Suicide is a major cause of death in the First World. In countries like Spain, in fact, there are between six and ten times more suicides than homicides, and the majority of deaths by suicide correspond to men. Therefore, this study carried out by Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London is particularly relevant.
He study suggests than natural lithium in public drinking water may have an anti-suicidal effect.
Lithium
The study included a systematic review and meta-analysis from all previous studies on the subject, conducted in Austria, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States, which correlated natural lithium levels in drinking water samples and suicide rates in 1,286 regions/counties / cities in these countries.
Published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, the study compiled research from around the world and found that geographic areas with relatively high levels or concentration of lithium in public drinking water they had correspondingly lower suicide rates.
Professor Anjum Memon, Chair of Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine at BSMS and lead author of the study, said:
It is promising that higher levels of lithium in drinking water may exert an anti-suicidal effect and have the potential to improve community health. The prevalence of mental health conditions and national suicide rates are increasing in many countries. Worldwide, more than 800,000 people die by suicide each year, and suicide is the leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24.
He lithium It is widely and effectively used as a medication for the treatment and prevention of manic and depressive episodes, stabilizes mood, and reduces the risk of suicide in people with mood disorders. Its anti-aggressive properties may help reduce impulsivity, aggression, violent criminal behavior, and chronic substance abuse.
Lithium is a natural element and is found in varying amounts in vegetables, grains, spices and drinking water. It is present in small quantities in virtually all rocks, and is mobilized by weathering in soils, groundwater and stagnant water, and therefore in the public water supply.
The health benefits and healing powers of natural lithium in water have been known for centuries. Recent studies have also linked lithium to a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. ANDThis increases the potential for its preventive use to combat the risk of dementia.
Next steps in our study could include testing this hypothesis through community randomized trials of lithium supplementation of the water supply, particularly in communities (or settings) with demonstrated high prevalence of mental health conditions, violent criminal behavior, chronic abuse of substances and suicide risk. This may provide additional evidence to support the hypothesis that lithium could be used at the community level to reduce or combat the risk of these conditions.
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The news
Suicides can drop significantly if we add lithium to public drinking water
was originally published in
Xataka Science
by
Sergio Parra
.