Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

Low-dose naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist which blocks opioid and endorphin receptors. In a standard dose, it is used to treat opioid overdose or to help with addiction management. At a low dose (0.001mg - 16mg) LDN has been shown to be anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing.

Currently, providers are using LDN off-label for a variety of medical conditions such as:

Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's and Collitus)
Chronic fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and other auto-immune diseases
Arthritis
Inflammatory conditions
Chronic pain
Lupus
Restless leg syndrome
Autism

Naltrexone’s effects on the body simplified are:

LDN increases naturally occurring endorphins, which help with pain and inflammation reduction
Increases the release of opioid growth factor
Reduces immune signaling through toll-like receptor 4, which is an immune cell that patrols the body for immune attack. These immune cells can keep the immune system in a hyper-sensitive state
Quiets the Glial cells in the brain which can cause inflammation of the nerves if too overactive
LDN increases dopamine levels

Side effects:

Vivid dreams
Headaches
Body aches
Mild agitation
Nausea or upset stomach
Decreases the effect of opioid medications used for pain management.
Rash
Dizziness

Side effects usually occur at the beginning of treatment or with dose increases. These can be reduced by cutting the dose in ½ for 2-3 days and resuming.

LDN works with your own body so results and response time to the medication can vary. Experts recommend that at least 8 months of treatment is required to see maximal benefit.

If you are looking for more information on LDN please follow the links below:

https://ldnresearchtrust.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/Patient-Info-2022.pdf

https://ldnresearchtrust.org/how-low-dose-naltrexone-works

Please contact our providers today to speak to them to see if LDN may be right for you.