Lithium in scalp hair of adults, students, and violent criminals: effects of supplementation and evidence for interactions of lithium with vitamin B12 and with other trace elements

The lithium content of human hair shows an approximately linear response to extradietary lithium supplementation at dosage levels of up to 2000 micrograms/d. From the mean hair lithium concentration of 0.063 micrograms/g in 2648 predominantly American adults, and the reference hair lithium concentra...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBiological trace element research Vol. 34; no. 2; p. 161
Main Authors Schrauzer, G.N. (University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA), Shrestha, K.P, Flores-Acre, M.F
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.08.1992
Subjects
ADDITIF ALIMENTAIRE
ADITIVOS ALIMENTARIOS
Adult
ADULTE
ADULTOS
ADULTS
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR
Cobalt - analysis
COMPORTAMIENTO AGRESIVO
COMPORTEMENT AGRESSIF
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC
DIAGNOSTICO
ELEVE
ESTUDIANTES
FOOD ADDITIVES
HAIR
Hair - chemistry
Heart Diseases - metabolism
Humans
LITHIUM
Lithium - administration & dosage
Lithium - analysis
LITIO
Manganese - analysis
Mental Disorders - metabolism
OLIGOELEMENT
OLIGOELEMENTOS
PELO
POILS
Scalp
STUDENTS
TRACE ELEMENTS
Trace Elements - analysis
Violence
Vitamin B 12 - metabolism
VITAMIN B12
VITAMINA B12
VITAMINE B12
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Summary:The lithium content of human hair shows an approximately linear response to extradietary lithium supplementation at dosage levels of up to 2000 micrograms/d. From the mean hair lithium concentration of 0.063 micrograms/g in 2648 predominantly American adults, and the reference hair lithium concentrations determined in the present study, the mean lithium intakes were calculated to be 730 micrograms/d. Hair lithium concentrations were extremely low in nearly 20% of the American samples, and in samples collected in Munich, Germany and Vienna, Austria. Hair lithium levels are low in certain pathological conditions, e.g., heart disease, in learning-disabled subjects, and in incarcerated violent criminals. The highest levels were observed in samples of a lithium-treated psychiatric patient. A statistically highly significant direct association was observed between the hair lithium and cobalt concentrations, which suggests a role of lithium in the transport and distribution of vitamin B12. Interactions of lithium with other trace elements are also discussed.
Bibliography:9319768
S20
ISSN:0163-4984
1559-0720
DOI:10.1007/BF02785244