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."
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."
. 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.
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 dont know, can we just keep drinking our water and hope for the best?! 
or should we be worried?!?! 
. 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 
.
. 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 
i feel like we need more research and stuff before we jump to any conclusions 
.
. 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? 
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? 
. 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" 
. autism is still super complex and nobody really knows what triggers it 