Lithium levels in drinking water and risk of suicide.
Although lithium is known to prevent suicide in people with mood disorders, it is uncertain whether lithium in drinking water could also help lower the risk in the general population. To investigate this, we examined lithium levels in tap water in the 18 municipalities of Oita prefecture in Japan in relation to the suicide standardised mortality ratio (SMR) in each municipality. We found that lithium levels were significantly and negatively associated with SMR averages for 2002-2006. These findings suggest that even very low levels of lithium in drinking water may play a role in reducing suicide risk within the general population.
Ohgami
Hirochika
H
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Oita University, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
Terao
Takeshi
T
Shiotsuki
Ippei
I
Ishii
Nobuyoshi
N
Iwata
Noboru
N
D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008094:Lithium / Q000032:analysis*; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
D008094:Lithium