Lithium Levels Linked to Autism Diagnosis, But More Research Needed
A new study published Monday has found a small association between high levels of lithium in drinking water and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. The research, conducted in Denmark, suggests that exposure to higher concentrations of lithium during pregnancy may be linked to a modestly higher risk of ASD diagnosis.
The findings are based on data from 8,842 cases of ASD and 43,864 participants who did not have the condition, collected from a database of people with psychiatric disorders. The researchers measured the concentration of lithium in 151 public waterworks that served more than half of the Danish population and mapped out where pregnant women lived.
The study found that as lithium levels in water increased, there was a modest increase in risk of ASD diagnosis. Specifically, those who had exposure to the second and third highest levels during pregnancy had a 24% to 26% higher risk compared to those at the lowest level. The group with the highest exposure had a 46% higher risk than those at the lowest level.
However, experts caution that the association does not show a direct link between lithium exposure and autism diagnosis. "Any drinking water contaminants that may affect the developing human brain deserve intense scrutiny," said study co-author Dr. Beate Ritz, but further research is needed to confirm the findings.
The implications of the findings are complex for public health policy. On one hand, high levels of lithium in water have been linked to lower rates of hospitalization for psychiatric disorders and suicide. On the other hand, if associations between environmental exposure and ASD are confirmed, guidelines for lithium in drinking water would need to be reevaluated.
Other studies have suggested connections between ASD and environmental exposures to pesticides, air pollution, and phthalates, but none have found a direct cause of the disorder. "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.
The link between environmental exposure and ASD remains difficult to prove, with research showing that increased exposure to air pollution raises the risk of giving birth to a child with ASD, but it's unclear whether pollution is the determining factor or just associated with populations who live in more polluted areas. "We have to figure out how to basically safely navigate them," Wiznitzer said.
More research is needed to confirm the findings and understand the relationship between lithium exposure and autism diagnosis.
A new study published Monday has found a small association between high levels of lithium in drinking water and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. The research, conducted in Denmark, suggests that exposure to higher concentrations of lithium during pregnancy may be linked to a modestly higher risk of ASD diagnosis.
The findings are based on data from 8,842 cases of ASD and 43,864 participants who did not have the condition, collected from a database of people with psychiatric disorders. The researchers measured the concentration of lithium in 151 public waterworks that served more than half of the Danish population and mapped out where pregnant women lived.
The study found that as lithium levels in water increased, there was a modest increase in risk of ASD diagnosis. Specifically, those who had exposure to the second and third highest levels during pregnancy had a 24% to 26% higher risk compared to those at the lowest level. The group with the highest exposure had a 46% higher risk than those at the lowest level.
However, experts caution that the association does not show a direct link between lithium exposure and autism diagnosis. "Any drinking water contaminants that may affect the developing human brain deserve intense scrutiny," said study co-author Dr. Beate Ritz, but further research is needed to confirm the findings.
The implications of the findings are complex for public health policy. On one hand, high levels of lithium in water have been linked to lower rates of hospitalization for psychiatric disorders and suicide. On the other hand, if associations between environmental exposure and ASD are confirmed, guidelines for lithium in drinking water would need to be reevaluated.
Other studies have suggested connections between ASD and environmental exposures to pesticides, air pollution, and phthalates, but none have found a direct cause of the disorder. "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.
The link between environmental exposure and ASD remains difficult to prove, with research showing that increased exposure to air pollution raises the risk of giving birth to a child with ASD, but it's unclear whether pollution is the determining factor or just associated with populations who live in more polluted areas. "We have to figure out how to basically safely navigate them," Wiznitzer said.
More research is needed to confirm the findings and understand the relationship between lithium exposure and autism diagnosis.
... but at the same time, it makes total sense? like we all know that too much of anything can be bad for us, so maybe high lithium levels are just one more thing to watch out for? 
also, i wish they'd done more research on this, 'cause 24-26% higher risk isn't super reassuring... guess you could say it's a bit of a double-edged sword: low lithium levels might be bad for psychiatric disorders but high levels are linked to autism 
maybe its related to water quality or something 
have you guys heard of anyone with autism who's had high lithium levels? 
. I mean, it's already hard enough to pinpoint the causes of ASD without adding another factor to the mix. Can we really blame the environment for something as complex as autism? 
And what about all those other factors that might be at play here? Like air pollution and pesticides? It's like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces 
. We need more research, but I'm not sure even then if we'll get to the bottom of it 
.
. We need more research, for sure. And what about the other environmental factors that are supposedly linked to ASD? Pesticides, air pollution, phthalates... it's all just so confusing 
, but it would be nice if our water suppliers could give us some more transparency about what's in our tap water. And if there is a problem, how do we fix it? 
. And what about the fact that exposure to air pollution raises the risk of giving birth to a child with autism? Is that just correlation or what? 
? Maybe this study is just a start 
.
, but at least now there's some conversation going on about it 
. It's not like it's a new topic or anything 
.