The ongoing worldwide pandemic places the mental health of many communities on red alert. But there may be a remedy to ease the population-wide stress right under our nose.
According to a recent study from the UK, a team of psychiatric researchers found regions with a relatively higher concentration of lithium in tap water report fewer cases of suicide. Their discovery was based on systematic review and meta-analyses on mental health and environmental data collected worldwide.
Lithium, the lightest metal element, appears as a soft, silvery-white solid in its pure format. Occurring naturally in the soil, water systems, and minerals, it inevitably finds its way to organic life forms. The lithium salt is a standard treatment for bipolar disorder and helps alleviate schizoaffective disorder and major depression.
Even though the levels of lithium in tap water aren't nearly as high as in its recommended medicinal preparations for most geographical areas, scientists are confident that an elevated presence of lithium ions in drinking water can improve the mental stability of the local population, which results in a lower suicidal rate.
This latest discovery is published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Source: Seeker via Youtube