Did you know that drinking water satisfies our brains? Now research shows us that we have one more reason to drink a lot of water other than just for hydration. Scientists have discovered that the naturally occurring lithium in public drinking water might have an anti-suicidal effect that could be linked to lower suicide rates.

Lithium is widely and effectively used as a medication for the treatment and prevention of depression, stabilising moods, and reducing the risk of suicide in people with bipolar disorders. Many refer to Lithium as the ‘Magic Ion’ for its magical properties.

It consists of anti-aggressive properties that have proven to help reduce aggression, chronic substance abuse, impulsivity, and violent behaviour.

Its anti-aggressive properties can help reduce impulsivity, aggression, violent behaviour and chronic substance abuse.

Lithium is a naturally occurring mineral found in drinking water, grains, spices, and vegetables. Lithium is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal that is present in amounts in virtually all rocks, and is mobilised by weathering into soils, ground and standing water, and thus into the public water supply.

“It is promising that higher levels of trace lithium in drinking water may exert an anti-suicidal effect and have the potential to improve community mental health,” said study lead author Anjum Memon from Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) in the UK.

Published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, the study collated research from around the world and discovered that geographical areas with relatively high levels of concentration of lithium in public drinking water had correspondingly lower suicide rates.

The study involved systematic review and meta-analysis of all previous studies on the subject – conducted in Austria, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, UK, Japan, and the US – which correlated naturally occurring lithium levels in drinking water samples and suicide rates in 1,286 regions/counties/cities in these countries.

The health benefits and curative powers of naturally occurring lithium in water have been known for centuries.

The Lithia Springs, an ancient Native American sacred medicinal spring, with its natural lithium-enriched water, is renowned for its health-giving properties.

In fact, the popular soft drink 7-Up contained lithium when it was created in 1929.

Recently many studies have also linked lithium to the reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. This raises the potential for its preventative use to combat the risk of dementia.

This synthesis and analysis of all available evidence confirms previous findings of some individual studies and shows a significant relationship between higher lithium levels in drinking water and lower suicide rates in the community.

“These findings are also consistent with the finding in clinical trials that lithium reduces suicide and related behaviours in people with a mood disorder,” the study authors wrote.