In this preston-led episode, we take a deep dive into the history of lithium and its use in psychiatry. But because Preston is very literal, we are starting at the very beginning, inside of stars where lithium was formed at the beginning of the universe. Then we will follow this wonderful atom through history and past its FDA approval in 1970 to where we are today.
Takeaways:
Lithium was once sold in Seven Up as a mood-lifting ingredient—but the consequences were messy.
A forgotten Australian psychiatrist helped launch lithium into psychiatry with groundbreaking trials.
Despite its toxicity risks, lithium remains the gold standard for reducing relapse and suicidality.
U.S. psychiatrists resisted lithium for decades—even as Europe embraced it.
Preston and Margaret debate lithium’s place today: miracle stabilizer or underused relic?
Citations:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0025556484901160
Shorter E. The history of lithium therapy. Bipolar Disord. 2009 Jun;11 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):4-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2009.00706.x. PMID: 19538681; PMCID: PMC3712976.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3712976/
Fowler, Gene. Crazy Water: The Story of Mineral Wells and Other Texas Health Resorts. No. 10. TCU Press, 1991.
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Watch on YouTube: @itspresro
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Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content
Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
00:01 The Love for Lithium
00:29 Podcast Dynamics and Content Creation
05:43 The Origins of Lithium
05:55 Lithium in the Universe
09:32 Lithium on Earth
14:25 Historical Uses of Lithium
20:13 Lithium in Medicine
23:14 Lithium in Popular Culture
25:49 Lithium and Thyroid Function
32:35 Lithium in the 1940s and 1950s
33:02 John Cade's Lithium Experiments
35:40 Lithium's Rocky Start in the Medical Community
37:48 Lithium Trials and Acceptance in Europe
40:14 Lithium's Journey to the United States
47:12 Lithium's Impact on Suicide Rates
54:18 Mechanisms and Modern Prescribing of Lithium
56:38 Clinical Considerations and Side Effects
01:07:12 Concluding Thoughts on Lithium and Bipolar Disorder
01:10:44 Outro and Podcast Information
