Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#1

Post by known » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 4:31 AM UTC

Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)
researchgate.net

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#2

Post by labster » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:06 AM UTC

(1990)

Anyone know of newer research on this topic?

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#3

Post by OlympusMonds » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:07 AM UTC

This seems dumb. I'm sure poisoning the water supply would also reduce the crime-rate.

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#4

Post by jhoechtl » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:08 AM UTC

As did getting rid of lead in gas and as a material water pipes have been made of.

As did gaming consoles.

As did cable tv.

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#5

Post by olliej » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:08 AM UTC

labster wrote: post #2

(1990) Anyone know of newer research on this topic?

oof, yeah that's questionable if it hasn't had an update since then.

It's dangerously in the realm of things that sound plausible, and so are believed blindly. (Speed in water supply improves productivity, PCP in water increases crime, Dihydrogen Monoxide in the water supply causes drowning)

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#6

Post by mediterrenean » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:09 AM UTC

Correlation does not imply causation.

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#7

Post by TylerE » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:09 AM UTC

jhoechtl wrote: post #4

As did getting rid of lead in gas and as a material water pipes have been made of. As did gaming consoles. As did cable tv.

None of those are used as medication for a psychiatric condition, though.

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#8

Post by klodolph » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:15 AM UTC

mediterrenean wrote: post #6

Correlation does not imply causation.

Right, but lithium is perhaps one of the more well-studied psychiatric medications, and the drug with the best evidence for its effects at mood stabilization.

The question, then is different. We know that lithium has certain theraputic effects at 0.6-1.2 mmol/L blood concentrations. In this range, it is a powerful and effective mood stabilizer. What, then, are the effects of lithium at lower concentrations?

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#9

Post by droithomme » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:33 AM UTC

olliej wrote: post #5

labster wrote: post #2

(1990) Anyone know of newer research on this topic?

oof, yeah that's questionable if it hasn't had an update since then. It's dangerously in the realm of things that sound plausible, and so are believed blindly. (Speed in water supply improves productivity, PCP in water increases crime, Dihydrogen Monoxide in the water supply causes drowning)

Good point. 30 yr old study announcing dramatic findings with no subsequent replication studies. Reasonable to look at it with caution.

Re: Lithium in drinking water and crimes, suicides related to drug addictions (1990)

#10

Post by olliej » Mon, Mar 04, 2019, 5:36 AM UTC

OlympusMonds wrote: post #3

This seems dumb. I'm sure poisoning the water supply would also reduce the crime-rate.

I'm sure the implication is "anti anxiety" (I think lithium is that class?) drugs in water supply reduce crime, rather than anything else