Higher Lithium Aspartate Doses Show Promise for Long COVID: Study

New York: Low doses of lithium aspartate are ineffective in treating the fatigue and brain fog commonly associated with long COVID, according to researchers, though higher doses may show promise. The study, published in JAMA Network Open and led by Thomas J. Guttuso, professor of neurology at the University of Buffalo, involved patients suffering from persistent symptoms of long COVID, which is estimated to affect 17 million people in the U.S. and around 65 million worldwide.

"It’s a negative study with a positive twist,” Guttuso said, explaining that while low doses did not yield significant benefits, the potential for higher doses is worth further exploration.

Guttuso became interested in lithium aspartate as a treatment after one of his patients reported nearly complete relief from long COVID-related fatigue and brain fog after taking just 5 milligrams of the drug daily. Encouraged by this outcome, he recommended it to other patients, nine of whom also experienced notable improvements with doses between 5 and 15 milligrams a day.

Despite these early positive reports, the randomized controlled trial (RCT) did not show a significant benefit from lithium aspartate at doses of 10-15 milligrams per day compared to a placebo. However, when one of the study’s participants increased their dose to 40 milligrams a day, they experienced a marked reduction in symptoms, prompting Guttuso to conduct a follow-up dose-finding study.

In this small trial, three participants who received higher doses of lithium aspartate (40-45 milligrams per day) reported significant reductions in both fatigue and brain fog.

"This is a very small sample size, so these findings are preliminary," Guttuso emphasized. "However, achieving higher blood levels of lithium might provide relief for long COVID symptoms, and further research is needed to confirm these results."

While the initial trial didn’t meet expectations, the potential effectiveness of higher doses suggests lithium aspartate could offer hope for patients struggling with long COVID, particularly those dealing with cognitive dysfunction and debilitating fatigue.