THE EFFECTS OF LITHIUM ON BODY-WEIGHT AND FOOD-INTAKE IN NORMAL SUBJECTS - A PILOT-STUDY

The possibility of lithium increasing hunger and food intake was examined in an open, pilot study involving five healthy male volunteers each of whom took lithium for 1 month at a dose to give mean 12 h serum lithium level of 0.5-0.8 mmol/l. Before starting lithium after the first dose and again after 1 and 4 weeks on lithium, subjects attended the unit at lunch time. They were weighed and ate their lunchtime meal from a food dispenser similar to those in canteens. Subjective rating scales were completed before and after eating. No change in weight was seen. Food intake was slightly increased at the end of the month on lithium compared with the start but had fluctuated during the intervening weeks. There was no relationship between food intake and weight change.