The mood stabilizing effects of lithium are well documented and there are numerous studies showing that lithium has anti-suicidal properties.

In contrast to the daily dose usually administered in treatment of mood disorders, studies suggest that even doses at supplement level ingested via drinking water are associated with lower suicide rates of the corresponding population.

Over the recent years this finding has sparked much interest among different research groups. Even though not all studies are equivocal, the findings are promising and further investigations of lithium's effects as a supplement are warranted.

However, a substitution of drinking water with lithium cannot be recommended based on the existing ecological studies which can not by its nature prove causality.