What is lithium?
Lithium is a chemical element belonging to the alkaline earth metals group. However, due to its high reactivity, it does not occur in nature in its pure form. It is a soft, silvery metal that quickly oxidises and forms a lithium hydroxide layer even in light humidity. This means that skin contact can cause severe burns due to oxidation. Lithium is both flammable and explosive. The lithium-ion battery is currently the best-known industrial application of lithium. It can be found in smartphones, laptops, tools, e-bikes, and electric cars.
How does lithium get into drinking water?
Lithium is a trace element that occurs in groundwater in minimal quantities. It enters the deeper layers of water by being washed out of the soil or rock. Although it has no essential content for the human body, it does exist in minimal amounts.
Lithium can also be found in certain foods, including dairy products, meat, fish, and eggs. Some plants, such as tobacco, can also accumulate lithium from the earth. However, these sources only contain minute amounts of lithium; for instance, 100g of meat contains about 100µg, and dry tobacco contains between 0.5 and 3 ppm (parts per million). The proportion of lithium in sea and river water is much smaller.
How does lithium affect the human body?
Lithium has been the focus of attention in psychotherapy. In 2011, a study was published by Nestor Kapusta, a psychiatry and psychotherapeutic medicine specialist from the Medical University of Vienna. The study explored the positive effects of increased lithium content in drinking water on human mood and a reduction in suicide rates. This confirmed an earlier study by Japanese researchers in 2009. Lithium salt is considered a “mood stabiliser”, and small doses are used psychotherapeutically to treat bipolar disorders. However, its significance as an antidepressant is controversial, and the results of the study have been challenged by some scientists.
Nutritionist Michael Ristow’s scientific research takes a unique approach. He has discovered a strong correlation between high life expectancy and increased lithium concentration in drinking water. In other words, a cheap and easily accessible fountain of youth is available straight from the tap.
Lithium in drinking water
Lithium is a trace element found in groundwater and, to a lesser extent, in drinking water. In fact, it is often listed as one of the contents of mineral water. The UK Drinking Water Ordinance doesn’t set any limits for lithium due to its negligible presence in raw water and its harmless nature.
Have lithium content tested
By conducting a water test, you can quickly determine the minerals in your water. After the test, you will receive a clear display of the individual values found in your drinking water sample. To conduct the test, you must take a sample independently at home from your tap and send it to a certified laboratory like IVARIO for analysis.