What it does in the body
- GSK-3β inhibition (neuroprotective signaling)
- BDNF induction (neuroplasticity and neuronal survival)
- Serotonin and dopamine modulation
- Circadian rhythm regulation
- Potential anti-suicidal and anti-aggressive effects at trace doses
How much you need (Daily Value)
| Group | Recommended | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Adult male | No RDA; estimated intake 200-600 mcg/day from food and water | Estimated |
| Adult female | No RDA; estimated intake 200-600 mcg/day | Estimated |
| Pregnancy | No RDA; pharmacological lithium is teratogenic (Ebstein anomaly risk) | N/A |
| Children | No RDA established | N/A |
| Older adults | No RDA; research suggests potential neuroprotective benefit | Research-based |
Richest food sources
| Food | Amount | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking water (varies by region) | 1-170 mcg per liter | global (highly variable) |
| Grains | 0.5-3.4 mcg per 100g | global |
| Vegetables | 0.5-3.5 mcg per 100g | global |
| Dairy products | 0.5-5.0 mcg per 100g | global |
| Fish | 1.0-3.0 mcg per 100g | global |
| Eggs | 1.0 mcg per 100g | global |
| Mustard | 5.7 mcg per 100g | global |
| Kelp/seaweed | variable, up to 5 mcg per 100g | East Asia |
If you don't get enough
Mild: Possibly increased irritability and mood instability (extrapolated from ecological data)
Moderate: Animal studies suggest reproductive and behavioral impairment with lithium-deficient diets
Severe: Not documented in humans as a specific deficiency syndrome
Time to onset: Ecological data suggests population-level mood effects correlate with chronic low intake over years.
Too much
Upper limit: No established UL for nutritional lithium. Pharmacological lithium: narrow therapeutic index (0.6-1.2 mEq/L serum).
Pharmacological doses: nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, hypothyroidism, tremor, GI upset, weight gain, cognitive dulling. Toxicity (>1.5 mEq/L): confusion, seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, death. Nutritional doses (mcg range): no documented adverse effects.
How well you absorb it
Nearly 100% absorbed from GI tract as lithium ion (Li+)
Helped by: Not applicable — nearly complete absorption
Hindered by: Sodium (increases renal lithium excretion), Caffeine (increases renal clearance)
Cooking & storage
Lithium in food is not significantly affected by cooking. Lithium content in water depends on geological formations and varies widely. Filtering water may reduce lithium content depending on the filtration method.
Nutrisize Health totals every nutrient from what you actually eat, against targets set for your age and sex, and flags what's short — across 4,995 foods, on your device.
