Lithium Carbonate (Lithobid)
Monovalent cation and gold-standard mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder. Modulates multiple intracellular signaling cascades including inositol depletion, GSK-3b inhibition, and neuroprotective BDNF upregulation. Narrow therapeutic index requiring serum level monitoring (0.6-1.2 mEq/L). Not metabolized, entirely renally eliminated. Half-life varies with renal function and hydration. Uniquely reduces suicide risk in bipolar disorder beyond mood stabilization alone.
Projected serum levels — 300 mg, twice daily
Maintenance schedule: 300 mg twice daily (oral).
Loading schedule: 900 mg on day 1, then 300 mg twice daily — reaching therapeutic levels sooner.
Modeled steady state after ~3 days: peak ≈ 905 mg, trough ≈ 676 mg body load. Population-based estimate over 15 days for a 300 mg dose at a 70 kg reference body mass — the interactive app scales curves to your doses, timing, and body mass.
Key facts
- Category
- Mood Stabilizer
- Route modeled
- Oral
- Model confidence
- inferred
- Half-life
- 24 h
- Common dose
- 300 mg
- Suggested maximum
- 1.8k mg/day
- Reference dose range
- 150–1.8k mg (single dose)
- Suggested cadence
- twice daily
- Validated against
- 600 mg oral — Cmax 7 mg/L at 2 h
Documented interactions
-
moderate
Lithium Orotate (Microdose) + Lithium Carbonate (Lithobid)
Lithium Carbonate (Lithobid) and Lithium Orotate (Microdose) both push the gsk3 beta and inositol monophosphatase in the same direction.
Serum checks 1 modeled interaction pairings for lithium carbonate (lithobid) across your whole stack — absorption conflicts, enzyme inhibition, and nutrient depletion included.
Research behind this entry
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Lithium in the prevention of suicide in mood disorders: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Meta-analysis of 48 RCTs confirming lithium reduces the risk of suicide by 60% and deliberate self-harm by 70% in mood disorder patients, independent of its mood-stabilizing effect.
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Effectiveness of lithium vs. valproate vs. olanzapine vs. quetiapine as maintenance therapy for bipolar disorder (BALANCE)
Landmark pragmatic RCT (330 bipolar I patients) demonstrating lithium monotherapy was superior to valproate monotherapy for preventing mood episodes, with combination therapy offering marginal additional benefit.
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Clinical pharmacokinetics of lithium
Comprehensive PK review establishing lithium half-life of 18-36 hours (mean 24h), complete GI absorption, 0% protein binding, entirely renal elimination, and steady state in 5-7 days.
3 published studies referenced in the app, each with a plain-language summary.