Lithium Orotate Supplement Reviews, Benefits, And Everything Else You Need To Know
Lithium is a potent drug that’s used to help people with mood disorders. Since it’s unstable in its elemental form, lithium salts are instead used for the treatment of these conditions. Among these lithium salts, lithium orotate has risen in popularity over the last several years and has become a novel form of treatment for mental health disorders and possesses other health benefits as well.
It’s the most common form of OTC lithium and has a significantly lower elemental lithium content compared to prescription forms used in bipolar disorder treatment. Lithium orotate contains only 3.83 mg of elemental lithium per 100 mg, while the rest is comprised of orotic acid. In comparison, the main prescription form, lithium carbonate, has 18.8 mg of elemental lithium per 100 mg.
A typical lithium orotate supplement comes in a capsule or tablet form and contains 120 mg of lithium orotate. This salt consists of elemental lithium and orotic acid, and there is around 4.6 mg of lithium and 115.4 mg of orotic acids in the standard capsule. You take one to two capsules of lithium orotate per day, and after some time, the effects start to kick in. Many users report improvements after several days of using these supplements.
However, according to most experts, it takes around 2-3 weeks for the effects to kick in fully. And that’s for the more potent lithium carbonate. Since lithium orotate is a low-dose lithium supplement, you may have to use it for 3-6 weeks before experiencing the full spectrum of benefits. The great thing is that lithium orotate usually has no acute side effects because of its low dose. The most common side effect is weight gain, and you can experience it with long-term use. Other adverse effects occur when you go over the recommended dose.
The most important thing to look for when buying lithium orotate is the elemental lithium and total lithium orotate content. The manufacturer should be transparent about it, and if they aren’t, it’s a huge red flag. Aim for the 26-131 mg of lithium orotate, which puts you in the range of 1-5 mg of elemental lithium. If you are wondering where to buy lithium rotate online then make sure to read our reviews of the best brands below.