Study finds slightly higher risk of autism diagnosis in areas with more lithium in drinking water, but experts say more research is needed

Denmark's Drinking Water Linked to Slightly Higher Autism Risk in Children - But Experts Insist More Research is Needed.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics has found a modest increase in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis among children born to mothers who consumed higher levels of lithium, an alkali metal commonly used in batteries and treatments for bipolar disorder. The researchers analyzed data from 8,842 cases of ASD and compared it with a group of 43,864 participants without the condition.

According to the study's findings, as lithium levels in tap water increased, so did the risk of an ASD diagnosis. Specifically, children born to mothers who were exposed to higher levels of lithium had a 24% to 26% higher risk of ASD diagnosed compared to those with lower exposure levels. However, experts caution that this association does not show a direct causal link between lithium exposure and autism.

"It's an interesting association, but causation is definitely not proven," said Dr. Max Wiznitzer, director of the Rainbow Autism Center at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland. "We have to see if there's a viable and biologically plausible mechanism by which a small amount of lithium in the water supply can somehow do this, yet pharmacologic dosing of lithium in women with bipolar disorder has not been reported to be causing increased risk of ASD."

Lithium levels in drinking water are not regulated, according to the US Geological Survey. However, Denmark's level of lithium is similar to that found in American water systems.

Experts say that while this study provides valuable insights, more research is needed to confirm these findings and understand their implications for public health policy. "Any drinking water contaminants that may affect the developing human brain deserve intense scrutiny," said Dr. Beate Ritz, a professor of neurology and epidemiology at UCLA.

The study's results are complex, as they also highlight potential benefits of lower levels of lithium in drinking water. In 2021, research found that lower rates of hospitalization for psychiatric disorders and suicide were associated with exposure to higher levels of lithium in drinking water.

While this study provides a new lead, experts say that the basic biology of ASD is still not well understood, making it challenging to distinguish between causal and spurious associations. "We are bombarded with a variety of environmental stressors in our everyday lives," said Dr. Wiznitzer. "We have to figure out how to basically safely navigate them, and this is probably not one that's high on our list."

I'm thinking it's pretty fascinating how the research on lithium levels in drinking water being linked to autism diagnosis has sparked a lot of debate . On one hand, I can understand why experts would want to exercise caution and say more research is needed to confirm these findings. But on the other hand, isn't it interesting that there seems to be a potential connection between low lithium levels in drinking water and lower rates of psychiatric disorders and suicide? It's definitely worth exploring further.

I'm also kinda curious about how this study was conducted - what kind of data were they looking at and how did they control for other variables that might affect the outcome? And what does this say about our current understanding of autism spectrum disorder in general?

omg can you believe it?? so they're saying that the lithium levels in danish tap water might be linked to a slightly higher autism risk in kids... like what even is going on?! i mean i know there was some other study last year that said lower rates of hospitalization for psychiatric disorders and suicide were associated with exposure to higher lithium levels... but now it's like the opposite? i dont know, can we just keep drinking our water and hope for the best?! or should we be worried?!?!

this is kinda weird that we're already seeing effects from lithium exposure, considering it's used in treatments for bipolar... maybe we should be monitoring water levels more closely?

Wow! I mean, it's super interesting how scientists found a possible link between lithium levels in tap water and autism risk . 24-26% higher risk? That sounds pretty significant, right? But at the same time, experts are saying we need more research to confirm these findings before we can start drawing conclusions .

I don't think it's entirely accurate to say that Denmark's drinking water linked to a slightly higher autism risk in children... I mean, the study only found an association, not a direct cause-and-effect link. And let's be real, 24-26% is still a pretty small increase. Plus, didn't we already have research showing that lower levels of lithium in drinking water were associated with fewer hospitalizations for psychiatric disorders? So, like, isn't that kinda the opposite of what this new study is saying?

And can we talk about how much more research we need to do on this topic before we start making public health policy decisions based on these findings? Like, we can't just assume that a small amount of lithium in drinking water is causing autism because it's an interesting association. We need to be way more careful and cautious than that.

And what about the fact that experts are saying that the basic biology of ASD is still not well understood? That makes me think this study is only scratching the surface of the issue, but we're already jumping to conclusions...

This study's findings on the link between lithium levels in drinking water and autism risk are intriguing, yet cautionary . While a 24-26% increased risk of ASD diagnosis among children born to mothers with higher lithium exposure is concerning, I agree with experts that causation is not definitively proven . The lack of regulation on lithium levels in tap water is also a pressing concern . To fully grasp the implications for public health policy, more research is undoubtedly needed . Perhaps we can explore the potential benefits of lower lithium levels in drinking water, like reduced psychiatric hospitalizations and suicide rates mentioned earlier . Nonetheless, it's essential to prioritize caution when navigating complex environmental stressors .

omg like can you even believe what's going on in denmark?! i mean i'm all for knowing more about autism and stuff but 24-26% higher risk of asd diagnosed due to lithium levels in tap water is wild i feel like we need more research and stuff before we jump to any conclusions especially since experts are saying it's not a direct causal link what do u guys think tho? should we be worried about our drinking water?

I don’t usually comment but I think it’s kinda weird that they found a link between lithium levels in tap water and autism in kids . Like, 24-26% higher risk or whatever? It sounds like the study is saying that there might be some kinda connection but experts are all like "hold up, we need more research" .

I don’t know about the benefits of lower lithium levels being associated with better psychiatric outcomes . That sounds like a pretty small sample size to me. And what’s with the whole "we have to figure out how to safely navigate environmental stressors" vibe? Can’t they just, like, tell us what’s safe and what's not?

But honestly, I’m all for more research . If there’s even a tiny chance that lithium levels in tap water could be affecting autism rates, we should at least try to investigate it further . Maybe they can find some kinda threshold or something where the risk drops off?

omg, i'm all about being mindful of what we put into our bodies so this study about lithium in drinking water and autism risk is pretty concerning for me. i mean, it's not like we can just switch off the tap if there's lithium in it, right? but at the same time, 24-26% higher risk is a big deal...i feel like more research is definitely needed to figure out what's going on here and whether we should be taking any action. has anyone else heard about this?

omg i'm reading about some crazy study in denmark where they found a link between drinking water with higher levels of lithium (like what's used in batteries lol) and kids getting autism diagnoses . it's like, 24-26% higher risk or whatever but experts are all "hold up, we don't know if that's cause and effect yet"

i feel bad for the scientists who have to dig deeper into this cuz they're not gonna find any answers anytime soon . autism is still super complex and nobody really knows what triggers it . but hey at least we can say we tried, right? let's all just be careful with our water bottles and stuff

"Life has become so cheap it takes an earthquake to shock people into action" . I think this study highlights the need for more research, but also shows us that we can't just blame everything on lithium levels in drinking water. We have to consider all the factors that affect our health and well-being. It's not just about finding a single cause of autism, it's about understanding how all these environmental stressors interact with each other. And let's be real, if we're already seeing potential benefits of lower lithium levels, shouldn't we start exploring ways to reduce exposure even further?