Study finds slightly higher risk of autism diagnosis in areas with more lithium in drinking water, but experts say more research is needed | CNN

US Study Reveals Slighter Link Between Autism and Drinking Water Contaminants

A new study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics has found a moderate correlation between lithium levels in tap water and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children born to mothers exposed during pregnancy. However, experts caution that the association does not necessarily imply a direct causal link.

According to the researchers, who focused on Denmark due to its low consumption of bottled water, the level of lithium in drinking water was similar to that in US systems. The study found that as lithium levels in water increased, there was a modestly higher risk of an ASD diagnosis among children born to pregnant women exposed during pregnancy.

The findings indicate that mothers who consumed more tap water with higher levels of lithium during their pregnancies had a 24% to 26% higher risk of having a child diagnosed with ASD compared to those at lower exposure levels. The group with the highest level of lithium exposure had a 46% higher risk than those at lower exposure levels.

Despite these results, study co-author Dr. Beate Ritz emphasized that more research is required to confirm the association and determine whether there's a causal link between lithium exposure and ASD. "Any drinking water contaminants that may affect the developing human brain deserve intense scrutiny," she said.

Ritz noted that replicating the findings in other countries would be essential to validate the association, as studies have shown mixed results regarding environmental exposures to pesticides, air pollution, and phthalates in relation to ASD.

Dr. Max Wiznitzer, director of the Rainbow Autism Center at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, pointed out that research on lithium exposure in pregnant women taking medication for mental health disorders has not shown a correlation with autism spectrum disorder.

"It's an interesting association, but causation is definitely not proven," Wiznitzer said. "We have to see if there's a viable and biologically plausible mechanism by which a small amount of lithium in the water supply can somehow do this."

The study's findings highlight the need for further research into potential environmental factors contributing to ASD, particularly those related to drinking water contaminants.

idk about this one ...like i get that they wanna figure out if there's a link between drinking water and autism, but 24-26% increase in risk is still pretty small and what's the diff btw 0.5ppm and 1ppm lithium levels? it just seems like another study looking for correlation and not necessarily causation ...and yeah, more research is always good i guess but we need to be careful not to jump to conclusions here

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this one... it seems like they've found a link between lithium levels in tap water and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in kids born to moms who drank more of it during pregnancy. 24-26% higher risk is still pretty small, but I guess that's better than nothing . What really gets me is how experts are saying we need more research before we can say for sure if there's a direct link between lithium exposure and ASD... like, isn't science supposed to be about figuring things out? Still, it's good to know that the health department is on top of this and will be looking into it further. Maybe they'll be able to find some answers for these families who are already dealing with so much uncertainty

Wow ! Just found out that there might be a link between tap water contaminant lithium and autism risk in kids born to moms exposed during pregnancy . I mean, 24-46% higher risk is pretty crazy ! Need more research to confirm tho... still need some convincing

I don't buy it . This study is super weak and I think it's just a case of correlation not causation. I mean, come on, 24% to 26% higher risk? That's not even that impressive. And what about all the other factors at play here like lifestyle choices, genetics, and actual medical conditions? We're gonna blame tap water for autism now? Give me a break . And don't even get me started on how this study was done in Denmark where people drink more bottled water than anywhere else in the world... it's just not representative of the rest of us . I need to see some real, robust evidence before I start worrying about my tap water being toxic .

I'm low-key concerned about this study . I mean, if there is even a slight connection between lithium in tap water and autism, that's still a red flag in my book . We need more research to confirm the link and figure out what's really going on here...or at least try to rule it out entirely . And can we talk about how our tap water standards are even being questioned? It's like, come on, we should be able to trust our drinking water a little more easily .

I'm kinda surprised they found any link between tap water lithium levels and autism but at the same time it makes total sense - like if we do consume more toxins, maybe our kids get affected in some way? We should def wanna know more about this! And I love that Dr. Ritz is all about scrutinizing those drinking water contaminants, that's so important for our health

omg u guys i just read about this new study and its kinda mindblowing they found a link between lithium in tap water and autism but like super small lol 24-26% higher risk isnt much idk if im supposed to be freaked out or not... my mom used to say she drank too much bottled water when she was pregnant with me and i turned out fine so maybe its just a coincidence? anyway gotta support more research on this stuff so we can be safe

awww poor moms-to-be, all that worryin about what's goin on inside their tummies while they're pregnant is bad enough, but now they gotta worry about the water they drink too? it's like, we need to keep investigate and figure out if this lithium thing is really causin a link with autism or not. can't just assume somethin without lookin at all the facts, you know?

I'm kinda surprised about this study, gotta say. They found that higher levels of lithium in tap water might be linked to an increased risk of autism in kids born to moms who drank more during pregnancy. But, like, does it really mean we should be super worried? Not so fast. The link is pretty small and they're saying we need more research to figure out if it's even a real connection. I get why they're looking into it tho - those water contaminants can have some major effects on our bodies! Maybe we'll learn something new and helpful from this study

I'm kinda surprised about this new study, gotta say. I mean, it's interesting that there's a possible link between lithium levels in tap water and autism risk, but like, 24-26% higher risk is still pretty small, right? And yeah, more research would be awesome to confirm the association and figure out if it's really causal or not. I don't know about the other drinking water contaminants though, mixed results kinda bother me... and what if lithium exposure isn't just about ASD? Maybe there's another condition we're missing here

idk about this study... seems kinda fishy that they only looked at danish moms or something. like wouldn't people in other countries drink tap water too? shouldn't that factor into the study? also 24-26% higher risk just from lithium levels? that's still pretty low, right?

I mean, who knew drinking tap water could be so toxic? Just kidding, kinda! I guess it's good we're looking into this though, because moms don't want their kids coming out with autism and all that . But seriously, I wonder if lithium levels in water are like, really common everywhere else besides Denmark? And what about bottled water? Is that a thing now? Can you even get tap water with super low lithium levels? So many questions!

I'm so concerned about this new study! It looks like there's some weird link between lithium levels in tap water and autism risk . I mean, a 24-26% higher risk is still pretty small, but it's definitely something we should be looking into further. I can see why the experts are saying more research is needed to confirm if it's just a coincidence or if there's actually a link . It's also super interesting that other countries might not get the same results - maybe we need to look at our tap water quality too?

So, I was reading about this new study on autism and tap water contaminants... like, it turns out that if you drank a lot of tap water with high levels of lithium during pregnancy, your kid might be more likely to get autism But don't freak out just yet, experts say we need to see more research before we can say for sure if there's a link . I mean, think about it, drinking water is like, super common in Denmark where this study was done... and somehow the levels of lithium in tap water were similar to what we have here . So yeah, it's an interesting finding, but let's not jump to conclusions just yet . More research, I get it... but can we also talk about how some people are already freakin' out on social media? Like, calm down, folks!

I'm like totally stoked that we're finally getting some answers about autism and drinking water contaminants! I mean, 24-26% higher risk is still super low, but it's def worth looking into further. Can you imagine what's going on in those tiny brains of little ones when they get exposed to all this lithium? Maybe we can learn something from it and find ways to reduce the risks.

I'm with Dr. Ritz on this one - more research is always a good thing! Replicating these findings in other countries would be awesome, 'cause like you said, pesticides and air pollution have given us some weird results too. Let's keep poking around until we get some real answers!

I'm not surprised they found some link between tap water contaminants and autism risk... all those chemicals we're exposed to in our daily lives could be messing with our brains somehow

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." But, let's be real... the relationship between lithium levels in tap water and autism risk is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It's just too complex, man! We need more research and not so many opinions from experts...

I wonder if it's possible that the link between autism and lithium levels in tap water is not just about the amount of lithium present but also about how our bodies process it? I mean, some people might be more sensitive to even small amounts of lithium than others... does anyone know if there are any tests or screenings available for detecting lithium sensitivity? And what about other contaminants in tap water - is it possible that they're interacting with lithium in a way that affects autism risk?

I think it's pretty cool that researchers are looking into possible links between autism and our daily water supply . I mean, who wouldn't want to know if something we drink every day could be affecting our kiddos' brain development?

But seriously, the fact that lithium levels in tap water might be associated with a higher risk of ASD is pretty intriguing . I'd love to see more research on this topic and get some answers about what's really going on.

I'm also glad Dr. Ritz is keeping things in perspective – we don't want to jump to conclusions here . Replicating the findings in other countries would be huge, too... that way we can get a better sense of whether this is a real thing or just a weird coincidence .

One thing I do know for sure: if you're pregnant and worried about your water supply, it's always better to err on the side of caution . Do some research, talk to your doc, and make informed decisions – that's what matters most!