[funnym0nk3y]

Lithium is far from the drug with the highest amount of side effects among psych meds. Take the first generation antipsychotics for example. They are nasty.

As a matter of fact, lithium patients aren't much worse off when it comes to kidney function. Especially with modern levels of around 0.6 to 0.8 mmols.

Lithium has many modes of action, ion channels like you said, but also GSK3 function, BDNF changes and many more. It even changes the DNA methylation.

[exmadscientist]

Sorry, yes, I meant "highest number" rather than "highest severity". Lithium being such a tiny single atom goes all over the place and touches all kinds of things, but not all that strongly on most of them.