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Lithium, like lead, is an element, not a drug. And lithium, like lead, has a significant environmental impact on the general population -- specifically, on behavior. And the current lack of lithium in our environment is detrimental to us, and not what we evolved for, just as the past prevalence of lead within our environment was.


"Element" and "Drug" are in no way mutually exclusive.


> the current lack of lithium in our environment is detrimental to us, and not what we evolved for

That's a pretty bold claim.


Without touching any of the other things you said, the lithium that's given as medication isn't elemental – it's in the form of lithium carbonate.


If elemental lithium were given, it would react violently with the water in the patient's body:

2 Li + 2 H2O --> 2 LiOH + H2

You can't really find elemental lithium anywhere on Earth, for much the same reasons you can't find elemental sodium or potassium.


How did this lack of lithium come about? How would a human 50000 years ago ingest larger doses of lithium?


You're not actually advocating for artificial introduction into the water supplies are you?


Yeah you're the authority on what we've been evolved for all right.


> And the current lack of lithium in our environment is detrimental to us, and not what we evolved for, just as the past prevalence of lead within our environment was.

Much like weed or cocaine.




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