ALS MND Lithium Treatment
INFORMATION AND RESEARCH

http://alslithium.atspace.com/

QUICK LINKS:

Study Spreadsheet
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?k...jOcsItCl6frJMA

Study Graph
http://alslithium.atspace.com/graph.html


!! WARNING !!

Lithium in any form can be toxic. Lithium should not be taken without a doctor's supervision and frequent monitoring of blood levels!


Introduction

In November of 2007, researchers in Italy announced the results of a trial using Lithium Carbonate to treat 16 ALS patients, in which they claimed that progression was significantly slowed, and no patients died over the 15 month trial period. If the results are verified, they are unprecedented in ALS research. In fact, previous laboratory studies have demonstrated that lithium has numerous neuro-protective properties.

This website has been created to help spread information about lithium for treatment of ALS, and to gather data from ALS patients choosing to try or not to try lithium treatments in an attempt to verify the results of the Italian study.
http://alslithium.atspace.com/italian.html


If you are interested in Lithium as a potential therapy for ALS please participate in our study.
http://alslithium.atspace.com/own.html#participate

Update 2/4/08- The Italian Study has now been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences! You can view it HERE.

Update 2/9/08- We are now in collaboration with Patients Like Me. We encourage study participants in our study to also start a profile at their website.

Update 2/10/08- We are sad to report the passing of ALS columnist Leo Greene. A tribute to his life can be found at his newspaper's website..


http://alslithium.atspace.com/

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Lithium Dosage For Treatment of ALS

DOSAGE USED IN THE ITALIAN STUDY


Lithium carbonate was used. Start with 150 mg taken every 12 hours (300 mg/day). Goal is to obtain a blood lithium level of 0.4 to 0.6 mmol/l (or 0.4 to 0.6 mEq/l). Everyone’s body and kidneys processes lithium differently. Test lithium level 5 days after start of treatment, then test levels every week until appropriate level is obtained, then test monthly then every two months.

If a blood lithium level of 0.4 mmol/l is not reached after 2 weeks, increase dosage by taking another 150 mg pill at lunch time. If 0.4 mmol/l is still not achieved after another 2 weeks, increase to 600 mg/day. A few patients have ultimately found it necessary to increase dosage to 900 mg/day, but this should not be done unless 0.4 blood level has not been reached after at least 2 weeks at the 750 mg dosage..

Note: blood lithium levels should be measured in the morning, before taking the first lithium pill of the day.

FOR COMPARISON: DOSAGE FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER

Usually 450-1200 mg/day. During manic episodes blood level target at 0.8 to 1.2 mmol/liter, for regular maintenance 0.6 – 1.0 mmol/liter.
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Warning: Lithium Orotate and Lithium Chloride are NOT the same as Lithium Carbonate. We do not know the appropriate dosage for these Lithium salts and recommend sticking with Lithium Carbonate until the other forms are studied.
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