Thirty-one female patients hospitalized for depression were given from 180 to 720 mg of rubidium chloride per day.

“By week 2, at least two-thirds had improved significantly” the paper notes.

A dose of 360 to 720 mg of rubidium chloride per day given for 60 days “showed a marked and rapid anti-depressive action” in 18 females and 2 males with major depression according to a 1993 study from Italy.

Fifteen (15) hospitalized patients with depression were treated with 540 mg of rubidium chloride per day for three weeks according to a 1996 study.

“Speed therapeutic efficacy has been shown, with lack of side effects,” the paper, written in Italian, notes.

Rubidium causes stimulation of dopamine release which reduces depressive symptoms according to the paper.

Here is a brief history of the use of the mineral rubidium for depression as outlined in a 2008 paper from Italy.

• “In 1891, the cardiologist Bottkin occasionally observed that cardiac patients treated with [rubidium chloride] experienced increased well-being compared to patients treated with [potassium chloride].”
• “In 1969, Dr. Meltzer discovered that the effects of rubidium in primates were the opposite of those produced by lithium.”
• “In 1976, the physiologist Mannistò observed that rubidium affects behavior in both animals and humans, as do amphetamines.”

Depression is a common problem in dialysis patients.

Dialysis patients have a rubidium deficiency, and rubidium supplementation has been shown to have an antidepressant effect according to Caterina Canavese, MD, an Italian researcher who has done research on this ultratrace mineral related to its antidepressant effects.

60% Lower Rubidium in the Central Nervous System,
13% Lower Rubidium in Serum

She notes that dialysis patients have 60% lower levels of rubidium in their central nervous system than normal patients—an average of 2250 ng per gram in dialysis patients versus 5490 ng per gram controls—and a 13% lower rubidium content in blood serum—an average of 304 mcg per liter versus 350 mcg per liter.

Rubidium is an ultra-trace mineral used by humans.

Shouldn’t rubidium supplementation be tried first in these patients?

Rubidium is an ultra-trace mineral used by humans which has been shown to have an antidepressant effect.

Here is the rubidium content of a couple of foods from a 1995 paper which analyzed 137 foods for their rubidium content.

Coffee contains 40 mg of rubidium per kilogram (2.2 pounds) dry material.

Black tea contains 100 mg of rubidium per kilogram (2.2 pounds) dry material.

Eight-five percent (85%) of the rubidium pass into these beverages.