Lithium Orotate - 5mg of Elemental Lithium per Vegetarian Capsule

I first want to say thank you to everyone who left their honest review. I read every single one of them and the questions and experiences helped fuel the extensive reading I have been doing on Lithium Orotate. My review is going to be wordy and at times may be pedantic but I want to be thorough in case someone recognizes themselves in even the smallest thing I may say. I hope this helps but first I must say I am not a medical provider, the review is a relaying of my personal experience only: I have been using the Weyland Lithium Orotate now for three weeks. If I could sum it up in just one word it would be this - Happy! But it's not a 'drugged' kind of happy it's the happy 'me' that got buried somewhere along the way under the weight of life, loss, change, hormonal change, and griefs over the past several years and then some. I honestly do not recall when I last felt like this but the only thing I can compare it to, if I had to, is that noticeable happy 'high' you get from narcotic pain killers like Oxycodone except 'this' is really me, this is the me I knew was always under there but have wondered for years if I would ever see again. As it is, I have a predisposition to anxiety & depression. I don't feel that simple things are monumental since I am by default an optimistic, 'go get'em' kind of person and I use that as a tool to help me fight depression. But when the really difficult hardships have hit I have to watch myself to not plummet into a black hole. Unfortunately the really hurtful and heavy times life has dealt and piled upon me over the past several years or so, I've been stapled to the earth, unable to move, produce, advance, care or find hope. But I kept looking because I 'know' myself, I knew I had to be under there somewhere. Years ago I began my journey into natural medicine & supplements for depression to help me stop crying. At first St. Johns helped and I was able to begin to get out of bed but I only made it as far as the couch. Although the constant crying stopped I found I would cry very easily over sad movies, sad plots on TV shows or puppies needing a home on those freakin' midnight adverts. So I added 5-HTP and noticed I had more energy but the headaches I got were worrisome and the benefit was not enough to outweigh the unknown effect this was having on me so I took my cues from the headaches and stopped the 5-HTP. And then I had an accident, needed surgery but the process to get to surgery was a months long journey leaving me slightly immobile for a time so my doc put me on Elavil (predecessor to Prozac) to combat the depletion of serotonin caused by the muscle relaxer Soma (Carisoprodol), something I didn't know. So if you struggle with depression and use Soma to escape (I did!) you are actually worsening your condition since Soma depletes serotonin - please stop! As it is with all RX benzos, tryptos and other psychotic meds the Elavil was nightmarish for side effects but oddly my emotions felt great! That's when I knew for certain that I had a genuine clinical problem. Within days as I began to have side effects from Elavil I dove into some online reading and research on that drug and that is when I discovered the nightmarish world and patient experiences with prescription medications for anxiety and depression. Fortunately I had only been taking the Elavil for a few weeks but after a few days of reading about it I called my dr. and said, "I want off of this - I want off now". I have a deep appreciation and value the patient community a great deal because of that experience and the horrible experience they literally spared me from. My physical medical trip-ups unexpectedly carried over into several more months. On the other side of it all I had metal plates and screws in my bones I now had to learn to live and function with. That's not easy! I enjoyed the oxy pain meds but didn't abuse them but it was nice when I did take one to just feel better deep down on the inside. But I knew I could not have that long-term and utilized the time to dive into reading and research for my after-care, when the medical stuff was passed I didn't want to go back into a black hole. During that time, life itself changed and threw me a few rotten tomatoes right in my face. My reading lead me to SAM-e, what was best, how to take it, when to take it and that Europeans have been prescribing it to patients for a long time for joint pain and mood. Through trial and time I found the right dosage and although it helped me in managing any pain caused by my newly installed metal hardware in my body the mood part was just 'ok' but better than the St. Johns. Emotionally I was at least able to look forward although the view was often flat but it wasn't disparaging so I've stuck with the SAM-e along with a Bcomplex, methyl folate and at one time even began to throw in some GABA powder. I do believe my life situation at the time and the crashing waves of events if they had not been there I would probably be able to say the SAMe was fabulous. So it is worth noting my experience with SAMe is coming from a difficult time in life that without it I am pretty confident I would have fallen into pieces. Off topic but important to note for anyone taking St. Johns who may wish to try SAMe for mood benefits that the two contradict in your system prohibiting the benefits of SAMe so you are going to have to stop the St. Johns first and give it a few days to flush out before you start the SAMe. If you have tried SAMe in the past and were on St. Johns and found SAMe didn't work - that's why. Also for SAMe to be delivered for its full benefits for either joint health or mood it relies on getting a ride on the back of a B complex supplement and also Methyl Folate so it is not optional, you must take those along with SAMe or again, you will not experience the benefits of SAMe. Trust me, as someone with metal plates and screws in my body and not feeling a thing I have gone above and beyond to research, read, discuss how to utilize the most natural pain reliever on the planet. And I'm fine. Also the highest reviewed brand and most oft mentioned brand of SAMe in publications is 'Nature Made' enteric coated tablets. Fast fwd a little bit, the depression is level but I'm not jumping for joy because of life events. Those same drastic life events have triggered anxiety so I began to read again. I discovered that I may be fueling the anxiety with the use of GABBA and SAMe combined so needing the joint pain supplement over anything else I got rid of the GABBA. I didn't feel the GABBA added or benefited me so I have kept it out. Yet, the anxiety seemed to linger and direct my emotions way too much. Continuing my search and reading I found and added L-Theanine 200mg (one in the morning and one at night) and all I can say is HUGE help! Almost right away in fact, it helped to contain the frazzled, hormonal frustration that I want to pull out my hair brand anxiety and irrational outburst. Those also helped with the rare, mild, systemic panic attacks (have not had one since taking L-Theanine). I also added an Adaptogen and those really helped! Ashwagandha took away the stress in my stomach, that deep looming gloom doom feeling you know you have no reason for but grips you and your nerve endings (Weyland makes one). Yet still in all of this, that happy, jovial me was missing. And with life on an upswing, getting control over anxiety I especially wanted that part of me back, dammit. I've read a lot over this last year and tried a few of this and that and diet changes included but all the while I will NOT take RX meds. I've read so much I don't even recall how I came upon Lithium Orotate but I, like many others, when I would think of Lithium it conjured up images of late 1800's mental asylums with people locked in shackles on lithium! As I read and read and read I could NOT believe the constant positives I was hearing while learning about the vast differences between prescription Lithiums and Lithium Orotate. So I ordered a bottle. This is the part where I could sould like a commercial but I'm going to be real and raw because if what I describe is you then you will, like I was, be near tears by the end to even THINK there is something this good that could help: As mentioned earlier, I've been stapled to the earth for a long time. With the help of SAMe I could get up and go function outside in the real world but once I got back home it was like crawling back into a dark cave. On my days home, I rarely got dressed into clothes I wasn't prone to sleep in, things I would need to do that day wound up on next weeks list then the next week then the next month and these are just general things you no longer care about. I stopped doing makeup, fixing up my hair, caring about clothes, hanging with friends but when absolutely needed, I could function and not cry all the time. My world was flat, monotone, my car always dirty, my dogs needing to get out and run in the park (we have a yard but still they deserve it) and even though I live right by the beach in Southern California, I figured that if I've seen one beautiful Socal sunset, I've seen them all. That's pretty dang sad! Dishes all dirty? Screw it, shove them to the side - again, for another week - buy styrofoam and let the planet die. 'I Do Not care' has been my mantra. Three weeks ago when I ordered the Weyland Lithium Orotate I could not have been more grateful for Prime's fast shipping. I went to the Amazon locker armed with a bottle of water to rip open the box in my car and to get a pill in my system straight away. I initiated my body with one 5mg in the morning and one 5mg at night. By day two I woke up and playfully danced around the kitchen with my dogs as I prepared their breakfast, "wow. I haven't done that in a long time". Day three, I found myself humming a tune as I went from room to room to grab a water out of the fridge or to go to the bathroom. Something funny was said on Tv and I may have smiled and chuckled before but now it was actually funny and I belted out laughter. Was that me?? So I backed up the scene, replayed it and low and behold Yes! it was funny and Yes! that was me laughing! So I smiled a huge smile, reached down grabbed my dogs tennis ball that I often ignore and threw it around for her to chase. Day four, woke up, sang to my dogs as I made their breakfast and while I waited for my coffee I did my dishes - wth?!... For freak sake!! I stopped, realized what was happening and broke down crying with relief that I was 'back'. That was only after about five days. That evening, I went down to the beach, sat down on the sand and watched the sunset and have been making myself go every night ever since because although I do feel better, when you are in a long-term arrangement with depression you develop habits. Sitting around has been one of them. I have been taking the 5mg in the morning and then one again in the evening the first two weeks and although I felt like it was helping there was still a lull I felt should not be there so I dug into reading regarding dosage. Along the way I found out a few things a.) the mineral flushes out of the system via the kidneys and the turn-around time is about twelve hours so with that I spaced my dosage to twelve hours apart; b.) for persons struggling with mild depression they may see results as early as the first day or two but with more long-term, deeper depression the beginning of benefits may - like me - take four, five to seven days and up to ten days to know if the dosage is working - so be patient and pace yourself, allow your body to adjust to figure out what you need. Personally, I'm sick and tired of just 'hoping' something works and winging it when it doesn't fully work. I want answers so I am going to figure this out. At the end of two weeks, as noted, I felt I needed more so I upped my morning dosage to 10mg and then just the 5mg twelve hours later in the evening. This is what I'm on now so after another week or so I'll know how I am but that morning bump, adding another 5mgs seems to carry me better throughout the day. I also discovered that Weyland makes a 10mg but for now I want to just take two 5mg in the morning and one in the eve to see what this does but the 10mg's are there if it works for me. Also it's good to know that 10mg is available and the directions for the 10mg are the same as the 5mg - to take one capsule per day further assuring me that taking two 5mgs at once is safe. I have read of people experiencing brain fog but I can't speak to that, I'm pretty clear-headed throughout the day. I am, however, disappointed that I am not gaining the benefits many speak of regarding a better nights sleep but I am aware that my struggle with insomnia is directly related to a hormonal later-in-life matter so I am addressing that with Emerita Pro-Gest Cream (it happens, ladies! you can't run from it! lol... god, help us.) Because of the benefits I am getting from the Lithium Orotate I thought I could stop the SAMe so I did. Within a few days I was having pretty bad pain in my joints where the metal hardware is so I quickly started back on that same dosage of SAMe. During those days as the SAMe was flushing out of my system the benefits of the Lithium were the same. So I don't feel the SAMe is necessarily contributing to a combined benefit, so to speak. As a sidenote, if anyone wants to know or you know someone fighting joint pain I absolutely recommend SAMe! While I'm on it I feel normal and not trying to function while ignoring even a mild pain. I never realized just how much it helps until I stopped taking it. With that, I launched out looking to find out if SAMe and the Lithium would contradict and it does not but in that search I found out to NOT take any NSAID like Advil, ibuprofen or naproxen (Aleve) or an ibuprofen based RX like Celebrex but it is ok to take Tylenol. Apparently the properties of the Ibuprofen exacerbate the lithium levels and while that may sound like a good thing, to have the increase in this particular manner actually is not. So if you are going to take the Lithium Orotate and need to reach for a pain reliever, be safe and reach for the Tylenol. My house is getting cleaned up, slowly but I care about it and that is saying a lot. I care about getting up, I care about my health, I care about how I look and have scheduled a hair appointment for 'the works' and baby, I am going to spoil myself - and I actually care that I do that for myself. I'm playing with my dogs, I'm getting out and going on walks and when I look around me I smile, I talk to people and laugh instead of just ducking away not wanting to see or talk to anyone. It's strange but once I'm out there, I'm talking, smiling... . I'm me. Some of my irrational fears and social fears still hit me when I am preparing to go out in the world for whatever I need to do but the difference is the fears don't follow me there. As I'm driving someplace, on bad depressive days I would just drive with no radio or turned down low because it would grind on me. The other day I opened a cabinet to look for something and came across a pile of old CD's. I quickly looked through them, pulled aside a few to upload to my playlist for when I go on my walks along the boardwalk. Before, I would have found them to be an annoyance and in the way of what I was trying to find in that cabinet. Little things. Things that you noticed you would do when you first began to change and have had to learn to live with because it's like it's just there, it wouldn't go away and you would surprise yourself with irrational outburst or frustrations. I can not believe the most stupid of stuff would piss me off. But no, "This" is the me I always knew was still in there somewhere. I can't say "try it" because we're all different but I will say please be discerning, be wise and always, if you are currently under the care of a medical professional for any condition and/ or taking medications either Rx or OTC, please talk to your dr. first about taking Lithium Orotate. I have been looking for years for something especially after life threw me down into a deep valley and I realized I struggle with an inherited predisposition to deep, long-lasting, depressive episodes and anxiety. In my darkest days I didn't want to wake up anymore and before those days I foolishly thought I knew what hopelessness was but I had no idea it was as deep and dark and frightening as it is. I have been fighting out of this for a long time and although finding a bit of help along the way, Lithium Orotate gave me a firm grasp, a hand up - the giant shove out of this pit of despair that I have been longing for. I have read so many reviews on different products over the years and always hoped that one day I would be able to write one for the product that finally worked. The most amazing part of all of this for me is that I'm actually hopeful to rebuild my life, break off these depression induced bad habits, find activities and have tomorrows I can look forward to. In closing, I can genuinely say that it's so good to be alive again. Thank you, Weyland. ~ Bless you all ~

I don't review many things for Amazon, but I feel compelled to now. Please note: This is NOT the liver-destroying lithium carbonate that you need hundreds of milligrams of for it to do anything. Lithium carbonate is chemically altered so the pharmaceutical companies can patent it and make their requisite billions of dollars. Carbonate is the carrier to get the lithium over the blood-brain barrier, but it's a poor carrier so you need a ton of lithium when you take that type, and it consequently requires blood monitoring and can destroy organs like your liver. Lithium in its natural state actually comes straight from the earth, is needed by the human body in small amounts and is added to the water supplies in many towns, and the towns that have more of it have less crime. Lithium orotate is a natural way to take lithium, and it works just as well to end depression, suicidal thoughts, rage, anxiety and mood swings, without having to take dangerously high doses of it. Orotate is a much more efficient carrier for lithium over the blood-brain barrier, so you don't need remotely as much lithium doing it this way. Both our doctor and our local pharmacist feel that as long as you stick to 20mg of elemental lithium a day or lower, you don't need blood monitoring (each pill of this Weyland lithium orotate contains 5mg of elemental lithium). Check with your own doctors about this too, of course, and also double check about anything else you may be taking that could interact badly with it (for example, you shouldn't mix lithium with SSRIs without a doctor's monitoring, or combine it with amino acids like l-tryptophan or 5-HTP, because you could get a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome, a.k.a. too much serotonin). My 21-year-old daughter has suffered from bipolar I. disorder (yes, the more serious one with delusional mania) since she was in her late teens. 3 pills of this lithium orotate (15mg of elemental lithium total), once a day in the morning upon waking, taken with one Solgar sublingual vitamin B12 cobolamin as a necessary co-factor to aid absorption, has ended her extreme mood swings, anger, depression and anxiety, and she hasn't had an episode of delusional mania in several years. She even has a part-time job now. It's a HUGE improvement, and she's a totally different person now. It kept her awake when she took it at night, so she takes her dose in the morning when she wakes. (It makes some people sleepy, though, so those people take it once a day before bed instead.) It can take 4-6 weeks to really kick in, so try taking one pill a day during that time (5mg elemental lithium). Then if you still feel that's not enough, increase it to 2 lithium orotate pills once a day (10mg of elemental lithium total) with the B12 and give it another 4-6 weeks. In my daughter's case, she said she could feel a difference in the first couple weeks in her thoughts, and it only got better as the months went by. She said it has even helped her focus and memory. We have stuck by Weyland because the company makes high-quality supplements. I hope this helps anyone else out there who's suffering needlessly.

I've used lithium orotate off and on for the past 7 or so years. I have severe anxiety and sometimes can fall into a depression, but I don't have bipolar or other more severe issues. I've worked on many issues and have become a happier person with more control over my anxiety, but some months I need some help calming down. I've been taking another brand of lithium orotate but noticed some constant issues with broken pills, etc., which made me question quality. I decided on a whim to try this brand instead. It made a huge difference. I always felt pretty good on lithium orotate, but the effect was much more noticeable on this brand. I waited another couple of months and kept ordering bottles before leaving a review, just in case it was a fluke. I'm glad to say that it wasn't a fluke. For those who don't know, lithium orotate is a trace mineral which has studies backing the benefits. It helps me with my generalized anxiety and helps ease depression. My anxiety is much easier to control. Like other supplements and medications it is NOT a miracle pill, but it really helps me move forward and work through my issues. I'm happier, calmer and more pleasant to be around. I haven't noticed weight gain or any other side effects. I take one with dinner every evening. I have gone up to twice a day in the past with fantastic results, but for the first couple of days that can make me a bit drowsy- nothing too bad. It's cheap and I think it could really help people. I do think it's worth trying and I can't say enough how pleased I am with Weyland. (The brand)

I've been taking one capsule of this supplement for a week. Let me preface by saying that I am a healthy, active 39 year old woman with no diagnosed mental disorders (although some ex-boyfriends might disagree), but the past year has introduced some very stressful events in my life: a terminally ill pet, ailing parents, crushing demands at work, and a sports injury. I have felt like I'm in a permanent state of anxiety and my blood pressure responded by creeping up into the high-normal range. I began taking a garlic/hibiscus supplement for blood pressure, and it has really helped. I have especially noticed a difference in my sleep quality. However, this year of prolonged strain and sadness also took a toll on my mood and general well-being. I have been tense and sad much of the time, even when I knew I should be "in the moment" and joyful. In fact, when I remembered the "old me" from before, I would often cry, because I felt like that person was gone forever. My best friend was recently diagnosed as bipolar and her doctor suggested she try taking very low-dose lithium before going the prescription route (cool doc, eh?). She noticed such a difference in her mood from just 10mg a day that she sent me a week's worth of these 5mg pills to try. I truly can't believe the difference in me. A few hours after my first pill I found myself singing and dancing along to music in my apartment, something I had all but stopped doing. I've slowed down and noticed things in the moment, rather than letting anxiety about the future hold me in a vice. I have fewer runaway thoughts - you know, those vicious cycle patterns that keep you up from 2am onward? Much less common now. I've been able to think more clearly about my pet's end of life decisions, which previously would just paralyze me or cause me to panic. I've started to feel just a bit of light breaking through clouds that I thought were impenetrable. I did at one point try taking 10mg in a day and it was far too much - it made me feel very hyper and detached. So I will stick with 5mg every day or every other day. I also haven't quite figured out if morning or evening is the best time for a dose, but I am going with mornings for now. I am very sensitive to most medications, even supplements, so sticking with the minimum is probably right for me. I'm amazed by all this, and very grateful.

update in nov 2020: I stopped taking it for a while and ended up an anxious mess. I started taking it a few days ago and my mood has calmed down. I'm even dancing and feeling cheery about things. I am able to not be disturbed by anxious and intrusive thoughts. I will start taking this daily from now on. I have been using this sporadically for my mood issues. I have experienced a more calm and even feeling after taking this supplement. I do not take it everyday or on a particular schedule. After doing research on the benefits of lithium orotate as a natural alternative to the lithium prescribed by doctors, and its overall benefits on mood and attention, I believe I have made the right decision. I experienced extreme agitation and melancholy as a child. I was a highly functioning depressed person, who occasionally felt "undisturbed" and sometimes felt hypomanic. I have done extensive research on natural supplements that are supposed to help depressed and bipolar people and most of them either made me manic (rhodiola rosea and GABA) or made me feel so sedated I couldn't think straight (inositol and choline). I was in the same predicament with natural supplements that I was in with RXs. If you are thinking about purchasing this supplement, then you have probably done your own research. If my experience is an indication, then you will probably experience a calmer and more even mood. Instead of obsessing over every negative thought and blowing it up in my mind, I could see and feel the thought pass through my mind without becoming agitated. I knew that my problems and fears were still there, so it's not as if I was numb to life, but I didn't feel like I was drowning or going hyper and irritable all the time. As with any natural supplement, use with caution and remember that the positive and negative reviews here are the experiences of the reviewers. I really hope that if you do decide to purchase this product, you will experience the same calm that I have experienced. In fact, I have not had a major depressive episode or felt suicidal since taking this pill. I was a complete mess that could not be helped my exercise, meditation, ASMR videos, other natural supplements (and trust me, I tried every type of lecithin and lemon balm and chamomile and valerian root there was), or prescription meds. I always had an ache in my heart, and this pill has taken it away and allowed me to see through the fog. The best part is, I am still functional in school and creatively energetic. I am not drugged or sedated! God bless Weyland!

I chose this product specifically after doing my reading up on the brand/company. I do not choose products easily and am the queen of experimenting with supplements. I know just enough to keep me out of trouble and determine if something is working or not. I did an exorbitant, but necessary, amount of reading about Lithium Orotate and tempered my expectations accordingly. I work in clinical healthcare AND have mental health issues; ADHD, Binge Eating disorder, anxiety, depression, PTSD. FOR STARTERS. THIS. PRODUCT. IS. AMAZING. I could absolutely tell I felt different on 5 mg. Slept better/deeper but not consistently, but that's an improvement. Felt calmer, LESS REACTIVE and not as easy to anger. I could go on but for the sake of brevity and accidentally giving medical advice, I will stop here. This is a good product and I would encourage people interested to DO YOUR READING, do not confuse this with Lithium Carbonate (still elemental Lithium, but dosed very differently at levels that can have side effects that give this essential mineral salt such a bad reputation) and if you are on certain meds, DO NOT MIX THIS unless you are 100% certain or have your physician's approval. This is commonly given to improve the theraputic value of SOME antidepressants, but not all. Be careful. I will answer specific questions if possible.

I genuinely do enjoy the benefits of this product, my personal experience is on the same page as many other peoples' positive reviews for it. I researched the side effects so I wouldn't be surprised. Stuff was going great. HOWEVER ---------- After a few weeks of taking it I noticed I was using the bathroom a lot more. And more. To the point I would REALLY have to go and nothing would come out. I still tried to put it out of my mind and kept taking it until I started to feel a weird dull cramping sensation around my bladder that would wake me up in the mornings. It was at that point I decided I'd rather just be a little more frazzled than I'd like to be than stress my body out with possible irreparable damage to such an important organ system. Everyone's body is different so please don't be afraid to try it, this experience happened gradually to me. Once it got to the point that that dull pain stayed with me for a whole day, even while using the bathroom, I immediately stopped taking it. My bathroom use is back to normal and that weird crampy feeling is gone. Just had to be transparent because I know if you're looking at lithium orotate for your own mental health, you're really serious about it (people don't just google this stuff for fun). I wish I didn't have to choose but it is what it is Good luck on everyone's mental health!

I'm sharing this review because (a) I'm overjoyed that this supplement has opened up many new possibilities for me, and (2) as a clue for those who may be dealing with something similar to what I was dealing with. For around 15 years I've dealt with an unsolved problem that limited the amount of physical exercise I could do. If I did too much (be it lifting a few weights in the gym or even carrying too many groceries), I would become very uncomfortably anxious and irritable, sometimes for up to 3 days. This led to the avoidance of most types of exercise. Exercise had been a source of joy for me, one that I was mostly cut off from. For years the primary suspects were testosterone or serotonin. Later, blood sugar was a suspect. But any attempts to tweak these to head off the effects of exercise were unsuccessful. Recently, a doctor diagnosed me with a type of autonomic dysfunction called _orthostatic hypotension_ (low blood pressure when standing up). After some Googling, I discovered there was a category of orthostatic hypotension called hyperadrenergic orthostatic hypotension, where one's adrenal/fight-or-flight system gets very active. The description (anxiety, dilated pupils, etc.) matched my symptoms very closely. It appeared that the true culprit was noradrenaline. Lithium orotate was one of the first supplements I tried to modulate this hypothesized excess of noradrenaline -- and it was an incredible shock to find that IT WORKED after all these years. In fact, I'm still a bit shocked. Previously, could not lift weights even once per week without triggering days of grumpiness and anxiety. I have lifted weights nearly every day for 3-4 weeks in a row and lithium orotate heads off any issues. One or two capsules whenever I feel irritability coming on (for a total of 20-30mg/day) is a small price to pay to be able to exercise again. It's incredible; I feel very grateful to be able to exercise vigorously again at 34 years old.

I got it for my friend and he is really happy with it