Peter smith is amazing! And A good friend This guy saved my life full stop I was talking 15 different pharmaceutical tablets for bipolar I’ve been In 4-5 different mental health hospitals was crippled with anxiety and depression ! I no longer take any pharmaceutical tablets take all natural ones that Peter give me ! And I’m the healthiest and happiest I’ve ever been my bipolar no longer rules my life I do ! Keep up the amazing videos peter you rock 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Where is he located ? What help you the most in naturals supplements ? I dream to have a Doctor like that so much 💙 Struggling to not go back on medication and trying naturals supplements... Can not find lithium orotate here in Quebec Canada 😪 You are the most lucky one to have him 🌈
It Peter Smith here, lm located in the UK but I do online video consultations for people in other countries; I’ve got many patients in Canada. To setup an appointment email me and let me know where you are located what time zone you are. Hello@petersmithuk.com
I am not diagnosable as bipolar, but one parent is so perhaps i have a mere "touch" of it (often thought this) but just started taking it a week ago in a very depressive part of my life (dysthymia is the word my therapists have used for me) and wow what a difference....if this keeps up for me it is like a minor miracle for my results thus far.
There is so much Bipolar on both sides of my family that we basically have a status of either Bipolar positive or negative. The members of my family who don't have Bipolar are at an increased chance of Cyclothymia or other types of depression. My wife thinks that I am actually the most sane person in my family and that might be because I actually treat my disorder and the rest of them don't, so much.
@@msearch444 That's good to know. I have started my son on it, he's high functioning autistic but is moody and depressed, not bipolar, I'm hoping it works for him.
You talk makes a lot of sense. Brain is pretty complicated. I keep a rigid sleep schedule and force myself to stay in bed even if I do not feel sleepy. So far, been stable a long time with no meds.
I gotta say, this is the best video on lithium ive came across here on TH-cam, and I've watched PLENTY. many thanks for such a thorough and informative presentation on the subject. Personally at this point in my life, I've found Lithium orotate has done much more for me more than any anti-depressant medication I've been put on in the past. I suffer from manic/major depression (as worded on my diagnosis) but I've came to find over the years that it appears to be a now outdated name for what is bipolar type 2 disorder.
Thanks, it's beginning to take off, I got 300 new subscribers in the past two months. Let me know what subject interest you that you would like to see discussed future videos, I’ll try to include them or even make a whole video about it.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments thank you very much for your amazing videos:) Have you not had problems with hypothyroidism while taking lithium orotate? I am in a group where one lady already had significantly reduced thyroid activity at doses of about 15-7,5mg of lithium from li-orotate, and it improved after stopping use.
@@monikap8585 You just need to supplement a little iodine. I myself developed considerable fatigue when I was taking 10 mg lithium from orotate and eating lots of soya foods. I guesses low iodine, starting supplementing 800mcg iodine stomach seaweed and it completely solved the problem. I do not believe low dose lithium ototate actually harms the thyroid, it just competes with iodine and could lead to iodine deficiency goitre, it’s easy to prevent this with iodine supplements, minerals often need to be supplemented in combinations to prevent deficiencies from antagonism; another example is you need to supplement a little copper when supplementing zinc.
This is definitely one of the most remarkably informative and highly resourceful videos I have watched yet!! I too have been diagnosed with Bipolar 1 with comorbid ADHD and I have been prescribed Lithium Carbonate. I am also completing graduate school in order to become a mental health clinician. Your presentation here has helped me in several very important ways and on several levels! Thank you!
Out of all the videos I've found on lithium orotate; I've found this one to be the most helpful! I have autisim/adhd, started taking very low does lithium orotate and its helped me out with regulating my emotions. I also have TBI from a car accident a year ago and its helped me with my balance problems profoundly in only a week of taking it. I wish there were more good videos like this on what lithium orotate does for the brain.
That’s great that it was so helpful for you. I’m not experienced with autism but I’ve seen lithium may be helpful. Following a TBI I recommend aggressively reducing inflammation and boosting neuroplasticity. You could add curcumin, luteolin, fisetin, taurine, huge amounts of polyphenols coloured plants and teas.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments Btw I’ve just read the first chapter of Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake. Your illustrations on neurons look exactly like the fungal hyphae he describes and how they connect.
@@christinearmington Yes I’m going to start filming a new video next week. I’ve been working on the material for the past 7 months and it’s finally coming together.
Suffering from bipolar since 2006 this is the first time i get an explanation what Lithium is really doing ... Nobody (professor, chief doctor, doctor, therapist) ever told me about orotate, i had to find out myself (Lithium book by Greenblatt). I have to order orotate from UK, you can not get it here in Germany, it is simply unknown to my psychiatrist and my pharmacist. In a self-experiment i reduced prescribed carbonate from 1350mg to 450mg and added 10mg orotate. Works nicely for me, i feel better stabilization although i had manic phase in January and times are rough currently.
Lithium is never the best choice to treat a manic phase, weather it’s from orotate or carbonate. It’s to slow acting if you are already manic. What lithium does well is act as a preventative, it slowly builds up a stabilising effect. My strategy for managing BP mania is to develop the ability to read the early signs and indicators that you are heading into mania and then immediately implement an anti mania treatment strategy. Natural remedies including low dose from lithium orotate and other self help technique are gentler and weaker than the drugs and so to
So I've been under stress constantly with little breaks. When I quit smoking and was stress free besides debt, I found my anxiety went completely away without lithium. But if not on lithium, I'm not only bipolar, I'm also very anxious when under stress or thinking about the thousands I owe due to rampant ER visits during my crazy post covid days. Also, lithium seems to be calming my post covis syndrome entirely. I will never stop it.
Also many people don't drink any tap water which contains minerals such as lithium. I know on my generation. It's mostly Bottled water or energy drinks and I think bottled water companies filter out many minerals such as lithium.
Your videos are helping me understand my physiology better. I want to improve my quality of life and you are helping a ton. I also used to think lithium was something toxic so I stopped taking it and never considered learning more about it after being prescribed a heavy dosage when I was younger. Never went back to a doctor since. I have started reading papers on these 3 in particular: bacopa monnieri, centella asiatica and lion's mane as I'm interested in how they help repair damage and improve parts of the brain. Please could you do videos on these in the future? I would like to learn more how they work and how it can help a bipolar brain. Also, can you do a video on the science of meditation? I'm very interested in its immediate and long-term effects on the neuroplasticity, chemistry and mental state (thinking patterns/habits). Would love to hear more about this from you. Thank you for doing this Peter. :)
Glad you found the content on lithium, helpful, like you, it took me quite some time to change my negative understanding of lithium carbonate to the understanding that lithium doesn’t have to be used a toxic drug at high doses. I did some videos on the science of meditation, I could do more. Bacopa is something I routinely use in my bipolar prescriptions with clients, at moderate doses it boosts, neuroplasticity, it’s antidepressant and mildly attenuates high dopamine, however, at higher doses, it strongly attenuates dopamine, this makes it useful for preventing and treating manic phases. I was always disappointed by lions mane, it promises a lot, it’s expensive, but I never felt it delivers anything. It’s all bark no bite, I think it’s got massive marketing hype, almost mystical status, but in practice it doesn’t deliver much; very poor return on investment.
Thanks so much. Serious bipolar here. Was wondering why Lithium Carbonate works well for me. Orotate did nothing and I gave it a long shot. Lithium is serious business if it's going to work and I think the potential effects on the kidneys can't be minimized. I'm glad I'm under the care of a doctor for this reason. I started having a toxic reaction and did not know it for a while until my blood work came back. Now I know what symptoms to look for. I am thinking that when I was taking NAC, the lithium got too high in the my bloodstream. I was on a relatively low dose 450 mg daily, which actually gives me a lot of relief.
The first time I took lithium it definitely helped with anxiety. It was like my anxiety hit a buffer rather than spiraling. Interestingly, the effect was long-term, even after I stopped taking it.
That’s great to hear, I’m pleased for you. I think lithium is best effect is the way it boosts Neuroplasticity and helps to regenerate the brain, and yes this effect will last long after you have discontinued it. But maybe you would like to think about just taking a load house Say 2 1/2 mg continuously or at least for several years. One simple way to take it is drop the tablet into your water drinking bottle, it dissolves completely and then you just drink it throughout the day.
Thank you for this informational video. I’m just having baseline blood tests with a view to start lithium. I’ve suffered for years with periods of below baseline depression and highs causing me to make poor financial decisions etc.
I am working on some mthfr stuff. Don't know anything about comt however. I am also working on learning more about lithium. My videos are on my channel.
I've been on Lithium carbonate for over a year now and not convinced its the right medication for me. Was on Divalproic Acid for close to 20 years prior. I'm struggling with feelings of emotional flatness, no excitement, no real looking forward to much. Mind you, we are going through a pandemic which makes it difficult to gauge things like this. I will say interestingly is that I find my anxiety is way lower / almost non existent - and to hear your take on how lithium effects this was interesting to hear. Thank you for sharing your news and insights.
@@Man-u-flex I feel the same way. Everything that made me a leading expert in my field of work to someone that can't get the motivation to read two pages. Can't remember anything or want to do things. It's basically a chronic depression.
If you're type 1 BP take a warning from me. In January this year I tried swapping my 600mg lithium carbonate for 20-40mg orotate daily. It wasn't effective enough to hold me for long and I ended up sectioned in the summer. Orotate is possibly fine for mild type 2 and some depressions etc but please do not rely on it to hold you if you know you are prone to full blown type 1 mania. This last episode cost me untold pain and thousands of pounds and I'm still recovering. Unfortunately for some, Carbonate is a necessary evil... the best of a bad bunch as when compared to most psych drugs it has far less unwanted side effects.
Hey, i am bipolar 1 and I think if Oratate form does for a person it's placebo effect wich can work for a while or you don't have bipolar at all. I even do not think that this will do for bipolar 2. This type of bipolar suffers from severe depressive episodes and a small dose of lithium can't help. Anyway I don't have side effects with Lithiumcarbonate. He does a good explantion on what Lithium does but it's not responsible to tell people with bipolar that they should take Lithiumoratate instead of a proper medication.
@@miranday.7995 I agree with you both that low dose lithium from orotate is not sufficient (on its own) to treat bipolar 1 or 2, and for the record I absolutely didn’t tell people with bipolar that they should take just lithium orotate on it’s own instead of proper medication. I have bipolar type 2 myself and lithium orotate on its own is not enough to keep my condition stable. In my practice I recommend people combine lithium orotate with multiple additional supplements and multiple other treatment techniques if they intend to go drug free. My natural self help treatment techniques are not appropriate for everyone, they require a lot more more work than just taking prescription drugs. They require taking a lot of supplements in addition to lithium orotate, a very healthy diet, sleeping techniques, brain training and more. Individually each supplement and natural treatment approach are not as powerful as the pharmaceutical drugs; however, when several supplements and approaches are combined together at the same time, the effects can be very powerful and I believe some individuals, like myself, can not only manage their condition using natural self-help techniques but manage it and thrive. The natural self help techniques have no side effects, in fact they promote better health, furthermore the combinations can be adjusted and tailor made to fit the individual and the phase of the condition. I never tell people to stop any medication they need to stay safe and treated; I always make a point of saying the opposite. Please be careful to check your facts before you accuse someone of making irresponsible suggestions. I take the issue of people’s welfare very seriously. Would you please take care to check your facts before accusing someone of reckless behaviour. Comments can be harmful. If a person chooses for themselves to go drug free and I believe their case may be manageable with multiple natural self-help therapies then I can advise them how to go about it; but it has to be their decision and I have to believe it’s possible in their case. This video was about how we now believe lithium treats the bipolar brain which was unknown for a long time. It didn’t recommend anyone try to manage BD with just Lithium orotate.
I have had OCD and depression since childhood. I’m 35 now. A psychiatrist diagnosed me as bipolar II 7 months ago when I presented with bad insomnia. He prescribed Seroquel which helped anxiety and helped me sleep. I wanted to come off Seroquel (I never really used more than 100-125mg) so I began supplementing Lithium orotate as I tapered Seroquel down by 1/2 tab each week. It was working. I could sleep fairly well (though not falling asleep as quickly many nights) as I boosted lithium orotate (I was up to 5 5.8mg tabs/day). I made it down to a sliver of a 25mg Seroquel, then tried DHEA when I discovered my estrogen and testosterone were low and then stopped sleeping. I dropped the DHEA and re-upped my Seroquel back to 50mg to get sleeping again and decreased Lithium Orotate to 1-2 tabs per day now. Have you found value in Lithium Orotate for recurring thought OCD patients and can 20mg of lithium orotate a day eventually help regulate sleep by itself? My goal was to discontinue the Seroquel but I really want to help my ocd symptoms.
DHEA is Not the best option if you have estrogen dominance, low testosterone or any form of Hormone imbalance. The best bet is Vit D3, Acrive B Complex, and essential trace minerals esp Zinc, Chromium, Selenium, Boron, Manganese, Molybdenum & Lithium. I have personally found Adatogenic Mushrooms to be excellent for such issues as well. Also instead of DHEA , you could consider low dose 2mg Pregnenolone in pulse mode which is the root Hormone and has better prognosis for Brain health.
Great information. I remember seeing my patients who took lithium always with the tremors and the catatonic appearance.As a nurse I always felt there was something better I am interested in using lithium oratate. Thank you for the knowledge
I tried a higher dose of lithium (from orotate) to see how it would feel and I got trembling hands and felt emotionally flat. Thankfully for me just a low dose 10 mg a day (when combined with other remedies) is able to keep my bipolar totally stable; over a decade now with total mental wellness.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments Hi, could you tell me if there are withdrawal issues if you try Lithium Orotate and find out it is not for you? Which brands do you recommend. I'm a UK citizen but living in NZ so will need to order from overseas but I'm really wanting to treat myself before the psych team decide to put me on a high dose mood stabiliser. Do you take overseas patients for your functional medicine.
@@josiestanford3352 I always recommend discontinuing lithium gradually over a few weeks to a month to reduce the chances of a rebound effect. I recommend Advanced Research or Lindens. Yes I offer consultations online. To boodk an appointment send me an email hello@petersmithuk.com
I was amazed when I read about the dramatic effects of lithium on serotonin production as well as neurotrophic factor (BDNF/GDNF) concentrations. I experimented with the Orotate form and I have requested my psychiatrist to put me on higher doses of the carbonate form, as my depression is so severe and I found lithium to be so utterly profound. Honestly, I Still can't quite believe it.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments Yes my anxiety and panic attacks are almost completely gone since taking lithium orotate. I'd love videos on PTSD, the possible causes of bipolar, herbs for anxiety, magnesium L Threonate (what's different about it). Have you heard of sunflower lecithin to treat bipolar mania? I've been using it for about two years. It helps me focus and helps with attention, but too much makes me very angry and snappish so I've cut back my dose.
I have a couple more vids so make on other subjects than I’ll be concentrating on making a series of videos and writing a book on treating bipolar with natural remedies. I often prescribe lecithin at high doses for mania and sometimes as a maintenance treatment.
I have to say I'm on my second video of yours now and it's really good stuff. I have the lower form of the COMT gene and I'm managing up my brain health in a similar way as you indicate and you provide plenty of great pointers. And your example of road rage being an indication of excess dopamine is excellent - among other things. Thanks for the content
I’m glad you like my videos. Actually aggressivity is more to do with a lack of serotonin than excess dopamine, or maybe a dopamine serotonin imbalance; but it is serotonin that moderates impulse control and irritability in the frontal lobes.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments true. But dopamine can degrade into norepinephrine. And a lack of serotonin and an overload of norepinephrine and glutamate is a nasty combination. Lithium Orotate has been like a warm hug. And it doesn't completely suppress my dopamine like i thought it would. Norepinephrine and glutamate are not my friends. Lol
I'm on a full blown war path against my bipolar disorder and your videos are becoming part of my arsenal, as has lithium orotate which I just started a very low dose of. I discovered about a week ago that im bipolar. I've been struggling to gain control of my life for years. This diagnosis has shown me the door to normalcy that I may or may not be able to open but I will at least damn well try.
When I got/embraced the diagnosis of bipolar I then looked at what do we know is going on in the bipolar brain and what can I do to correct those things. Correct them all rather than looking for just one thing and applying mono-therapy. I’ll be serialising the chapters of my forthcoming book on bipolar disorder in TH-cam vids
How much lio would you recommend starting with for deep depression and stress anxiety? Also I was weaned off benzos brutally fast about 6months ago and I suffer still from it! It's made me very unstable at times! So happy I found you on TH-cam!!! In the U.S. there's far too much emphasis on big pharma and not enough on supplements. Thank you sooo much!!
Absolutely wonderful delivery, superb information and really encouraging positivity. (I wonder if you have anything on Lyme and its effects on the brain chemistry, that is what I am after in particular, though this and the other video on Lithium Orotate where fascinating. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the encouraging comment. I’m not an expert on how to eradicate Lyme but what I know is the inflammation it can cause in the brain can overwhelm the brains neuroplastic abilities causing mental health problems. So while you have Lyme you want to reduce inflammation and boost neuroplasticity S much as possible just to protect the brain, then when you overcome the Lyme you want to switch your focus from treating the Lyme to repairing the brain.
Really useful, I m taking it on the prescription and really it brings back me from hell to back in life.I really appreciate the topic and way you described it.
Trace minerals include Lithium. I was concerned at first but it definitely helps for situational stress, anxiety and depression. AT 52, I think my hormones may be the culprit. Thank you for the informative video.
You’re welcome. Quite a few people have told me that mouth taping improve their sleep, if that helped then maybe you could benefit by learning Buteyko breathing and perhaps also coherent or heart rate variability breathing. I wrote a book on sleep called Sleep Better with Natural Therapies.
I don’t have any clinical or personal experience with it so I cannot comment on it. I’ve prescribed glandular supplements containing extracts of animal tissues and they were very powerful and safe. The ingredients list for cerebrolysin looks fine, so I would give it a green light for experimenting with. Good luck, if you try it please let me know how you get on.
Awesome video. I'd like to know though how did you know that certain brain chemicals were too low or too high. Did you have them measured somehow? How is that done?
1:20 I take 1 mg a day from Orotate but I can't help but think of lithium as a battery ingredient. It really took some doing to get my head around it. I've had depression, anger issues and mood swings all my life. Lithium, 5-HTP, Pregenenolone, Ashwaganda and Mucuna have helped remendously.
Lithium saved my life when I was going through a long bout of depression and had been self medicating with booze for years. After years of this you will a critical max and well... Yeah. It gets a lot of heat because over the long term (15+ years) it causes tooth decay, liver damage, tremors, but it's hilarious that those reasons would stop a physician considering I was an existential threat to myself and others.
j smith I’m filming that just now. Here’s that video: How to Use Lithium Orotate for Depression and Bipolar Disorder th-cam.com/video/J7VB6fOh9XE/w-d-xo.html Ihope it helps you.
I also may add that the lithium ornate helps me with mania and anger too. For anxiety I use many things but magnolia bark helps. Also passion flower etc I still struggling with anxiety sometimes.
Glad you liked it! I’ve just started writing the script for my next video, it’s an explanation of the neurobiology of bipolar disorder. It should be posted within a few weeks.
Thank you 🙏 This week I’m setting up my new filming studio so I can start making videos more frequently. I’m gonna start making video of my upcoming book Living Well with Bipolar Disorder
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments YESSSS do it!! i am trying to get off benzos after a bad acid trip that made me panic and every other day after the bad trip i been struggling with anxiety. it changed the way my brain reacts to cannabis and then i started benzos because of the panic. i realized benzos where doing more damage to my brain than if i tried to heal it any other way, so i am in this black hole.
Hahah, dam it, you noticed. I sometimes have to go back and re-film a bit, I have a continuity check-list on the wall to run through before pressing record, but missed the glasses that time. I need to get new glasses with identical frames (after lock-down) so when I switch it won’t matter.
Your videos are excellent sir, you are very easy to understand and knowledgeable. I'm am trialling LO from today to see its effects. I think its already working.
I first learned about lithium orotate 14 years ago from a homeopath. I started retaking it due to major depression some days ago. I am taking 10-30 mg and B12 plus magnesium.
Eat huge amounts of flavonoids ad pollyphenols, add high quality omega 3, bright blue light therapy in the morning, no bright light in the night. Also do everything you can to identify and eliminate all sources of inflammation. Good luck with your healing journey.
I gave lithium oratate to my son with autism for agitation. It calmed him faster than a IV tranquilizer. I used the 120 mg tablet though, never expected such an effect.
That’s great, thanks for sharing. I would recommend trying continuous long-term use, lithium slowly develops improvements in the brain by boosting Neuroplasticity. If you do decide in the future to discontinue it, do it gradually over about six weeks.
Peter, I am attempting to taper off the antipsychotic Olanzapine and the problem everyone has, including me, is terrible insomnia. My understanding is that Olanzapine inhibits the Dopamine receptors so the brain simply produces more. When you try and withdraw from the drug you find you have lost the ability to sleep. Will Lithium Orotate help me in any way?
hello Peter, thanks for your great videos i just recently discovered you're on youtube now ;) thats fantastic! i started to take LiO again and had very good results in combination with NAC. i was now adding taurine to the stack and was wondering if there are any interactions. i found an article saying there might be interactions with prescription lithium
Hi I take LiO, NAC and taurine every day as part of my wellness maintenance regime. If you do take taurine be awair that it can increase the excretion of lithium from the kidneys. In my case I need a constant dose of LiO to maintain my (bipolar) stability, so if I start to use higher doses of taurine I increase my lithium. But I have to say I only notice the need for extra LiO when I take very high doses of taurine like say 8+ grams a day.
@@BeingBetter I don’t think taurine specifically increases the excretion of lithium, but it does have diuretic effects so basically you will pee more lithium out; tea, coffee and off cause alcohol are also diuretics but I recommend people to drink teas and coffee because are rich in brain healthy polyphenols.
@Better Mental Health with Natural Remedies Taurine is an Osmoregulator and also a sleesh Diuretic. It aids in bile synthesis and binding lipid soluble toxcins. It can flush electrolytes and several trace minerals. It needs to be used long term in conjunction with Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Boron, Selenium, Molybdenum, Chromium, Lithium etc. Taurine also operates on pathways that require Methylation, so its excessive use depletes methyl groups The effects of Taurine are balanced by another Osmoregulator - Betaine / TriMethylGlycine that most are deficient in.
NAC is NOT well tolerated by many who have CBS mutations or impairments in transulfaration pathways, but Taurine is still well tolerated by them in conjunction with selenium, molybdenum & manganese which aid transsulfuration. Those who have Methylation SNPs will also NOT be able to tolerate Methionine well, so they usually need to supplement with an Active Methylated B Complex with Betaine l, Choline & Folate. NAC is over-hyped. It works well only if taken in lower doses and it's continued usage will deplete selenium, & molybdenum as well as methyl groups.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments I'm off benzo for 9 years and still have symptoms like mild anxieties when meeting people, and I get very uncomfortable talking to them especially strangers. I also still experience physical symptoms like, body ache, eye pain, extreme fatigue, and my hands are often shaking (trembling?) for no reasons. I was just wondering if I should take the supplements you mentioned in this video and also I want to know if my brain is damage permanently after this long 9 years. I'm not a person that I was before. The symptoms really bother me a lot to point they are the only things I'm focusing on. I rarely feel happy due to these symptoms. Thank you for your reply.
Interesting thing about lithium is that it makes me love myself and be sweet to other people without being a doormat though !!! It makes me love myself so much but not be vain and take interest in life ! When earlier on I hated myself and had a very poor self esteem ! Goodness !! Gosh I love lithium ! Please if you could shed light on which hormone makes it happen ? Thanks !!! ❤
My son is currently going through a manic episode. We have low dose Lithium orotate-5 mg. What dosage could be recommended to assist in getting through this episode? Would Zinc and or NAC be helpful to add in? We are starting him on a fish oil supplement as well
@@millstreetteut7835 Yes and no. Lithium Orotate helps maintenance, so long term, after an episode, it is a good base to work with along with high quality fish oil. But during the episode, it does not calm /tamp down the episode with immediate effect
I haven't built up any clinical experience with long Covid yet but my guess is it's the failure of the body to switch off the inflammatory response caused by the massive discharge of cytokines (Covid is famous for causing a big discharge of cytokines). Cytokines are chemical signals that the immune system discharges to signal to other parts of the body that there is an infection and they should activate their inflammatory systems and so on. We know that cytokines and inflammation is the driving force behind all of the big mental health problems from schizophrenia through bipolar to depression. There is solid evidence that what's happening in the brains of people with these conditions, myself included, is that we have a chronically slightly elevated immune/inflammation response in our bodies or brains, it's as if we cannot fully switch off or terminate inflammation. It may be that some of us have this genetically and built into us, but for others it may be deficiencies like the deficiency of vitamin D or magnesium that the body needs in order to terminate inflammation responses. What I would do to treat long Covid is go all in on combating inflammation. You be thinking of top herbs like curcumin (but not all curcumin's cross the blood-brain barrier well), skullcap, high-dose EPA (but not all EPA's are pure and non-oxidised), a superhigh flavonoids and polyphenols diet, intermittent fasting to cycle out activated microglial cells (there are some new supplements to take when you intermittently fast to turbocharge the autophagy systems to kill off activated microglial cells) and there are more exotic or uncommon anti-inflammatory supplements. Micro glass cells are the brains immune system cells, they exist in a dormant state and then when they get switched on by cytokines they convert into a activated state whereupon to use the American expression "they go postal", and if you have a lot of activated micro bile cells in your brain you need to kill them to make way for new un-activated ones. Another thing you would want to do is increase activity in your vagus nerve, lack of activity in the vagus nerve activates the immune system. Also push to the maximum the production of butyrate in your intestines and growing a healthy microbiome, butyrate exerts a control mechanism to come down activity in the immune system. If you'd like me to work out an individual programme anti-inflammation programme of supplements, diet and vagus nerve stimulator brain training exercises I'm available for online consultations. Whenever you do definitely push up magnesium, D3, phenols, flavonoids and fermentable fibre for the butyrate. I wish you every success with your recovery…
It depends on your needs, the severity of your condition and how many other things you are willing to do. If you have severe bipolar and you only you are not willing or able to take a lot of other supportive supplements to reinforce the effectiveness of low dose lithium orotate and take othe supplements that have additional stabilising effects, and use other techniques like great sleep, exercise, brain training and the ideal diet then you should definitely use high dose lithium carbonate. If you’d like me to assess your case and develop an individual treatment prescription I’m available for 1-2-1 consultations online you can book on calendly.com/PeterSmithUK My next video will go into a lot of detail on what bipolar is and what we should target.
Also make sure you are not deficient of vit D, magnesium, omega 3 oils by supplementing them and get your diet on point. Good luck with your healing journey.
What herbs do you take? I wonder if Lithium Orotate works with Ashwaganda, Shatavari, B vitamins and magnesium? I hope it would be ok to still take those too. I take Ashwaganda for stress/anxiety and Shatavari for my hormones.
Peter, great videos. Chronic Lyme for over a decade. Treated with nutraceuticals for a few months but couldn't detox effectively so stopped. Neurological/psychiatric symptoms over years led to nervous breakdown and benzo use for insomnia. Benzo dependent after 14 days. Been in hell since took that drug and tapered. 8 months benzo free. I started taking lithium orotate 1.25 mg last night. Is this recommended?
It sounds like you would benefit from a higher dose of 5 mg twice a day. I made a video all about benzo withdrawal and recovery you might like, I mention inflammation including from Lyme (I think I mentioned Lyme: th-cam.com/video/JrZw92ZAdn8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=TeTiKtEQqUWlOhfp
if i have a prion brain condition, what can i do? i am rapidly degenerating psychiatrically and intellectually. i am on olanzapine 2.5 mg bc of the anxiety and disordered thoughts my likely disease has caused. i started taking one skullcap latifloria 425ng a day. it's urgent. i'm degenerating
I took 20 mg of lithium orotate yesterday. Last night I slept very well. As a rule, I am an anxious person. I also love the effects of vitamin B1. I use to have RLS but that is gone since I started taking B1.
@@sharonendler1467 Right before bed. I take the Benfotiamine form of B1, two 300mg capsules. The brand is Double Wood. I also take a B Complex but take that in the morning. Garden of Life Raw B Complex.
Peter smith is amazing! And A good friend This guy saved my life full stop I was talking 15 different pharmaceutical tablets for bipolar I’ve been In 4-5 different mental health hospitals was crippled with anxiety and depression ! I no longer take any pharmaceutical tablets take all natural ones that Peter give me ! And I’m the healthiest and happiest I’ve ever been my bipolar no longer rules my life I do ! Keep up the amazing videos peter you rock 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Well done that is a great accomplishment. You were prescribed 15 meds at the same time?? Any benzodiazepines?
What are those natural ones? Can you please tell?
@@IISuperw every one is different mate it’s not one fits all , Peter will do you all what you need contact him will be the best decision you ever make
Where is he located ? What help you the most in naturals supplements ? I dream to have a Doctor like that so much 💙 Struggling to not go back on medication and trying naturals supplements... Can not find lithium orotate here in Quebec Canada 😪 You are the most lucky one to have him 🌈
It Peter Smith here, lm located in the UK but I do online video consultations for people in other countries; I’ve got many patients in Canada.
To setup an appointment email me and let me know where you are located what time zone you are.
Hello@petersmithuk.com
I've taken lithiumcarbonate 40+yrs. I am bipolar this is why I'm still here. thanks for the added knowlege.
ok seems to be very safe. its only my 6th year now.😅
Hvnt u had side effects thn??
U r still alive 🙄?
What time of day should this be taken...and with which of the supplement that you've stated are beneficial? Also empty or full stomach?
@@headstrongnt You have to experiment to work out which other supplements.
Divide the dose morning and evening.
With or without food.
I took 10mg for the first time today, and im already feeling substantially better. I can't believe how well It's working after a single round. 😮😊
@@abella11 more focus and that's affected my mood positively. Try it for a month
Lithium has helped both my sister and I with anxiety
Interesting, I need to change my understanding about the benefits of lithium for anxiety, I heard enough people saying it helped to convince me.
Im here because imma ask my dr for it today.
I've put it off for way too long.
Thank you for easing my nerves
You got this!
I am not diagnosable as bipolar, but one parent is so perhaps i have a mere "touch" of it (often thought this) but just started taking it a week ago in a very depressive part of my life (dysthymia is the word my therapists have used for me) and wow what a difference....if this keeps up for me it is like a minor miracle for my results thus far.
I see you posted this 3 weeks ago, I'm wondering how you're doing now?
There is so much Bipolar on both sides of my family that we basically have a status of either Bipolar positive or negative. The members of my family who don't have Bipolar are at an increased chance of Cyclothymia or other types of depression. My wife thinks that I am actually the most sane person in my family and that might be because I actually treat my disorder and the rest of them don't, so much.
@@VeryLikeLeigh I actually feel pretty good in the lithium is still working!
@@msearch444 That's good to know. I have started my son on it, he's high functioning autistic but is moody and depressed, not bipolar, I'm hoping it works for him.
@VeryLikeLeigh I do hope too! May God bless your son 🙏💙🌷and family!🙏🪷 Amin!🙏
You talk makes a lot of sense. Brain is pretty complicated. I keep a rigid sleep schedule and force myself to stay in bed even if I do not feel sleepy. So far, been stable a long time with no meds.
I gotta say, this is the best video on lithium ive came across here on TH-cam, and I've watched PLENTY.
many thanks for such a thorough and informative presentation on the subject. Personally at this point in my life, I've found Lithium orotate has done much more for me more than any anti-depressant medication I've been put on in the past.
I suffer from manic/major depression (as worded on my diagnosis) but I've came to find over the years that it appears to be a now outdated name for what is bipolar type 2 disorder.
This is such an informative video and you present in such a conversational way. I hope your channel reaches many more people.
Thanks, it's beginning to take off, I got 300 new subscribers in the past two months.
Let me know what subject interest you that you would like to see discussed future videos, I’ll try to include them or even make a whole video about it.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments congrats your doing amazing
Please talk More about helping benzo tapering and withdrawals
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments thank you very much for your amazing videos:) Have you not had problems with hypothyroidism while taking lithium orotate? I am in a group where one lady already had significantly reduced thyroid activity at doses of about 15-7,5mg of lithium from li-orotate, and it improved after stopping use.
@@monikap8585 You just need to supplement a little iodine.
I myself developed considerable fatigue when I was taking 10 mg lithium from orotate and eating lots of soya foods. I guesses low iodine, starting supplementing 800mcg iodine stomach seaweed and it completely solved the problem.
I do not believe low dose lithium ototate actually harms the thyroid, it just competes with iodine and could lead to iodine deficiency goitre, it’s easy to prevent this with iodine supplements, minerals often need to be supplemented in combinations to prevent deficiencies from antagonism; another example is you need to supplement a little copper when supplementing zinc.
This is definitely one of the most remarkably informative and highly resourceful videos I have watched yet!! I too have been diagnosed with Bipolar 1 with comorbid ADHD and I have been prescribed Lithium Carbonate. I am also completing graduate school in order to become a mental health clinician. Your presentation here has helped me in several very important ways and on several levels! Thank you!
This is very informative. I also have been self treating my bi polar. I appreciate your videos and am greatful for your work.
Out of all the videos I've found on lithium orotate; I've found this one to be the most helpful! I have autisim/adhd, started taking very low does lithium orotate and its helped me out with regulating my emotions. I also have TBI from a car accident a year ago and its helped me with my balance problems profoundly in only a week of taking it. I wish there were more good videos like this on what lithium orotate does for the brain.
That’s great that it was so helpful for you. I’m not experienced with autism but I’ve seen lithium may be helpful.
Following a TBI I recommend aggressively reducing inflammation and boosting neuroplasticity.
You could add curcumin, luteolin, fisetin, taurine, huge amounts of polyphenols coloured plants and teas.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments I hope you will post more videos. The latest ones on TH-cam are 4 years old.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments Btw I’ve just read the first chapter of Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake. Your illustrations on neurons look exactly like the fungal hyphae he describes and how they connect.
@@christinearmington Yes I’m going to start filming a new video next week. I’ve been working on the material for the past 7 months and it’s finally coming together.
Suffering from bipolar since 2006 this is the first time i get an explanation what Lithium is really doing ...
Nobody (professor, chief doctor, doctor, therapist) ever told me about orotate, i had to find out myself (Lithium book by Greenblatt).
I have to order orotate from UK, you can not get it here in Germany, it is simply unknown to my psychiatrist and my pharmacist.
In a self-experiment i reduced prescribed carbonate from 1350mg to 450mg and added 10mg orotate.
Works nicely for me, i feel better stabilization although i had manic phase in January and times are rough currently.
if you had a manic phase then it doesn't work obviously
Lithium is never the best choice to treat a manic phase, weather it’s from orotate or carbonate. It’s to slow acting if you are already manic. What lithium does well is act as a preventative, it slowly builds up a stabilising effect.
My strategy for managing BP mania is to develop the ability to read the early signs and indicators that you are heading into mania and then immediately implement an anti mania treatment strategy. Natural remedies including low dose from lithium orotate and other self help technique are gentler and weaker than the drugs and so to
So I've been under stress constantly with little breaks. When I quit smoking and was stress free besides debt, I found my anxiety went completely away without lithium. But if not on lithium, I'm not only bipolar, I'm also very anxious when under stress or thinking about the thousands I owe due to rampant ER visits during my crazy post covid days. Also, lithium seems to be calming my post covis syndrome entirely. I will never stop it.
I was just prescribed this medication. I have anxiety and depression 300mg was prescribed to me.
This is EXCELLENT!! I study nootropics, anti she media continuously. This is one of the best presentations I've ever seen on any topic!!!
This is FANTASTIC. I’m sad I haven’t discovered you sooner !
Also many people don't drink any tap water which contains minerals such as lithium.
I know on my generation.
It's mostly Bottled water or energy drinks and I think bottled water companies filter out many minerals such as lithium.
@sleepingrabbit4011 That’s right, most municipal water supplies are devoid of lithium.
Thanks for sharing.
The best nirvana song
Your videos are helping me understand my physiology better. I want to improve my quality of life and you are helping a ton. I also used to think lithium was something toxic so I stopped taking it and never considered learning more about it after being prescribed a heavy dosage when I was younger. Never went back to a doctor since.
I have started reading papers on these 3 in particular: bacopa monnieri, centella asiatica and lion's mane as I'm interested in how they help repair damage and improve parts of the brain. Please could you do videos on these in the future? I would like to learn more how they work and how it can help a bipolar brain.
Also, can you do a video on the science of meditation? I'm very interested in its immediate and long-term effects on the neuroplasticity, chemistry and mental state (thinking patterns/habits). Would love to hear more about this from you. Thank you for doing this Peter. :)
Glad you found the content on lithium, helpful, like you, it took me quite some time to change my negative understanding of lithium carbonate to the understanding that lithium doesn’t have to be used a toxic drug at high doses.
I did some videos on the science of meditation, I could do more.
Bacopa is something I routinely use in my bipolar prescriptions with clients, at moderate doses it boosts, neuroplasticity, it’s antidepressant and mildly attenuates high dopamine, however, at higher doses, it strongly attenuates dopamine, this makes it useful for preventing and treating manic phases.
I was always disappointed by lions mane, it promises a lot, it’s expensive, but I never felt it delivers anything. It’s all bark no bite, I think it’s got massive marketing hype, almost mystical status, but in practice it doesn’t deliver much; very poor return on investment.
love the clear and concise message packed with info
Glad it was helpful.
Thanks so much. Serious bipolar here. Was wondering why Lithium Carbonate works well for me. Orotate did nothing and I gave it a long shot. Lithium is serious business if it's going to work and I think the potential effects on the kidneys can't be minimized. I'm glad I'm under the care of a doctor for this reason. I started having a toxic reaction and did not know it for a while until my blood work came back. Now I know what symptoms to look for. I am thinking that when I was taking NAC, the lithium got too high in the my bloodstream. I was on a relatively low dose 450 mg daily, which actually gives me a lot of relief.
Amazing video, I have lithium orotate bottle, definitely going to use it every day from now on. Thank you!!!
You’re welcome.
Good luck with your healing journey.
The first time I took lithium it definitely helped with anxiety. It was like my anxiety hit a buffer rather than spiraling. Interestingly, the effect was long-term, even after I stopped taking it.
That’s great to hear, I’m pleased for you.
I think lithium is best effect is the way it boosts Neuroplasticity and helps to regenerate the brain, and yes this effect will last long after you have discontinued it.
But maybe you would like to think about just taking a load house Say 2 1/2 mg continuously or at least for several years. One simple way to take it is drop the tablet into your water drinking bottle, it dissolves completely and then you just drink it throughout the day.
Thank you for this informational video. I’m just having baseline blood tests with a view to start lithium. I’ve suffered for years with periods of below baseline depression and highs causing me to make poor financial decisions etc.
Hi, would you consider doing a video on MTHFR and COMT polymorphisms and supplements to help manage them? Great informative videos BTW👍
I am working on some mthfr stuff. Don't know anything about comt however. I am also working on learning more about lithium. My videos are on my channel.
I've been on Lithium carbonate for over a year now and not convinced its the right medication for me. Was on Divalproic Acid for close to 20 years prior. I'm struggling with feelings of emotional flatness, no excitement, no real looking forward to much. Mind you, we are going through a pandemic which makes it difficult to gauge things like this. I will say interestingly is that I find my anxiety is way lower / almost non existent - and to hear your take on how lithium effects this was interesting to hear. Thank you for sharing your news and insights.
You think your feeling flat, unexcited empty because of the lithium?
@@Man-u-flex probably because of pandemic
@@Man-u-flex I feel the same way. Everything that made me a leading expert in my field of work to someone that can't get the motivation to read two pages. Can't remember anything or want to do things. It's basically a chronic depression.
If you're type 1 BP take a warning from me. In January this year I tried swapping my 600mg lithium carbonate for 20-40mg orotate daily. It wasn't effective enough to hold me for long and I ended up sectioned in the summer. Orotate is possibly fine for mild type 2 and some depressions etc but please do not rely on it to hold you if you know you are prone to full blown type 1 mania. This last episode cost me untold pain and thousands of pounds and I'm still recovering. Unfortunately for some, Carbonate is a necessary evil... the best of a bad bunch as when compared to most psych drugs it has far less unwanted side effects.
Hey, i am bipolar 1 and I think if Oratate form does for a person it's placebo effect wich can work for a while or you don't have bipolar at all. I even do not think that this will do for bipolar 2. This type of bipolar suffers from severe depressive episodes and a small dose of lithium can't help. Anyway I don't have side effects with Lithiumcarbonate.
He does a good explantion on what Lithium does but it's not responsible to tell people with bipolar that they should take Lithiumoratate instead of a proper medication.
@@miranday.7995 Agreed Miranda. I've edited my original comment to say "possibly ok for mild type 2" instead of "probably fine for type 2"
@@miranday.7995 I agree with you both that low dose lithium from orotate is not sufficient (on its own) to treat bipolar 1 or 2, and for the record I absolutely didn’t tell people with bipolar that they should take just lithium orotate on it’s own instead of proper medication.
I have bipolar type 2 myself and lithium orotate on its own is not enough to keep my condition stable. In my practice I recommend people combine lithium orotate with multiple additional supplements and multiple other treatment techniques if they intend to go drug free.
My natural self help treatment techniques are not appropriate for everyone, they require a lot more more work than just taking prescription drugs. They require taking a lot of supplements in addition to lithium orotate, a very healthy diet, sleeping techniques, brain training and more. Individually each supplement and natural treatment approach are not as powerful as the pharmaceutical drugs; however, when several supplements and approaches are combined together at the same time, the effects can be very powerful and I believe some individuals, like myself, can not only manage their condition using natural self-help techniques but manage it and thrive.
The natural self help techniques have no side effects, in fact they promote better health, furthermore the combinations can be adjusted and tailor made to fit the individual and the phase of the condition.
I never tell people to stop any medication they need to stay safe and treated; I always make a point of saying the opposite.
Please be careful to check your facts before you accuse someone of making irresponsible suggestions.
I take the issue of people’s welfare very seriously. Would you please take care to check your facts before accusing someone of reckless behaviour. Comments can be harmful.
If a person chooses for themselves to go drug free and I believe their case may be manageable with multiple natural self-help therapies then I can advise them how to go about it; but it has to be their decision and I have to believe it’s possible in their case.
This video was about how we now believe lithium treats the bipolar brain which was unknown for a long time. It didn’t recommend anyone try to manage BD with just Lithium orotate.
@@miranday.7995 yes mianda..dont accuse unless u can back up your statements..i wish u luck w your mania
@@miranday.7995he never said that.
Best explanation I ever found on TH-cam! Thanks!! 🇧🇷
You are welcome, good luck with your healing journey
This was wildly informative. Thanks from the states.
You are welcome
Good luck with your healing journey...
I have had OCD and depression since childhood. I’m 35 now. A psychiatrist diagnosed me as bipolar II 7 months ago when I presented with bad insomnia. He prescribed Seroquel which helped anxiety and helped me sleep. I wanted to come off Seroquel (I never really used more than 100-125mg) so I began supplementing Lithium orotate as I tapered Seroquel down by 1/2 tab each week. It was working. I could sleep fairly well (though not falling asleep as quickly many nights) as I boosted lithium orotate (I was up to 5 5.8mg tabs/day). I made it down to a sliver of a 25mg Seroquel, then tried DHEA when I discovered my estrogen and testosterone were low and then stopped sleeping. I dropped the DHEA and re-upped my Seroquel back to 50mg to get sleeping again and decreased Lithium Orotate to 1-2 tabs per day now. Have you found value in Lithium Orotate for recurring thought OCD patients and can 20mg of lithium orotate a day eventually help regulate sleep by itself? My goal was to discontinue the Seroquel but I really want to help my ocd symptoms.
The lithium should really help with the ocd that’s what I’m going try
DHEA is Not the best option if you have estrogen dominance, low testosterone or any form of Hormone imbalance.
The best bet is Vit D3, Acrive B Complex, and essential trace minerals esp Zinc, Chromium, Selenium, Boron, Manganese, Molybdenum & Lithium.
I have personally found Adatogenic Mushrooms to be excellent for such issues as well.
Also instead of DHEA , you could consider low dose 2mg Pregnenolone in pulse mode which is the root Hormone and has better prognosis for Brain health.
Hi Jamie, i am on seroquel too. I wanted to see if lithium oratate could help. Is there any way i could talk to you
@@Rebelz173 it does research suggests this for sure. Older studies at least. It helps with nearly all mental illness it seems.
I took lithium for my ocd and sleep deprivation. Bumped my sleep back to semi normal
Great information. I remember seeing my patients who took lithium always with the tremors and the catatonic appearance.As a nurse I always felt there was something better I am interested in using lithium oratate. Thank you for the knowledge
I tried a higher dose of lithium (from orotate) to see how it would feel and I got trembling hands and felt emotionally flat. Thankfully for me just a low dose 10 mg a day (when combined with other remedies) is able to keep my bipolar totally stable; over a decade now with total mental wellness.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments Hi, could you tell me if there are withdrawal issues if you try Lithium Orotate and find out it is not for you? Which brands do you recommend. I'm a UK citizen but living in NZ so will need to order from overseas but I'm really wanting to treat myself before the psych team decide to put me on a high dose mood stabiliser. Do you take overseas patients for your functional medicine.
@@josiestanford3352 I always recommend discontinuing lithium gradually over a few weeks to a month to reduce the chances of a rebound effect.
I recommend Advanced Research or Lindens.
Yes I offer consultations online. To boodk an appointment send me an email
hello@petersmithuk.com
Wonderful video! Would love to hear how to recover from anti-psychotics. (Dopamine and serotonin receptor antagonist i believe)
I cant thank you enough. Good Knight
You are welcome, look out for my next video in a couple of months on an overview of bipolar disorder and what to do to rebalance the bipolar brain.
Thank you very much for giving such a profound explanation on this topic .
I was amazed when I read about the dramatic effects of lithium on serotonin production as well as neurotrophic factor (BDNF/GDNF) concentrations.
I experimented with the Orotate form and I have requested my psychiatrist to put me on higher doses of the carbonate form, as my depression is so severe and I found lithium to be so utterly profound. Honestly, I Still can't quite believe it.
Same here. Orotate did nothing for me. Carbonate works for me.
How do you describe work, please explain in details as i am beginning to take lithium carb but have been taking orotate since 4 years
Hi Dan I don’t understand your question?
@@catherinewylie6959
How much lithium carbonate are you on?
Great information, thanks so much! Lithium orotate did greatly reduce my anxiety.
That’s interesting that it helped your anxiety. Let me know what you would like to see more videos on.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments Yes my anxiety and panic attacks are almost completely gone since taking lithium orotate. I'd love videos on PTSD, the possible causes of bipolar, herbs for anxiety, magnesium L Threonate (what's different about it). Have you heard of sunflower lecithin to treat bipolar mania? I've been using it for about two years. It helps me focus and helps with attention, but too much makes me very angry and snappish so I've cut back my dose.
I have a couple more vids so make on other subjects than I’ll be concentrating on making a series of videos and writing a book on treating bipolar with natural remedies.
I often prescribe lecithin at high doses for mania and sometimes as a maintenance treatment.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments I'm interested in buying the book. This is a wonderful channel. Information like this is really helpful for me.
I have to say I'm on my second video of yours now and it's really good stuff. I have the lower form of the COMT gene and I'm managing up my brain health in a similar way as you indicate and you provide plenty of great pointers. And your example of road rage being an indication of excess dopamine is excellent - among other things. Thanks for the content
I’m glad you like my videos.
Actually aggressivity is more to do with a lack of serotonin than excess dopamine, or maybe a dopamine serotonin imbalance; but it is serotonin that moderates impulse control and irritability in the frontal lobes.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments true. But dopamine can degrade into norepinephrine. And a lack of serotonin and an overload of norepinephrine and glutamate is a nasty combination. Lithium Orotate has been like a warm hug. And it doesn't completely suppress my dopamine like i thought it would. Norepinephrine and glutamate are not my friends. Lol
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments hello. Do you still offer online consultation? Greetings from Austria
I'm on a full blown war path against my bipolar disorder and your videos are becoming part of my arsenal, as has lithium orotate which I just started a very low dose of.
I discovered about a week ago that im bipolar. I've been struggling to gain control of my life for years. This diagnosis has shown me the door to normalcy that I may or may not be able to open but I will at least damn well try.
When I got/embraced the diagnosis of bipolar I then looked at what do we know is going on in the bipolar brain and what can I do to correct those things.
Correct them all rather than looking for just one thing and applying mono-therapy.
I’ll be serialising the chapters of my forthcoming book on bipolar disorder in TH-cam vids
How much lio would you recommend starting with for deep depression and stress anxiety? Also I was weaned off benzos brutally fast about 6months ago and I suffer still from it! It's made me very unstable at times! So happy I found you on TH-cam!!! In the U.S. there's far too much emphasis on big pharma and not enough on supplements. Thank you sooo much!!
How are you doing today after getting off benzos if I may please ask? Also which benzo was you on and how many miligrams?
After a brutal withdrawal from benzos it took 6 months to feel normal
Best video I have seen on this subject. Your videos are an education in itself. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
You’re very welcome. Stay tuned, 2023 going to make a lot more.
This video is everything you need to know about lithium very interesting thanks doc.
This man is a genius.
Amazing video. So glad i found you ! Can you recommend any books interested on healing trauma
Thank you so much for this information. It’s very much appreciated.
Great video!!!
This video is everything you need to know about lithium very interesting thanks doc.
Glad it was helpful.
amazing content and I love the way you explain Quality content here !!!! thanks a lot
Thank you for these awesome videos!
You are welcome
Good luck with your healing journey
You are welcome
Good luck with your healing journey
Absolutely wonderful delivery, superb information and really encouraging positivity. (I wonder if you have anything on Lyme and its effects on the brain chemistry, that is what I am after in particular, though this and the other video on Lithium Orotate where fascinating. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the encouraging comment.
I’m not an expert on how to eradicate Lyme but what I know is the inflammation it can cause in the brain can overwhelm the brains neuroplastic abilities causing mental health problems.
So while you have Lyme you want to reduce inflammation and boost neuroplasticity S much as possible just to protect the brain, then when you overcome the Lyme you want to switch your focus from treating the Lyme to repairing the brain.
Wish I found your channel and this information many years ago
Really useful, I m taking it on the prescription and really it brings back me from hell to back in life.I really appreciate the topic and way you described it.
A coworkers kid has bipolar this information looks like it can benefit her so I’m going to pass this info on to my coworker . Thanks
Thank’s, you can tell them I do one-to-one consultations online.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments ok
Trace minerals include Lithium. I was concerned at first but it definitely helps for situational stress, anxiety and depression. AT 52, I think my hormones may be the culprit. Thank you for the informative video.
You’re welcome
Wow brilliant. Can't wait to try it. Thanks so much. Super informative video!
Thanks tons for the information! Mouth Taping improved my sleep!
You’re welcome.
Quite a few people have told me that mouth taping improve their sleep, if that helped then maybe you could benefit by learning Buteyko breathing and perhaps also coherent or heart rate variability breathing.
I wrote a book on sleep called Sleep Better with Natural Therapies.
Thank you. This gave me a new perspective on Lithium.
you, sir, are a savior
You are welcome
Good luck with your healing journey
This is such an amazingly informative video!
Glad it was helpful :-)
Excelent, excelent explanation! Thank you doctor for educating people.
You’re very welcome.
wow this is a very good and helpful video! thank you very much
humanity will be gratefull :D
Amazing video. What is your opinion on cerebrolysin for neuroplasticity?
I don’t have any clinical or personal experience with it so I cannot comment on it.
I’ve prescribed glandular supplements containing extracts of animal tissues and they were very powerful and safe. The ingredients list for cerebrolysin looks fine, so I would give it a green light for experimenting with.
Good luck, if you try it please let me know how you get on.
Awesome video. I'd like to know though how did you know that certain brain chemicals were too low or too high. Did you have them measured somehow? How is that done?
Exactly what I was looking for, thank you.
excellent work good sir.
1:20 I take 1 mg a day from Orotate but I can't help but think of lithium as a battery ingredient. It really took some doing to get my head around it.
I've had depression, anger issues and mood swings all my life. Lithium, 5-HTP, Pregenenolone, Ashwaganda and Mucuna have helped remendously.
Lithium saved my life when I was going through a long bout of depression and had been self medicating with booze for years. After years of this you will a critical max and well... Yeah.
It gets a lot of heat because over the long term (15+ years) it causes tooth decay, liver damage, tremors, but it's hilarious that those reasons would stop a physician considering I was an existential threat to myself and others.
Did u have other meds too
Interesting I would like to get the benefits for my bipolar without the side effects. Looking forward to the next video.
j smith I’m filming that just now.
Here’s that video:
How to Use Lithium Orotate for Depression and Bipolar Disorder th-cam.com/video/J7VB6fOh9XE/w-d-xo.html
Ihope it helps you.
I also may add that the lithium ornate helps me with mania and anger too. For anxiety I use many things but magnolia bark helps. Also passion flower etc I still struggling with anxiety sometimes.
@energy bear what brand of lithium ornate do you use?
Try taking Phosphatydleserine as "Sharp PS Green" Works well for Anxiety
What a great video!!
Glad you liked it!
I’ve just started writing the script for my next video, it’s an explanation of the neurobiology of bipolar disorder. It should be posted within a few weeks.
you are fantastic. genius. you speak so boldly and so clearly. that makes us admire you.
Thank you 🙏
This week I’m setting up my new filming studio so I can start making videos more frequently.
I’m gonna start making video of my upcoming book Living Well with Bipolar Disorder
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments YESSSS do it!! i am trying to get off benzos after a bad acid trip that made me panic and every other day after the bad trip i been struggling with anxiety. it changed the way my brain reacts to cannabis and then i started benzos because of the panic. i realized benzos where doing more damage to my brain than if i tried to heal it any other way, so i am in this black hole.
Wow only just came across your channel and have been watching videos like his for years on TH-cam.
This is so far my favorite video. Very interesting!
Thank you for the clear explanations! 24:21 glasses switch :P
Hahah, dam it, you noticed. I sometimes have to go back and re-film a bit, I have a continuity check-list on the wall to run through before pressing record, but missed the glasses that time. I need to get new glasses with identical frames (after lock-down) so when I switch it won’t matter.
Your videos are excellent sir, you are very easy to understand and knowledgeable.
I'm am trialling LO from today to see its effects. I think its already working.
Keep it up
Good luck with your healing...
I first learned about lithium orotate 14 years ago from a homeopath. I started retaking it due to major depression some days ago. I am taking 10-30 mg and B12 plus magnesium.
Eat huge amounts of flavonoids ad pollyphenols, add high quality omega 3, bright blue light therapy in the morning, no bright light in the night. Also do everything you can to identify and eliminate all sources of inflammation.
Good luck with your healing journey.
I'm watching this and going to explain it to my father who is currently on lithum carbonate tablets for 10 years for dampening manic episodes.
B1 vitamin helps too, watch elliot overton videos
Thank you!!!!! This is sooooo helpful!!!!!
I gave lithium oratate to my son with autism for agitation. It calmed him faster than a IV tranquilizer. I used the 120 mg tablet though, never expected such an effect.
That’s great, thanks for sharing.
I would recommend trying continuous long-term use, lithium slowly develops improvements in the brain by boosting Neuroplasticity.
If you do decide in the future to discontinue it, do it gradually over about six weeks.
Thank you Dr. You have incredible talent in teaching. Best of Luck!
Idk just feels like it makes life boring af but not anxiety provoking
If lithium orotate is making you feel bored you might want to combine it with some anti depressant supplements to regulate your dopamine levels.
Peter, I am attempting to taper off the antipsychotic Olanzapine and the problem everyone has, including me, is terrible insomnia.
My understanding is that Olanzapine inhibits the Dopamine receptors so the brain simply produces more. When you try and withdraw from the drug you find you have lost the ability to sleep.
Will Lithium Orotate help me in any way?
Try passiflower. Homéopathic remedy . Worked great for me . Better than zopiclone .
hello Peter, thanks for your great videos i just recently discovered you're on youtube now ;) thats fantastic! i started to take LiO again and had very good results in combination with NAC. i was now adding taurine to the stack and was wondering if there are any interactions. i found an article saying there might be interactions with prescription lithium
Hi I take LiO, NAC and taurine every day as part of my wellness maintenance regime.
If you do take taurine be awair that it can increase the excretion of lithium from the kidneys.
In my case I need a constant dose of LiO to maintain my (bipolar) stability, so if I start to use higher doses of taurine I increase my lithium. But I have to say I only notice the need for extra LiO when I take very high doses of taurine like say 8+ grams a day.
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments I didn't know that taurine increases the excretion of lithium.
@@BeingBetter I don’t think taurine specifically increases the excretion of lithium, but it does have diuretic effects so basically you will pee more lithium out; tea, coffee and off cause alcohol are also diuretics but I recommend people to drink teas and coffee because are rich in brain healthy polyphenols.
@Better Mental Health with Natural Remedies Taurine is an Osmoregulator and also a sleesh Diuretic. It aids in bile synthesis and binding lipid soluble toxcins. It can flush electrolytes and several trace minerals. It needs to be used long term in conjunction with Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Boron, Selenium, Molybdenum, Chromium, Lithium etc.
Taurine also operates on pathways that require Methylation, so its excessive use depletes methyl groups The effects of Taurine are balanced by another Osmoregulator - Betaine / TriMethylGlycine that most are deficient in.
NAC is NOT well tolerated by many who have CBS mutations or impairments in transulfaration pathways, but Taurine is still well tolerated by them in conjunction with selenium, molybdenum & manganese which aid transsulfuration. Those who have Methylation SNPs will also NOT be able to tolerate Methionine well, so they usually need to supplement with an Active Methylated B Complex with Betaine l, Choline & Folate.
NAC is over-hyped. It works well only if taken in lower doses and it's continued usage will deplete selenium, & molybdenum as well as methyl groups.
I learned a lot in this video, so thank you!
wow I just found this channel and you are brilliant.
Glad you find it useful, is there a particular question/subject you are interested in?
@@NaturalMentalHealthTreatments I'm off benzo for 9 years and still have symptoms like mild anxieties when meeting people, and I get very uncomfortable talking to them especially strangers. I also still experience physical symptoms like, body ache, eye pain, extreme fatigue, and my hands are often shaking (trembling?) for no reasons. I was just wondering if I should take the supplements you mentioned in this video and also I want to know if my brain is damage permanently after this long 9 years. I'm not a person that I was before. The symptoms really bother me a lot to point they are the only things I'm focusing on. I rarely feel happy due to these symptoms. Thank you for your reply.
Interesting thing about lithium is that it makes me love myself and be sweet to other people without being a doormat though !!! It makes me love myself so much but not be vain and take interest in life ! When earlier on I hated myself and had a very poor self esteem ! Goodness !! Gosh I love lithium ! Please if you could shed light on which hormone makes it happen ? Thanks !!! ❤
Why won't Psychiatrist use Lithium more for people with depression?
Wish more Doctors had your knowledge
My son is currently going through a manic episode. We have low dose Lithium orotate-5 mg. What dosage could be recommended to assist in getting through this episode? Would Zinc and or NAC be helpful to add in? We are starting him on a fish oil supplement as well
May I ask if Lithium Orotat helped?
@@millstreetteut7835 Yes and no. Lithium Orotate helps maintenance, so long term, after an episode, it is a good base to work with along with high quality fish oil. But during the episode, it does not calm /tamp down the episode with immediate effect
@@Jumptrain101 thank you.
oh my god i am getting one soon i suffer from long covid/ brain fog . thank you so much for this video .
I haven't built up any clinical experience with long Covid yet but my guess is it's the failure of the body to switch off the inflammatory response caused by the massive discharge of cytokines (Covid is famous for causing a big discharge of cytokines).
Cytokines are chemical signals that the immune system discharges to signal to other parts of the body that there is an infection and they should activate their inflammatory systems and so on.
We know that cytokines and inflammation is the driving force behind all of the big mental health problems from schizophrenia through bipolar to depression. There is solid evidence that what's happening in the brains of people with these conditions, myself included, is that we have a chronically slightly elevated immune/inflammation response in our bodies or brains, it's as if we cannot fully switch off or terminate inflammation.
It may be that some of us have this genetically and built into us, but for others it may be deficiencies like the deficiency of vitamin D or magnesium that the body needs in order to terminate inflammation responses.
What I would do to treat long Covid is go all in on combating inflammation. You be thinking of top herbs like curcumin (but not all curcumin's cross the blood-brain barrier well), skullcap, high-dose EPA (but not all EPA's are pure and non-oxidised), a superhigh flavonoids and polyphenols diet, intermittent fasting to cycle out activated microglial cells (there are some new supplements to take when you intermittently fast to turbocharge the autophagy systems to kill off activated microglial cells) and there are more exotic or uncommon anti-inflammatory supplements.
Micro glass cells are the brains immune system cells, they exist in a dormant state and then when they get switched on by cytokines they convert into a activated state whereupon to use the American expression "they go postal", and if you have a lot of activated micro bile cells in your brain you need to kill them to make way for new un-activated ones.
Another thing you would want to do is increase activity in your vagus nerve, lack of activity in the vagus nerve activates the immune system. Also push to the maximum the production of butyrate in your intestines and growing a healthy microbiome, butyrate exerts a control mechanism to come down activity in the immune system.
If you'd like me to work out an individual programme anti-inflammation programme of supplements, diet and vagus nerve stimulator brain training exercises I'm available for online consultations.
Whenever you do definitely push up magnesium, D3, phenols, flavonoids and fermentable fibre for the butyrate.
I wish you every success with your recovery…
Learmed a lot, thank you!
Very informative thank you
Do you recommend lithium carbonate or orotate?
It depends on your needs, the severity of your condition and how many other things you are willing to do.
If you have severe bipolar and you only you are not willing or able to take a lot of other supportive supplements to reinforce the effectiveness of low dose lithium orotate and take othe supplements that have additional stabilising effects, and use other techniques like great sleep, exercise, brain training and the ideal diet then you should definitely use high dose lithium carbonate.
If you’d like me to assess your case and develop an individual treatment prescription I’m available for 1-2-1 consultations online you can book on
calendly.com/PeterSmithUK
My next video will go into a lot of detail on what bipolar is and what we should target.
I just bought this and hope it helps with depression. I got a b-complex as well to go with it.
Also make sure you are not deficient of vit D, magnesium, omega 3 oils by supplementing them and get your diet on point.
Good luck with your healing journey.
What herbs do you take?
I wonder if Lithium Orotate works with Ashwaganda, Shatavari, B vitamins and magnesium? I hope it would be ok to still take those too. I take Ashwaganda for stress/anxiety and Shatavari for my hormones.
thank god i realised id needed to try with lithium for my bipolar and depresion. thanks for your knowledge!✌♥️
Excellent video! learned alot!
Glad it was helpful!
Good luck with your healing journey
Peter, great videos. Chronic Lyme for over a decade. Treated with nutraceuticals for a few months but couldn't detox effectively so stopped. Neurological/psychiatric symptoms over years led to nervous breakdown and benzo use for insomnia. Benzo dependent after 14 days. Been in hell since took that drug and tapered. 8 months benzo free. I started taking lithium orotate 1.25 mg last night. Is this recommended?
It sounds like you would benefit from a higher dose of 5 mg twice a day.
I made a video all about benzo withdrawal and recovery you might like, I mention inflammation including from Lyme (I think I mentioned Lyme:
th-cam.com/video/JrZw92ZAdn8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=TeTiKtEQqUWlOhfp
if i have a prion brain condition, what can i do? i am rapidly degenerating psychiatrically and intellectually. i am on olanzapine 2.5 mg bc of the anxiety and disordered thoughts my likely disease has caused. i started taking one skullcap latifloria 425ng a day. it's urgent. i'm degenerating
hey thanks. I'm new to this Lithium. Explained what I was going through. Anyone on this, live in present, plan on getting better.
I took 20 mg of lithium orotate yesterday. Last night I slept very well. As a rule, I am an anxious person. I also love the effects of vitamin B1. I use to have RLS but that is gone since I started taking B1.
how much Bi and am of pm?
@@sharonendler1467 Right before bed. I take the Benfotiamine form of B1, two 300mg capsules. The brand is Double Wood. I also take a B Complex but take that in the morning. Garden of Life Raw B Complex.
That’s great, thanks for sharing.
Agmatine + lithium + inositol + mgGlycinate + Omega 3 (EPA dominant) + curcumin + TTFD + Bcomplex works like a charm
Lithium an inositol higher MY IQ
Thank You , very defined lesson!
You are welcome!
Great presentation
Thanks
You are fantastic dr Smith. Thank you.
By the way my son is one of those few people that lithium orotate helped with anxiety
I was too.