A higher concentration of lithium in drinking water during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder in children, according to a study by researchers at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Lithium is present in very small amounts in drinking water because the metal is washed out of groundwater on different minerals. Researchers have proposed artificially increasing the concentration of lithium in drinking water because it is known to be a mood stabilizer and can prevent suicides. However, it is also known that lithium during pregnancy can increase the risk of cardiac malformations in the baby. The UCLA team analyzed health data from Denmark, where the concentration of lithium varies between 0.6 µg/l in the western parts of the country to 30 µg/l in the east. The study focused on prenatal exposure, analyzing the residence of women during pregnancy, and linking it to the concentration of lithium in drinking water. The study found that a higher concentration of lithium during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder.
The study analyzed the residence of women during pregnancy, and linked it to the concentration of lithium in drinking water. The study found that a higher concentration of lithium during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder. The risk decreases at a lithium concentration of 7.36 to 12.67 µg/l and increases with higher exposure. The study took into account other potential influencing factors such as the birth year and gender of the child, the place of birth, the socioeconomic status of the region, and the age of the mother. However, the study did not have data on the participants’ dietary habits and lifestyle, and it is unclear whether the mothers of the affected children actually consumed tap water. The cause of the disorders could also be attributed to other minerals or metals that were washed out of the rock along with lithium. As this is the first study of its kind, it remains to be seen whether future research in different countries will yield similar results.
