you're taking and any possible reactions with other substances you're taking - Rx, over the counter, and street drugs, and supplements
- in any case, consult someone knowledgeable! Most doctors aren't particularly knowledgeable about brain chemistry, so they are rarely the best source. There is just too much to know about the human body to expect any one doctor to be the ultimate source on everything. So talk to a specialist - conventional or complementary, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, holistic MD - someone who is knowledgeable about complementary therapies to mood disorders such as using lithium orotate for bipolar disorder.
I know how difficult living with a mood disorder is, so I wish you the best of moods and the happiest of lives!
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