Lithium aspartate: Mood Support Claims, Effective Dosages, and Risks Explained
Lithium aspartate is a dietary supplement that combines lithium—a naturally occurring alkali metal—with the amino acid aspartic acid. It is marketed for mood support, stress resilience, and cognitive health at doses far lower than prescription lithium used for bipolar disorder. Because lithium has a narrow safety margin in medical use, any over-the-counter form deserves careful scrutiny. This guide explains...
Lithium Carbonate: Proven Benefits for Bipolar Disorder, Dosing Guidelines, Monitoring, and Side Effects
Lithium carbonate has been a mainstay mood stabilizer for more than half a century. When used well, it reduces the frequency and intensity of manic and depressive episodes in bipolar disorder, lowers relapse risk after stabilization, and—according to several analyses—appears to reduce suicidal behavior. It is an elemental salt, not a sedative or typical antidepressant, and its benefits hinge...
Lithium citrate: Bipolar Treatment Benefits, How It Works, Monitoring, and Side Effects
Lithium citrate is a prescription form of lithium—an elemental mineral used for decades as a mood stabilizer. While the compound itself is simple, its effects are wide-reaching: it can reduce manic symptoms, smooth mood swings over the long term, and, when appropriately monitored, may lower the risk of relapse in bipolar spectrum disorders. Lithium citrate is also available as...
Lithium gluconate: Skin benefits, mechanism of action, recommended dosage, and precautions
Lithium gluconate is a topical dermatology ingredient best known for calming the redness, flaking, and itching of facial seborrheic dermatitis (SD). Unlike prescription oral lithium used for mood disorders, this form is applied to skin—most often as an 8% gel—and acts locally. Research suggests it helps by reducing Malassezia yeast activity, normalizing overactive skin signaling (including inositol pathways), and...
Lithium orotate: Low-Dose Uses for Stress and Sleep, Evidence Summary, Dosage, and Risks
Lithium orotate is a non-prescription lithium salt promoted in micro-doses for mood steadiness, stress resilience, and cognitive support. Unlike prescription lithium carbonate used for bipolar disorder, over-the-counter lithium orotate typically contains only a few milligrams of elemental lithium per serving. That difference shapes both expectations and safety: potential subtle benefits at low doses, but also the need for care...
Lithium: Mechanisms, Proven Psychiatric Uses, Low-Dose Insights, Dosing Ranges, and Risks
Lithium is a naturally occurring mineral and a long-standing prescription therapy for bipolar disorder. At clinical doses, it stabilizes mood and can prevent manic relapses; at very low “nutritional” intakes, it appears in drinking water and food and is being studied for potential effects on aging and cognition. Because lithium has a narrow safety window, good outcomes depend on...
L-Leucine: Science of mTOR Activation, Per-Meal Thresholds, Practical Dosage, and Risks
L-Leucine is the lead “trigger” amino acid for muscle protein synthesis. As one of the three branched-chain amino acids (with isoleucine and valine), leucine does more than build tissue—it signals cells to switch on mTORC1, the pathway that drives new muscle protein. That makes leucine central to training adaptations, healthy aging, and recovery from injury or illness. It also...
L-Malic Acid: Cellular Energy Benefits, Best Uses, Optimal Dosage, and Safety
L-malic acid is a naturally occurring organic acid your cells use all day long to make energy. As a core intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) or Krebs cycle, malate helps shuttle electrons, recycle NADH, and keep ATP production moving. In foods, it’s the compound that gives apples and many fruits their bright tartness; in products, it appears as...
L-Methionine: Methylation, Glutathione Support, Practical Dosages, and Side Effects
L-methionine is an essential sulfur-containing amino acid—your body cannot make it, so you must get it from food or supplements. More than a building block for protein, methionine is the first step in your cells’ primary methylation pathway. It converts to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the universal methyl donor that regulates DNA and histone methylation, neurotransmitter synthesis, phospholipid remodeling, and detoxification....
Lodhra: Astringent and Cooling Herb for Skin and Women’s Health, Benefits, and Dosage
Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa) is a small evergreen tree native to the Indian subcontinent. In Ayurveda, its bark has long been used for women’s health, wound care, and skin conditions. Modern lab analyses show that lodhra bark contains astringent tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenoids, and alkaloid-like compounds that collectively tighten tissues, modulate inflammatory pathways, and help control minor bleeding. Practitioners...
Logwood: Astringent Properties, How to Use It, Recommended Dosage, and Side Effects
Logwood (Haematoxylum campechianum) is a tropical tree best known for the deep blue-purple dyes made from its heartwood. Beyond textiles, its signature molecule—hematoxylin—became a mainstay in histology labs worldwide. Traditional medicine in parts of Mesoamerica and South America also used logwood bark and heartwood as an astringent wash for skin, gums, and minor wounds, and as a short-course decoction...
Lomatium: Respiratory Support, Antiviral Properties, How to Use, and Side Effects
Lomatium (often Lomatium dissectum), also called fernleaf biscuitroot or desert parsley, is a hardy Apiaceae plant native to western North America. For generations, Indigenous communities prepared its aromatic roots as teas, steams, and poultices for coughs, chest congestion, and skin concerns. Today it appears in tinctures and capsules promoted for respiratory wellness and seasonal immune support. What makes Lomatium...
Longan fruit extract: Uses, benefits, dose ranges, and interactions explained
Longan (Dimocarpus longan) is a sweet, grape-like fruit from Southeast Asia whose flesh—called the arillus—has a long history in traditional formulas. Modern extracts concentrate its polyphenols (such as gallic acid and corilagin), polysaccharides, and vitamin C, aiming to deliver antioxidant, calming, and skin-supportive effects in a small dose. Interest has grown around longan’s potential to help with oxidative stress,...
Lonicera japonica extract: Evidence-Based Benefits for Respiratory Health and Immunity, Dosage, and Safety
Lonicera japonica—often called Japanese honeysuckle or Jinyinhua—has been brewed as a cooling tea and used in East Asian herbal practice for more than a millennium. Today, extracts from its flower buds (Flos Lonicerae Japonicae) and aerial parts are studied for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial actions, largely traced to chlorogenic acids, luteolin glycosides, iridoids, and triterpenes. People reach for honeysuckle...
Loquat leaf extract: Evidence-Based Benefits for Respiratory Health and Immunity, Dosage, and Safety
Loquat leaf (Eriobotrya japonica, also known in Chinese as Pi Pa Ye) has a long history in East Asian traditional practice for soothing “lung heat,” calming an irritated throat, and supporting digestion. Modern analyses show that the leaves are rich in triterpenes (notably ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, corosolic acid, and maslinic acid), flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol glycosides), and polyphenols...
Loranthus parasiticus extract: Anti-Inflammatory Actions, Antioxidant Support, Uses, and Side Effects
Loranthus parasiticus—often listed in English as a parasitic “mistletoe” and known in parts of East and Southeast Asia as Sang Ji Sheng—has been brewed as a tonic for joints, steadier pregnancy, and calm nerves for centuries. Modern lab work highlights antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antiallergic signals from its leaves and stems, with lignans, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins leading the way....
