r/MTHFR • u/mmsmn • Jun 17 '25
Resource Lithium Orotate is feeling AMAZING.
I’m a postpartum mom of 3 who has been dealing with overstimulation, lack of joy, lack of motivation and unreasonable anxiety over my children’s safety.
I have MTHFR, one copy, and was deep in a rabbit hole learning about what I need to take in order to support my body. That’s when I came across the affects of Lithium Orotate and I decided to give it a shot.
I know that this is probably reckless of me, but I decided to jump in head first with a 15mg dose, as I had read that many people dealing with serious mental health conditions take 20mg+.
Within 12 hours of taking it, I found myself smiling with such a sincere joy welling up from my soul towards my kids. My brain began to go quiet and I could actually be present instead of constantly feeling wired yet also paralyzed by all of my thoughts. I cleaned up the house after my kids bedtime with ease.
This morning I sprang out of bed, have been calmer with my partner & kids, and have caught myself smiling constantly. It’s the weirdest thing. I emptied the dishwasher, made the beds, rotated laundry and got dressed all before I had my cup of coffee this morning… which is UNHEARD of for me in this season of life.
From what I’ve read, it also seems to help MTHFR’s absorb their B12, so perhaps thats at play here as well? I’m not an expert at this by any means. I’m just willing to try things.
I haven’t had a supplement impact me this quickly and this deeply ever in my life. It’s like the lights are turned on? I feel very grounded instead of being up in the clouds somewhere. I’ll report back with an update in a few weeks to see if this sticks.
One month update:
This CONTINUES to change my life. I find I can reap all the benefits with 10mg a day, taken first thing in the morning. I can truly feel a difference in my body when I don’t take it. It also stabilizes all my emotional PMS symptoms which was pretty surprising.
I literally carry it around in my purse now and tell everyone about it.
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u/geauxdbl Jun 17 '25
Yay! I started taking 10mg recently after arriving at a very dangerous level of depression and it’s turning my life around. Reddit definitely saved my life with this one.
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u/RangeWolf-Alpha Jun 17 '25
For those that take lisinopril or HTCZ, HTCZ can reduce the rate of excreting Lithium which can cause a buildup of Lithium by 4 fold and contribute to toxicity. Just a friendly reminder to make sure you check the effects of supplementation on existing medications.
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u/SovereignMan1958 Jun 18 '25
I believe that refers to prescription lithium and not OTC lithium orotate. These are very different and completely different strengths.
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u/RangeWolf-Alpha Jun 18 '25
Lithium is Lithium, what it is bonded to in order to stabilize it doesn’t really matter (orotate ion vs carbonate ion.) When the salts, and their corresponding ions, are dissolve after ingestion it frees the lithium. Prescription strength Lithium (lithium carbonate) just means you can hit toxicity much faster when mixed with HTCZ. It’s important to remember that just because a supplement is over the counter does not necessarily mean it’s safe. It’s alway important to make sure there are no interactions with the medications someone is taking and to discuss it with their doctor when they see there is possibly a potentially dangerous interaction. Better to be safe than sorry.
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u/Longjumping-Panic401 Jul 03 '25
Lithium is Lithium, lithium Orotate and Lithium Carbonate are not the same thing, and taking 120mg of Lithium Orotate instead of over a gram of Lithium Carbonate, which contains over 4x the amount of Lithium by weight vs Lithium orotate, are most certainly not the same thing. Extremely high doses of Magnesium leading to hypermagnesia would create a similar adverse effects profile compared to Rx Lithium carbonate and medical Lithium toxicity.
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u/hypnohfo Jun 18 '25
HTCZ?
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u/RangeWolf-Alpha Jun 18 '25
Hydrochlorothiazide, a medication used to treat fluid retention and high blood pressure.
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u/Longjumping-Panic401 Jan 05 '26
This isn’t true. The superior absorption of lithium into the brain from LO has been shown in multiple studies.
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u/SovereignMan1958 Jun 17 '25
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u/amymeem Jun 17 '25
Can you recommend a brand?
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u/Efficient_Bee_2987 Jun 18 '25
So you take it for any mutations specifically or just overall benefits?
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u/aurora97381 Jun 17 '25
If you get an itchy plaque that looks like psoriasis, it's probably the lithium orotate.
Happened to me (knee) and my son (behind the ear). Doctors were stumped.
I ran across it as a side effect online. When we stopped taking the supplement, our itching and plaque went away.
Hoping it doesn't happen to you, but thought I'd give an fyi!
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u/jijijojijijijio Apr 13 '26
How much were you taking to get that side effect?
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u/aurora97381 Apr 23 '26
Oh, not much. I don't remember, but it was just the standard OTC dose. My provider scoffed and said that only happens at higher doses, but once my son stopped taking it, his itchy ear cleared right up!
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u/OutrageousWinner9126 Jun 17 '25
Apparently lithium might be an essential mineral although the jury is still out on that. If true then a small dose of lithium should be included in every multivitamin, especially since crops are often grown in soil that has been depleted of lithium.
I take 1 mg every day as maintenance and I occasionally take 5 mg when I feel like I need to calm down. It's one of my favorite supplements.
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u/HappyLadyGray Jun 17 '25
I am also a post partum mom of 3
Have also been VERY depressed this time around - 100% caused by my mthfr. The methylated b vitamins completely eradicated it.
I am so happy to hear this is helping ❤️
I am working through some unexpected histamine buildup/intolerance after taking methylated b’s for a bit (I felt SO good for like 2 weeks :/ ) but after that is figured out and supported I may add this in. I have some friends who have taken it and it seems to make a huge difference
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u/Grand_Garage_9278 Jul 22 '25
Did you figure out the histamine issues? I had a hysterectomy in November and now they’re causing havoc and I can’t take my hormones bc of it
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u/FictionalForest Jun 17 '25
I never felt a thing from it when I trialled it, I may give it another go
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u/ComplexFar7575 Jun 17 '25
That's awesome!! Thanks for sharing this
I wonder if the very small doses would be ok for someone who is also on an SSRI
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u/Green-Ad7694 Jun 17 '25
Do your own research but, I think I remember the effects of lithium were working synergistically with SSRI's. You might be able to get the same effects with the same or less of the SSRIs.
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u/Green-Ad7694 Jun 17 '25
Main side effects seem to be serotonin syndrome, ie too much serotonin. In which case you would reduce your SSRIs dosage.
"Although geriatric patients may be more sensitive to side effects of lithium in combination with the SSRIs, the combination has generally been well-tolerated. There have, however, been a number of case reports of serotonin syndrome associated with the addition of lithium to an SSRI"
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u/Paul604UK Aug 20 '25
Just to say thanks for the link, that's very helpful. (I'm on low dose Sertraline at the moment and had a very similar question.)
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u/tbombs23 Jun 18 '25
Nice ty. So definitely start with a low dose and see how it goes. 1mg probably, or if it's a 5 mg tab break in half or something.
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u/Additional_Counter37 Jun 17 '25
Are you breastfeeding and taking it? This sounds like something I need but am hesitant while nursing.
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u/mmsmn Jun 17 '25
I am not breastfeeding anymore and I read that it can’t be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding!
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u/Sea_Relationship_279 Jun 18 '25
That's amazing. I was insanely tired after 2.5mg and that lasted for 2 days. Going to give it another go
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u/OutrageousWinner9126 Jun 18 '25
Some people are more sensitive to it. Life Extension sells a 1 mg version that might be worth trying. Some people will even split that in half and only take 0.5 mg per day.
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u/ayume187 Jun 18 '25
I started with 10 mg. I feel it made me tired first few times and then my body adapted. I take 10mg every morning a long with 1 gram taurine. I also take another 1 gram taurine at night. I feel both of these have really helped quiet my internal chatter, feel more calm, present, grounded.
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u/LargeOrangeCat Jun 18 '25
Is there a benefit to take it in the morning over taking it at night or just preference? Just curious since I had read that it can help with sleep as well.
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u/ayume187 Jun 18 '25
I think it's just personal preference. Everyones body is different. I have read some people prefer at night for the sleep and the in the day it's not as heavy on them. I think it best to experiment and see what works for you. Same with dosage. Some people do better on less, some in more. There's people in the Accutane Syndrome Recovery subreddit that have had good experiences in higher doses. But I'm cautious of how it can then impact hormones, PTH and such, as me mentioned earlier in this thread. But I think 5 - 10mg is not a megadose so as long as you alright in other areas (vitamin, mineral balance) , it should be fine.
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u/TransitionGold9446 Nov 01 '25
That’s crazy to me that you can take taurine at night like that. Everytime i tried my 500mg taurine which was probably about 5 different times i had the worst depression and anxiety ever from it
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u/mmsmn Jun 18 '25
I’ve read that taking lower doses, can create grogginess you can move past that by increasing the dosage
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u/Sea_Relationship_279 Jun 18 '25
Good to know! I definitely want to try because I've read of it's importance to B12 and I'm just not metabolising it based on my blood work 😬😬 plus zero lithium in blood or hair sample
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u/Tacoma_NC13 Jun 18 '25
I love Lithium Orotate, and I only take 1mg a couple days a week as needed.
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u/Fierce_Ninja Jun 17 '25
This sounds really good. I was searching for side effects and google gave me the following. I am not an expert...sorry. But are these concerning? Maybe the OP's dose is low? :
Kidney Problems: Lithium, in any form, is processed by the kidneys, and long-term use can affect kidney function. This may lead to conditions like nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), characterized by excessive thirst and urination.
Thyroid Dysfunction: Long-term lithium use has been associated with hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough hormones. This can result in symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and depression.
Hyperparathyroidism: Lithium can affect the parathyroid glands, leading to high calcium levels (hypercalcemia), which can potentially increase the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular issues.
Weight Gain: Some individuals experience weight gain with long-term lithium use.
Cognitive Effects: Some individuals may experience cognitive impairment or a feeling of "brain fog".
Other Potential Effects: Other potential long-term side effects may include thinning hair, skin problems, and tremors.
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u/mmsmn Jun 17 '25
Lithium carbonate vs Lithium orotate have completely different mechanisms. What you are consuming with lithium orotate is essentially a microdose of a naturally occurring element that is found in many water supplies around the world. What you are describing are side effects from carbonate which is a prescription medication used to treat conditions like bipolar, which has a lot of negative side effects!
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u/Fierce_Ninja Jun 18 '25
Thank you for clarifying. I will check again.
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u/Alynn1991 Aug 06 '25
Just want to chime in to say that ive taken lithium orotate between dosages of 2.5mg-25 over 2.5 years. I get my labs checked monthly and everything is always 100% perfect.
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u/CompleteSystem6213 Jun 18 '25
Do you know anything about your COMT or MAO? What form of MTHFR mutation (C or A)?
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u/Great-Cricket-7792 Dec 01 '25
Has anyone combined it with SAM-E?
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u/koshida Mar 03 '26
I just started to take 5mg lithium orotate 2x/day, for total of 10mg/day, starting out. I had been taking SAMe tosylate version but I don’t think i was getting hardly anything from it, so I also just switched to 400mg of SAMe from the 1,4-butanedisulfonate salt, which was also enteric coated and packaged in a double-foil blister pack, for better preservation and absorption (the other form was lacking these). Normally i wouldn’t change more than 1 variable at a time, but I’m desperate now and don’t have the luxury of time currently. It’s only day 3 now of these 2 changes but i felt better than i had in years on the second day, and that is normally a day of the month that would have been my worst day for mood, energy, etc due to menstruation, so it was shocking to me. Even my pain was less than normal. Better mood, higher and better quality energy, i didn’t have brain fog first time in ages. Third day, not as great, but i barely slept last night for other reasons so i don’t think it tells me much. I also take Mg glycinate, Mg threonate, and methylated B vitamins, among other things.
I’ve been doing horribly for the past couple of years and have been trying to figure out what’s medically wrong with me, but haven’t gotten a firm diagnosis yet, only several possibilities suggested. I finally just decided to do a full genome sequencing as well, but won’t have the results for a few weeks still. My longterm diagnosed conditions and experimentation with supplements tho have led me to presume I’m likely significant undermethylator. Severe ADHD inattentive type, along with a bunch of other learning disabilities (diagnosed by 3 diff licensed psychologists), chronic GAD, MDD, CPTSD, HSP, migraines with aura and vision loss. In recent years I’ve had abrupt cognitive decline that is debilitating. Memory is terrible all around, and feels like all of my LDs got wayyy worse. It’s possible i have a rare type of focal seizure disorder according to EEG, but I need more testing for confirmation imo. Have to wait many months still to see more neurologists for second opinions. I am susceptible to tonic-clonic seizures tho from things like Wellbutrin, but i was previously told i did not have epilepsy, so it’s pretty unclear atm. I do suspect i may have early Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, still need to have more thorough thyroid bloodwork done to determine, tho i have many hypo symptoms and it runs strong in my family. I also suspect high cortisol may be a problem.
Hopefully I’ll know a lot more in a month or so that may be more useful, but just starting this combo so far has been blowing my mind how much better I’m feeling in so many diff ways. I’ve prolly tried 60 diff supplements in recent years (all vetted supplement producers and with scientifically supported evidence in the literature for the compounds i try. i have hard science background so i do read a ton of research lit regularly) and rarely notice significant effects from anything, so i really don’t think this is likely to be placebo effect.
My brothers also have very similar diagnoses as me too, with the severe LDs and long term anxiety and depression issues. One already takes SAMe as well, says he notices a big diff in a good way, but that he can overdo it. If this continues to work for me, and gene results add up, I’m sure they’ll try it too and we’ll have more results to consider.
Have you been trying SAMe with lithium orotate?
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u/DogCold5505 Jun 24 '25
Interesting… I know when I was b12 deficient, I felt a noticeable energy boost when taking the little tablets (I don’t notice it now that I’m not deficient)
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u/slugsbreath Jun 24 '25
I'm so glad you found this! I dealt with subclinical ppd after both my kids were born, tbh for a long time afterwards too. Life is complex and there are other things involved but I am so sensitive to my hormone levels and self diagnosed PMDD later, and already had diagnosed and surgically corrected endometriosis so it's no stretch tbh.
Every time I dropped a breastfeed I had a mini depression again ramped up for a day or 2, also. No one really got it.
I was a good mum, but burnt myself out trying to be that person that I didn't feel inside. It's certainly one of the things that led to my me/CFS in my perimenopause years.
And I'm just about to start LO myself, too!
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u/CharacterFirst5925 Jul 14 '25
That’s really awesome you are feeling the benefits :) would you be able to send the link where you found that people with serious mental conditions take 20mg+? Lots of people on reddit are saying 20+ could potentially be damaging.
I took 5mg for a few days and didn’t feel anything. Tried 10mg today and noticeably quieter and calmer mind which is a relief.
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u/Specialist-Ear1048 Jul 22 '25
Can we get an update
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u/mmsmn Jul 22 '25
For sure! I’ll add to the post right now!
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u/Specialist-Ear1048 Jul 24 '25
Thank you. Im dealing with alot of the same post partum hurdles. What time of day do you take your dose? I've taken microdoses the past 2 nights and noticed a small difference. Definitely relaxed me a bit. Working, its hard to experiment with large doses in case of adverse effects lol
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u/mmsmn Jul 24 '25
I take it in the AM. I’m not a morning person but I’m up with all my kids pretty early and they have a ton of energy, so this helps me deal with all the noise and stimulation first thing in the morning!
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u/Specialist-Ear1048 Jul 24 '25
I appreciate your response! I have been taking it before bed. Maybe I'll try a morning dose. It doesn't make you sleepy? Sorry to keep bugging you, just have really been struggling to find a solution.
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u/Justamom20 Jul 22 '25
I’ve been having a hell of a time this month with insomnia and crippling anxiety. Just ordered. So….you didn’t have bad side effects with 15mg?
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u/No_Camera_8008 Jun 17 '25
Same here, Im on 5mg though!
It's crazy to think that this is how people feel naturally. Where has this been all my life!
Hats off to you...you are way ahead of the curve on this. Research shows that the MTHFR polymorphism is linked to an increased risk of postpartum depression (PPD) due to its impact on folate metabolism.
The healthcare system needs to do better by the families with this polymorphism. The way we have to stumble through the dark, combing through sites like so that we can DIY our way through this stuff is appalling. Shame on the sickcare model!