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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Produced by Dr Glaucomflecken & Human Content
Get in Touch: howtobepatientpod.com
Chapters:
00:00 Lithium Episode Kickoff
02:59 Creator Life Tangent
06:36 Mood Stabilizer Setup
07:16 Lithium Born in Stars
11:09 Mining and Chemistry Basics
14:47 Batteries to Body Effects
15:58 Crazy Water and Lithiated Soda
32:13 Lithium for Thyroid Storm
34:09 Back to the 1940s Lithium Craze
35:13 Ad Break Medlines Podcast
35:59 John Cade’s Mania Breakthrough
39:25 Trials Toxicity and FDA Delay
48:49 Lithium’s Long Game Benefits
55:55 Mechanism Prescribing and Wrap
