[cypherpunks01]

Yes, it's already thought that there's an association between naturally occurring lithium in drinking water and decreased suicide rates:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-...

I would think naturally occurring lithium in some people's water would give pretty good control conditions to do a wide study of this effect on Alzheimers as well?

[twojacobtwo]

(for others like myself)

Results

The literature search identified 415 articles; of these, 15 ecological studies were included in the synthesis. The random-effects meta-analysis showed a consistent protective (or inverse) association between lithium levels/concentration in publicly available drinking water and total (pooled β = −0.27, 95% CI −0.47 to −0.08; P = 0.006, I2 = 83.3%), male (pooled β = −0.26, 95% CI −0.56 to 0.03; P = 0.08, I2 = 91.9%) and female (pooled β = −0.13, 95% CI −0.24 to −0.02; P = 0.03, I2 = 28.5%) suicide mortality rates. A similar protective association was observed in the six studies included in the narrative synthesis, and subgroup meta-analyses based on the higher/lower suicide mortality rates and lithium levels/concentration.

[victorbjorklund]

And crime in general.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7576670/

[valianteffort]

The addition of flouride to tap water supply likely affects brain development. Let's not go adding lithium too.

These things are simple enough to advise the populace to use on their own. The government should never play nanny, ever.

[ikr678]

Is advising people to wear sunscreen and not speed also nannying? If the government ultimately bears the costs of poor health of citizens, why shouldnt they embark on public health interventions to lower those costs.

[valianteffort]

The government should not be bearing that cost. It is idiotic to ever put the state in charge of people's health.

[zius]

Clearly, the best system is the one where you spend the most to get less /s

[Mistletoe]

This is fascinating, thank you.