linoleic acid and psychiatric medications

Was doing some research after noticing someone having a very remarkable reaction to conjugated linoleic acid (which is often used as a weight loss supplement).

In terms of people on psychiatric medications, this study says:

"Regarding LA levels, antipsychotic-treated patients showed significantly reduced levels compared with controls, whereas antipsychotic-naïve patients showed no such reductions"

 While the role of fish oil and particularly DHA is often cited for "mental illness" perhaps this is indicated CLA should be a consideration for those on anti-psychotic medication?

Of course everyone is different, and one must treat the person, and not the disease, but looks like CLA may be a consideration when working with people who are coming in on anti-psychotic medication.

Is nutritional lithium safe?

This from Nutrition Journal

"Prescription lithium is in the form of lithium carbonate, and doses can be as high as 180 mg. It is these high doses that are responsible for most of lithium's adverse side effects. Some of the more common side effects include a dulled personality, reduced emotions, memory loss, tremors, or weight gain [5,6]. Another form of lithium called lithium orotate, is preferred because the orotate ion crosses the blood-brain barrier more easily than the carbonate ion of lithium carbonate. Therefore, lithium orotate can be used in much lower doses (e.g. 5 mg) with remarkable results and no side effects [49,50]. Clinical trials involving 150 mg daily doses of lithium orotate administered 4 to 5 times a week, showed a reduction of manic and depressive symptoms in bipolar patients [50]. In addition, lithium orotate is available without a prescription, unlike lithium carbonate, which is considered a prescription drug by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Studies have also shown that the amino acid-derivative, taurine, as an alternative to lithium, blocks the effects of excess acetylcholine that contributes to bipolar disorder [51]"

While most information on nutritional lithium is for it's use in helping people with mental symptoms (and many practitioners in natural health will use lithium for that), I have primarily seen it help people with Grave's disease. While herbals for Graves disease (ie. bugle-weed, lemon balm, mother wort) help the cardiovascular symptoms lithium is my starting point for a supplement that will help with other symptoms.

Unfortunately many people are afraid of taking lithium because they have heard it is dangerous. Lithium is a trace mineral, our bodies need it. It is not dangerous in low dose. Any mineral, vitamin or substance (including air and water) is dangerous in too high a dose. That's what happens with prescription lithium carbonate. The dose is too high and creates toxic side effects.

However, this should not scare people away from using low dose nutritional lithium, which is available as a non-prescription supplement.



Another article from 1986

Lithium orotate in the treatment of alcoholism and related conditions

In this there was some minimal side effects, although they gave a much higher does than lithium oratate is usually given in (they used 150 mg per day - instead of 5 to 20 as in most supplements).

Study noted many benefits from lithium - including helping some with hyperthyroidism

"Further advantages for this lithium therapy were noted, i.e., improved liver and cardiovascular functions, reduction (and in some cases abolishment) of migraine headaches, alleviation of the Meniere's symptoms, and amelioration of seizures. There were increases in the white blood cell counts in the patient with chemotherapy-induced leukopenia and reduction of edema and ascites in patients with liver cirrhosis, as well as the pleural effusions and lymph node swelling in the patient with lung cancer. No manic episodes occurred during lithium orotate treatment in three patients with this affective disorder. The hyperthyroid condition was also improved in four patients"

What Happens When You Are Diagnosed With Hyperthyroidism

Most people diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and Graves Disease tell very similar stories. 

Symptoms seem to come on very suddenly, racing heartbeat, sweating, anxiety or panic attacks, weight loss, digestive symptoms, swelling on neck. Not everyone has all those symptoms, but most have some of them.

Usually a medical doctor will run a lab for TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), and find it quickly. Sometimes this lab is run as part of an emergency room visit. Sometimes it take some time to get the diagnosis and the patient may have been treated for a wrong diagnosis.

Diagnostic measures for hyperthyroidism

Typical labs ordered to confirm a diagnosis include:

• TSH, T3 and T4
• Radio-active uptake scan test (to differentiate graves disease from other causes of hyperthyroidism, such as a thyroid hormone secreting nodule)
• Anti-bodies. These include thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (also called TSH receptor antibody)

Suggestion of the radio-active uptake test makes many patients worried about radiation. The medical doctors are typically dismissive about such concerns and tell patients there are no side effects to worry about.

Anti-body tests may be run. Sometimes medical doctors want to run an uptake scan. Other times people are given a Graves disease diagnosis without it. 

Where almost everyone with Grave's disease ends up

Eventually patients are given these options:

• Have the thyroid gland destroyed with radio-active iodine, or removed surgery
• Treat with drugs which are toxic to the body - although typically the medical doctors will push patients to have the thyroid gland destroyed. 

It doesn't seem to matter much how severe symptoms are, these are the only options conventional medicine gives patients.

Common reactions to medical advice

•  Fearful. The medical treatments are not benign. Patients worry about how their body would function without a thyroid. Also they are concerned about side effects from medications or radiation therapy. It seems that whichever direction they go has the potential for side effects.
• Hopeless - in the conventional medical world there are no other options, which may make people feel they have no power to take control over their own health.
• Being unsure of what to do.

Typically patients will be having one or more of these reactions. 

Is there an alternative option?

Many times there is. Conventional medicine lumps all people with Graves disease together, and offers them all the most radical treatment. Graves disease is a dangerous illness, which must be taken seriously. In some cases the conventional route has merit.

However, many cases are not so severe to warrant immediate destruction of the thyroid gland. What can be done through natural health?

•  First, going over labs in detail. Many people with hyperthyroidism never get a full set of labs needed to assess their situation. This includes full thyroid pane (TSH, T3, T4 and antibodies to Grave's and Hashimoto's - as often both are elevated - this is TSI, TPO and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies). Additionally other labs such as CBC , WBC, and vitamin D are important.
• Supplements to help control symptoms. There are many supplements that can be used to control symptoms.
• Deeper work for the underlining cause of hyperthyroidism. This is beyond the scope of this article. For more information on this go to my video on Graves disease