Lithium

Lithium is an alkali metal with physiologic actions similar to potassium and sodium. Lithium was discovered as a salt in 1817 by Johan August Arfwedson. It does not occur in nature as a free metal but is found in minerals such as spodumene, petalite, and eucryptite. It is the 27th most abundant element in Earth’s crust. Lithium was used to treat gout, as a salt substitute, and as a major constituent of the soft drink 7-Up before 1950.