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Low-dose lithium may slow kidney aging (At less than 1/3 a normal dose for bipolar patients, “mitigates senescence”)
Medical Xpress / University of Toledo / Journal of Clinical Investigation ^ | Apr. 11, 2022 | Tyrel Linkhorn / Yudong Fang et al

Posted on 04/11/2022 9:53:16 PM PDT by ConservativeMind

Best known therapeutically as a treatment for bipolar disorder, lithium has long intrigued researchers with its potential age-defying properties.

The element has been shown in lab experiments to extend the lifespan of fruit flies and roundworms, while observational studies have suggested tap water naturally laced with trace amounts of lithium might improve human longevity.

Researchers at The University of Toledo have recently found that low-dose lithium acts as a powerful anti-aging agent in the kidneys.

However, researchers have found that one of the major molecular targets of lithium is GSK3-beta—an enzyme that is associated with cellular aging in the kidney and a decline in kidney function.

Researchers then used lithium chloride to inhibit GSK3-beta, which achieved similar results. Mice had lower levels of albuminuria, or protein in the urine, improved kidney function and less cellular deficiency compared to a control group.

To further validate their findings, researchers also reviewed a group of psychiatric patients to assess their kidney health. Laboratory tests showed individuals who had received long-term treatment with lithium carbonate had better functioning kidneys than those who had not received lithium treatments, despite comparable age and comorbidities.

Though inexpensive and widely available, Gong said lithium has developed a bit of a bad reputation because of its potential toxicity—including to the kidneys—in high doses.

"One of the pitfalls of lithium as a psychiatric medication is that the therapeutic window is very narrow. Because of the blood-brain barrier, the effective psychiatric dose for lithium is very close to the toxic dose," Gong said. "But you only need a really small dose to produce the anti-aging effect in other organs."

Evidence from the UToledo study suggests less than one-third of the usual psychiatric dose can block GSK3-beta activity in the kidney, which is far below the dose at which toxicity occurs.

(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: kidney; kidneydisease; lithium
The study, but not this writeup, talks to lithium curbing kidney cell senescence, which means it works to prevent the cell from becoming old and useless.

As we age, our body fills with cells and proteins that do not work right, yet, are not able to be removed, because those processes are also broken. The cells fill up space and are minimally alive, but produce almost nothing of use. Much of this is due to the cells’ energy producers, mitochondria, no longer properly working.

1 posted on 04/11/2022 9:53:16 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: Pete from Shawnee Mission; Mazey; ckilmer; goodnesswins; Jane Long; BusterDog; jy8z; ...

The “Take Charge Of Your Health” Ping List

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2 posted on 04/11/2022 9:54:05 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ConservativeMind

Does it work if pstient is not bipolar?


3 posted on 04/11/2022 9:55:50 PM PDT by Fungi
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To: ConservativeMind

So we can extend our lives by occasionally snacking on old laptop batteries ?


4 posted on 04/11/2022 10:19:15 PM PDT by SecondAmendment (This just proves my latest theory ... LEFTISTS RUIN EVERYTHING !!!)
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To: ConservativeMind

5 posted on 04/11/2022 10:21:56 PM PDT by mylife (It looks just like a telefunken U47... (===)
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To: ConservativeMind

Lithium supplements are available Over The Counter, but know that the dose these researchers are describing appears to be under 100 mg a day.

It appears a 300 mg dose is given to bipolar patients, but note the dose is very close to a dangerous level, otherwise, so keep the dose low.


6 posted on 04/11/2022 10:23:08 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ConservativeMind

Is that the same Lithium used to make electric car batteries? I thought there was a shortage of lithium.


7 posted on 04/12/2022 4:33:39 AM PDT by Bernard (Jeffrey Toobin may turn out to be the most ethical character at CNN because he only abused himself.)
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To: ConservativeMind

“It appears a 300 mg dose is given to bipolar patients”

That’s considered the minimum therapeutic dose, the usual dose varies between 300-900 mg. They really go by the blood levels since people excrete it at different rates.


8 posted on 04/12/2022 5:10:06 AM PDT by jimwatx
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To: ConservativeMind

Low dose lithium, which I take almost every day, is 5 mg in the orotate or aspartate form that are well absorbed in the human body. It is not only the kidneys but also the brain that are protected by low dose lithium. High dose lithium carbonate, which has been used as a psychiatric drug since the 1940s, is not well absorbed, which is the reason for the high dose. I don’t know about the physiology of lithium chloride, or whether it has any proper medicinal use.


9 posted on 04/12/2022 5:36:15 AM PDT by devere
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To: All

They put it in the balloons and you breathe it and it makes you talk funny.


10 posted on 04/12/2022 6:56:38 AM PDT by BipolarBob (Instead of Build Back Better, how about put it back the way you found it?)
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To: ConservativeMind

Fisetin removes them.


11 posted on 04/12/2022 7:15:47 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: ConservativeMind

Do you have a dose suggestion? 5 mgs doesn’t seem like much.


12 posted on 04/12/2022 7:27:43 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: MarMema

Until more comes out, I would keep it conservative. There are people who have problems with the 5 mg net lithium amount.


13 posted on 04/12/2022 7:44:41 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: mylife

All Crazy Water does for you is make you crap.


14 posted on 04/12/2022 8:38:40 AM PDT by kaktuskid
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To: ConservativeMind

Thanks


15 posted on 04/12/2022 9:32:56 AM PDT by MarMema
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To: ConservativeMind

Why use Lithium carbonate, use Lithium orotate, it is not dangerous.


16 posted on 04/12/2022 4:02:09 PM PDT by Glad2bnuts ((“If there are no absolutes by which to judge society, then society is absolute.” Francis Schaeffer,)
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