A groundbreaking new study published in Nature has revealed that a simple, low-cost lithium supplement could potentially reverse Alzheimer’s symptoms. Researchers found that naturally low lithium levels in the brain were consistently linked to the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, including amyloid plaques, tau tangles, and severe memory decline.
Using mouse models, scientists discovered that lithium depletion worsened these brain changes, creating a harmful cycle where less lithium leads to more plaques, which then further reduce lithium levels. When lithium-deficient mice were treated with very low doses of lithium orotate, a form that avoids being trapped by plaques, brain damage reversed and memory function was restored. This effect was not seen with the more commonly prescribed lithium carbonate, possibly explaining the inconsistent results of earlier trials.
Image is taken from freepik.com
If these results translate to humans, lithium orotate could become a game-changing therapy, addressing multiple disease pathways at once without the toxicity seen in higher-dose treatments. Researchers also noted that healthy individuals with naturally higher brain lithium levels performed better on memory tests.
With dementia affecting over 55 million people worldwide, this inexpensive and safe approach could revolutionize Alzheimer’s treatment, offering hope for restoring memory rather than just slowing decline. Public funding may be key to bringing this breakthrough to human trials.
