Just to raise awareness: Lithium influences thyroid metabolism and can cause a “well-regulated thyroid” to collapse, thereby triggering symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Lithium: the Most Important Anti-Aging Mineral according to Dr. Nehls
I find Dr. Nehls’s presentation to the EU Parliament excellent and very convincing. The epidemiological and experimental data are clear: Lithium is an enormously important trace element against Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
It is not for nothing that Nehls also points out in his presentation that shortly after this discovery, lithium was banned as a food supplement in the EU and its distribution is increasingly restricted,
which always a sure sign in Europe that we are dealing with a highly effective substance that could bring significant benefits to public health.
This lecture is absolutely worth listening to!
tooo bad, i did not find a youtube with english subtitles or even AI translated to english!
Patient shows clear reaction to lithium administration
A patient with almost uncontrollable anxiety was given two different SSRIs by her specialist – unfortunately, these were not particularly effective, as these medications primarily affect serotonin metabolism and less so GABA metabolism, which is more closely related to anxiety.
NB: Histamine can also trigger panic attacks; you just have to keep this in mind, and then, by asking questions about “time of day” or “dependence on histamine-containing foods,” you can identify the corresponding MCAS with cardiac symptoms and anxiety.
We found a weak thyroid in her case, and her Hashimoto’s (which, interestingly, can rarely, but still, trigger symptoms of hyperthyroidism) is not well controlled. We are optimizing her thyroid, and the symptoms of inner anxiety and restlessness are indeed improving.
The patient routinely returns to the specialist, who now prescribes a conventional (= high-dose) lithium preparation for anxiety; this is usually used as a prophylactic for bipolar disorder (manic-depressive), meaning he continues to interpret the patient’s symptoms as depression. Unfortunately, we do not have a laboratory test result that indicates whether we have a GABA or serotonin disorder.
I don’t understand much about it; perhaps her excruciating anxiety and inner restlessness are signs of bipolar disorder, which to diagnose is out of my price range.
In any case, after taking the lithium preparation, her anxiety worsens significantly, and she ends up back with us.
Of course, as a “general practitioner,” I don’t want to change anything about the specialist’s prescription, but I can research whether there might actually be a connection here.
You remember, the symptoms previously improved through thyroid optimization.
Can lithium affect the thyroid? —> YES
YES – Lithium can trigger hypothyroidism—rarely, but sometimes also hyperthyroidism.
Effect of lithium on the thyroid:
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid): Lithium inhibits the release of T3/T4, increases TSH → often leads to underactive thyroid. BioMed CentralPMCPubMed
- Subclinical hypothyroidism: Common with prolonged lithium therapy, often without symptoms. PubMed+1PMC
- Goiter (Cellulite): Caused by elevated TSH and structural changes in the thyroid gland. BioMed CentralNCBIPubMed
- Hyperthyroidism / Autoimmunity (rare): Partly caused by lithium-induced immune reactions. BioMed CentralPubMed
We have the patient equipped with this research sent back to the specialist with a request to review my lithium intake, and at the same time, the optimal thyroid adjustment was rechecked in the laboratory.
Frequency & Risk Factors
| Study / Overview | Findings |
| 237 lithium patients | Significantly higher rate of overt hypothyroidism (TSH >35 mU/L) than expected. PubMed |
| 718 patients | Clinical hypothyroidism in 10.4% (women 14% vs. men 4.5%). Risk particularly high between the ages of 40 and 59. PubMed |
| Structural changes | Long-term lithium: Elevated TSH/fT4, low fT3, larger thyroid, more nodules on ultrasound. PubMed |
| Subclinical Hypothyroidism | Prevalence varies widely (0–52%); more common in women, older age, autoimmunity, and longer lithium therapy. PMC |
| Autoantibodies & Goiter | 41% of lithium patients required levothyroxine vs. 6% of controls; Goiter in 54% vs. 19%. Autoimmunity was usually not the underlying cause. NCBI |
| Asian Study | 31.7% developed subclinical hypothyroidism; risk increased in women, high lithium levels, valproate, or antidepressants. BioMed Central |
- https://thyroidresearchjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-6614-6-3?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3568739/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19942149/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8514981/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1277025/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10221287/
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