Back in 1929, if you were feeling blue, you could grab a bottle of 7-Up—literally. Its original name? Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda. Why “lithiated”? Because it contained lithium citrate, a mood-stabilizing compound still used today to treat certain mental health conditions.

At the time, lithium was a trendy ingredient found in mineral waters and health tonics, believed to cure everything from headaches to depression. Charles Leiper Grigg, the drink’s creator, was tapping into the wellness craze decades before kombucha or adaptogens hit the shelves.

As for the name “7-Up”? No one knows for sure. Some say it referred to its seven ingredients, others to the drink’s pH level, or maybe the emotional “up” from the lithium boost.

The government banned lithium from soft drinks in 1948, Today’s version is tamer, but the story behind it is still refreshingly odd.”