Study: Lithium Is As Effective For ADHD As Methylphenidate

Daniil

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Our present findings confirm the efficacy of MPH in the treatment of adult ADHD as demonstrated in other controlled studies. Efficacy (as defined by a reduction of at least 30% in the severity of ADHD symptoms) was 48% in our study, which is similar to the 57% efficacy reported by Wender et al.20 but lower than the 78% efficacy reported by Spencer et al.3 Our study also expands previous findings demonstrating significant improvement in behavioral domains such as irritability, aggression, anxiety, and depression—which, although not part of the ADHD cluster, are nonetheless frequently reported in adult ADHD. To our knowledge this is the first study to show the usefulness of lithium to treat adult ADHD. Although lithium had a somewhat lower overall efficacy than MPH (37% and 48% respectively), it produced similar improvements on scores of anxiety, depression, overt aggression, and anterograde verbal memory. Because our study did not include a placebo arm, whether the memory-related finding is a genuine effect of the medication or is due to a practice effect could not be ascertained. The prevalence and severity of side effects were similar for lithium and MPH.
 
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Daniil

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At what dose?
"Target dosages were 10 mg of MPH or 300 mg of lithium during weeks 1 and 2; 20 mg of MPH and 600 mg of lithium during weeks 3 and 4, 30 mg of MPH and 900 mg of lithium during weeks 5 and 6, and 40 mg of MPH and 1,200 mg of lithium during weeks 7 and 8."
 

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"Target dosages were 10 mg of MPH or 300 mg of lithium during weeks 1 and 2; 20 mg of MPH and 600 mg of lithium during weeks 3 and 4, 30 mg of MPH and 900 mg of lithium during weeks 5 and 6, and 40 mg of MPH and 1,200 mg of lithium during weeks 7 and 8."
So very high pharmaceutical doses.
While back Haidut shared a study showing low dose lithium .5 mg to 1 mg effective for stopping dementia from progressing (can't remember if recovery occured too). Wonder if low doses may have any degree of efficacy with ADHD.
 
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Daniil

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So very high pharmaceutical doses.
While back Haidut shared a study showing low dose lithium .5 mg to 1 mg effective for stopping dementia from progressing (can't remember if recovery occured too). Wonder if low doses may have any degree of efficacy with ADHD.
I agree, but I think it's still better than Ritalin.

I have ADHD symptoms and I remember that I had low lithium in my blood when I had my minerals test. If I can get lithium then I will try to try it on myself. I also think that acetylcholine and histamine play a role in ADHD, at least things like vitamin E (pro-acetylcholine) and folic acid (pro-histamine) make me feel worse. But prodopamine / antiserotonin (like amantadine) doesn't give me any benefits.
 

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I agree, but I think it's still better than Ritalin.

I have ADHD symptoms and I remember that I had low lithium in my blood when I had my minerals test. If I can get lithium then I will try to try it on myself. I also think that acetylcholine and histamine play a role in ADHD, at least things like vitamin E (pro-acetylcholine) and folic acid (pro-histamine) make me feel worse. But prodopamine / antiserotonin (like amantadine) doesn't give me any benefits.
I see.
FYI, I found out that a relatively well known supplement - Concentrace - a naturally-occurring mineral supplement from Salt Lake, has 0.5 mg to 1 mg lithium per gram of Concentrace. Wonder if it is worth a try.
 

mostlylurking

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Our present findings confirm the efficacy of MPH in the treatment of adult ADHD as demonstrated in other controlled studies. Efficacy (as defined by a reduction of at least 30% in the severity of ADHD symptoms) was 48% in our study, which is similar to the 57% efficacy reported by Wender et al.20 but lower than the 78% efficacy reported by Spencer et al.3 Our study also expands previous findings demonstrating significant improvement in behavioral domains such as irritability, aggression, anxiety, and depression—which, although not part of the ADHD cluster, are nonetheless frequently reported in adult ADHD. To our knowledge this is the first study to show the usefulness of lithium to treat adult ADHD. Although lithium had a somewhat lower overall efficacy than MPH (37% and 48% respectively), it produced similar improvements on scores of anxiety, depression, overt aggression, and anterograde verbal memory. Because our study did not include a placebo arm, whether the memory-related finding is a genuine effect of the medication or is due to a practice effect could not be ascertained. The prevalence and severity of side effects were similar for lithium and MPH.
For your consideration, from an article here: https://www.hormonesmatter.com/add-adhd-common-problems-modern-childhood/

Connecting the Dots: Diet, Thiamine and ADHD​

You might be surprised to hear that these physical findings are those that would be found in a child with the vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency disease beriberi, naturally turning my attention to the question of diet. Could both the physical and mental defects in these children be explained on the basis of deficiency of a vitamin?

I came across a book with the title “Thiamine and Beriberi” it was written by a group of university-based Japanese scientists. Beriberi had existed in Eastern countries for thousands of years and the discovery that thiamine deficiency was its cause was extremely dramatic and affected the lives of millions. I read it and reread it and became acquainted with the characteristics of the disease. The clinical effects are different in infants, children and adults and it was clear to me that what I had observed in these “emotionally disturbed” children could be explained on this basis. How could such a devastating disease associated with malnutrition affect children in America? Wasn’t this a disease that occurred in poor countries? Wasn’t this associated with poverty?

The answer had come from research done in Cambridge, England and reported in 1936. Sir Rudolph Peters had found that there was no difference in the behavior of brain cells from thiamine deficient pigeons compared with those that were thiamine sufficient until glucose was added to the preparation. There was no activity at all from the thiamine deficient cells, whereas the thiamine sufficient cells immediately began to produce carbon dioxide, showing that they were active. Peters called this effect by a scientific nomenclature (catatorulin). This important observation was the beginning of the research that led to our modern knowledge of how cells produce the energy that enable them to function.

What this means is that if you take sugar in a state of marginal thiamine deficiency, you precipitate the symptoms of beriberi.
 

golder

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So very high pharmaceutical doses.
While back Haidut shared a study showing low dose lithium .5 mg to 1 mg effective for stopping dementia from progressing (can't remember if recovery occured too). Wonder if low doses may have any degree of efficacy with ADHD.
Would be great to have someone find that study and post it here for reference.
What form of lithium is this, do we know?
 
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Daniil

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For your consideration, from an article here: https://www.hormonesmatter.com/add-adhd-common-problems-modern-childhood/

Connecting the Dots: Diet, Thiamine and ADHD​

You might be surprised to hear that these physical findings are those that would be found in a child with the vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency disease beriberi, naturally turning my attention to the question of diet. Could both the physical and mental defects in these children be explained on the basis of deficiency of a vitamin?

I came across a book with the title “Thiamine and Beriberi” it was written by a group of university-based Japanese scientists. Beriberi had existed in Eastern countries for thousands of years and the discovery that thiamine deficiency was its cause was extremely dramatic and affected the lives of millions. I read it and reread it and became acquainted with the characteristics of the disease. The clinical effects are different in infants, children and adults and it was clear to me that what I had observed in these “emotionally disturbed” children could be explained on this basis. How could such a devastating disease associated with malnutrition affect children in America? Wasn’t this a disease that occurred in poor countries? Wasn’t this associated with poverty?

The answer had come from research done in Cambridge, England and reported in 1936. Sir Rudolph Peters had found that there was no difference in the behavior of brain cells from thiamine deficient pigeons compared with those that were thiamine sufficient until glucose was added to the preparation. There was no activity at all from the thiamine deficient cells, whereas the thiamine sufficient cells immediately began to produce carbon dioxide, showing that they were active. Peters called this effect by a scientific nomenclature (catatorulin). This important observation was the beginning of the research that led to our modern knowledge of how cells produce the energy that enable them to function.

What this means is that if you take sugar in a state of marginal thiamine deficiency, you precipitate the symptoms of beriberi.
This is very interesting, thank you! But are there any studies that support this view? I didn't see.

But I do have beriberi symptoms, like spasms of the calf muscles. I also sometimes lose my appetite and get sick from too much sugar, which definitely makes me think. But I took b complex for a long time and even tried to inject B1, but it doesn't seem to help much. Perhaps the deficit is too strong.

Judging by how much thiamine is contained in food, it seems problematic to get enough. The main sources, such as nuts and legumes and pork, do not seem to be very Peaty.
 
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Daniil

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Would be great to have someone find that study and post it here for reference.
What form of lithium is this, do we know?

I think he meant this study.
 
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Daniil

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Maybe I should try a different form of thiamine, I usually use regular thiamine hydrochloride.
 

mostlylurking

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This is very interesting, thank you! But are there any studies that support this view? I didn't see.

But I do have beriberi symptoms, like spasms of the calf muscles. I also sometimes lose my appetite and get sick from too much sugar, which definitely makes me think. But I took b complex for a long time and even tried to inject B1, but it doesn't seem to help much. Perhaps the deficit is too strong.

Judging by how much thiamine is contained in food, it seems problematic to get enough. The main sources, such as nuts and legumes and pork, do not seem to be very Peaty.
Yes there are studies. thiamine - Search Results - PubMed

an example of studies: Vitamin B1 (thiamine) and dementia - PubMed this one is keyed to Alzheimer's; the point is that thiamine is absolutely critical for healthy brain function.

This is Dr. Chandler Marrs' website: https://www.hormonesmatter.com/. There is a search engine; search for thiamine. Also search for ADHD.

an interview with Dr. Chandler Marrs:


If you have a thiamine deficiency your metabolic function is in the ditch. Your brain can't work without lots of metabolic energy, which can't happen without thiamine. In addition, thiamine deficiency causes the blood brain barrier to become compromised.

Other sources to pursue are Elliot Overton's youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFqXidfUsI0vm73xsBMIQdQ
and his website here: Articles | Stafford | EONutrition

and here is Dr. Costantini's website: About Dr. C & HDT

Understanding the possibilities with thiamine requires some searching. The medical industrial complex isn't interested.
 

mostlylurking

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I don't really like the fact that thiamine can increase histamine.
I think you have that backwards. Thiamine lowers histamine.
 
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Daniil

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I think you have that backwards. Thiamine lowers histamine.
I saw a study somewhere that thiamine "releases" histamine. I will look for it and if I find it, I will provide it.

However, I do not see any contradictions, perhaps it reduces histamine locally in the brain, but increases it somewhere else. However, I do not experience allergies, so perhaps yes, it is safe for me. Thanks!
 

mostlylurking

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I saw a study somewhere that thiamine "releases" histamine. I will look for it and if I find it, I will provide it.

However, I do not see any contradictions, perhaps it reduces histamine locally in the brain, but increases it somewhere else. However, I do not experience allergies, so perhaps yes, it is safe for me. Thanks!
I know niacin "releases" histamine; that's what causes the flush.

Here's another study: Regional changes in brain histamine levels following dietary-induced thiamine deficiency in rats - PubMed
it says:
Histamine levels in thiamine deficient rats were significantly lower in the hippocampus, amygdala, olfactory bulb, thalamus and pons-medulla oblongata than those of normal and pair-fed groups. In the case of the hypothalamus, thiamine deficiency produced a significant increase in histamine levels. These changes observed in the thiamine deficient group were reversed to the normal levels by supplying the normal diet. These data present a new finding that thiamine deficiency affects the central histaminergic neuron system as well as other monoaminergic systems.
 

mostlylurking

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I saw a study somewhere that thiamine "releases" histamine. I will look for it and if I find it, I will provide it.

However, I do not see any contradictions, perhaps it reduces histamine locally in the brain, but increases it somewhere else. However, I do not experience allergies, so perhaps yes, it is safe for me. Thanks!
There are several types of thiamine on the market, including TTFD, benfotiamine, and thiamine hcl. Side effects seem to be more common when taking TTFD. I think it's tied in with one's methylation system? I stuck with thiamine hcl because the TTFD gave me a headache and Dr. Costantini said it is the only kind of thiamine that gets into the neurons (benfotiamine did not in a study). I think this video is helpful regarding dealing with possible side effects:


I also found an article about it: Paradoxical Reactions With TTFD: The Methylation Connection - Hormones Matter
 
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Daniil

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There are several types of thiamine on the market, including TTFD, benfotiamine, and thiamine hcl. Side effects seem to be more common when taking TTFD. I think it's tied in with one's methylation system? I stuck with thiamine hcl because the TTFD gave me a headache and Dr. Costantini said it is the only kind of thiamine that gets into the neurons (benfotiamine did not in a study). I think this video is helpful regarding dealing with possible side effects:


I also found an article about it: Paradoxical Reactions With TTFD: The Methylation Connection - Hormones Matter

Thank you, I just wanted to try benfo. They say it is much more effective than other forms. This may help my calf muscle spasms. But it, unfortunately, does not cross through the blood-brain barrier. The rest of the forms B1 in Russia are difficult to get.


As long as I took thiamine hcl, it didn't cause any side effects, except that once I experienced a migraine after the injection.
 

mostlylurking

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Thank you, I just wanted to try benfo. They say it is much more effective than other forms. This may help my calf muscle spasms. But it, unfortunately, does not cross through the blood-brain barrier. The rest of the forms B1 in Russia are difficult to get.


As long as I took thiamine hcl, it didn't cause any side effects, except that once I experienced a migraine after the injection.
If you can get thiamine hcl, it is very good. Dr. Costantini's site (in the FAQs or in the About) explains the symptom to look out for that tells you that you took too much. It is described as "pins and needles" shooting pains in the thighs. I had that happen, felt like an electrical zap, so I lowered my dose. There is also explanation of how to convert the dose of 100mg injection thiamine hcl to the equivalent in oral doses of thiamine hcl.
 

golder

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If you can get thiamine hcl, it is very good. Dr. Costantini's site (in the FAQs or in the About) explains the symptom to look out for that tells you that you took too much. It is described as "pins and needles" shooting pains in the thighs. I had that happen, felt like an electrical zap, so I lowered my dose. There is also explanation of how to convert the dose of 100mg injection thiamine hcl to the equivalent in oral doses of thiamine hcl.
Out of curiosity what oral thiamine dose did you use to get the tingling in the thighs?
 

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