High Lithium in Drinking Water Substantially Increases Risk of Autism: Study

Higher lithium concentrations in drinking water among pregnant women carry significant possibilities of raising the risk of autism among children, a new study has found.
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics on April 3, looked into whether maternal exposure to lithium in drinking water is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the offspring. Conducted in Denmark, the study analyzed 8,842 children diagnosed with ASD born between 2000 and 2013. Lithium levels in the water were categorized into four groups, with the first quartile representing the lowest lithium level and subsequent quartiles having higher concentrations of lithium.
Researchers found that high lithium levels in the second and third quartiles were associated with a 24 to 26 percent higher risk of autism compared to the first quartile. The risk in the fourth quartile was 46 percent higher….