Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Schrauzer, G.N. (University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA)
• Shrestha, K.P
• Flores-Acre, M.F

Titel

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

Ist Teil von

• Biological trace element research, 1992-08, Vol.34 (2), p.161-176

Ort / Verlag

United States

Erscheinungsjahr

1992

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• 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.