I’m often asked about Low Dose Naltrexone. These days it is used to treat everything from autoimmune disorders and cancer, to fertility and autism. I have been taking 5 mg daily of this off-label, somewhat experimental drug since approximately 2005.
How did I find out about Low Dose Naltrexone or LDN? On one of my regular visits to my mild-mannered functional medicine doctor he thrust a prescription for this drug into my hand. A month later my naturopath recommended LDN to me and I decided it was worth a try.
Many food blogs preach healing with food, and food alone. I’m here to tell you that when you feel sick the best thing you can do is listen to your body and do whatever it takes to feel good again. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Getting well is a process without any rules.
I take LDN as part of my treatment plan for multiple sclerosis. I was diagnosed with MS in 2006 and was absolutely devastated when I received the news. While I have chosen not to take the drugs that are recommended as standard care for MS, I have quite a lot of friends who do, and I respect their choice. However, the issue with many of the typical MS drugs is their side effects. Some leave you with flu-like symptoms that can be as bad as the symptoms of MS. In any event, LDN is optimal for me as I do not experience side effects from it, and from what I have read in the medical literature, most people find this to be the case.
What is Low Dose Naltrexone? First, let’s take a look at what I facetiously refer to as “high dose,” naltrexone, or the more traditional form of this drug. Naltrexone is an opiod antagonist typically given to heroin addicts in doses of up to 1500 mg upon their arrival in the emergency room. Giving this type of dose of naltrexone to a person under the influence of heroin snaps them into lucidity in minutes because naltrexone binds to the opiate receptors of the brain –the same receptors to which heroin binds. This prevents the addict from experiencing the effects of the heroin, and leads to complete lucidity.
According to the website lowdosenaltrexone.org, In 1985, a physician named Dr. Bernard Bihari discovered the effects of a much smaller dose of naltrexone (approximately 3mg once a day) on the body’s immune system. He found that this low dose, taken at bedtime, was able to enhance a patient’s response to infection by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
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The use of a drug such as naltrexone in this way is called micro-dosing and can be extremely effective. It has been found that some drugs work differently (and sometimes quite oddly, more effectively) at lower levels. I find micro-dosing to be a very exciting and mostly under-explored component of traditional medicine.
According to the site lowdosenaltrexone.org LDN works in the following way:
The brief blockade of opioid receptors between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. that is caused by taking LDN at bedtime each night is believed to produce a prolonged up-regulation of vital elements of the immune system by causing an increase in endorphin production. Normal volunteers who have taken LDN in this fashion have been found to have much higher levels of beta-endorphins circulating in their blood in the following days.
While it is not completely understood yet, it is becoming apparent that endorphin secretions (our own internal opioids) play a central role in regulating the immune system. I believe that LDN works for me. I think it helps with my energy levels and also modulates my immune system so that it is more balanced. I also believe that it helps to control the neuropathy I experience.
Are wondering if LDN can help you? Here’s my advice. It may be worth discussing LDN with a DAN doctor, naturopath or functional medicine physician. In the meantime, remember that if you suffer from an autoimmune condition or any other health related issues, you may want to look into the main tenets of my healing program which include:
- Extra sleep in the realm of 10 hours or more per night
- Low intensity exercise every day
- The grain-free diet which I have followed strictly since 2001
Elana Amsterdam says
Hi jmr, sorry to hear that this has been so tough. I have heard of folks whose sleep is disrupted by LDN. Personally when I have a negative response to any remedy, I back off a bit and go with 1/2 to 1/4 of the dose until things even out. I find that listening to my body is the best medicine. Good luck and please leave another comment to let us know how you’re doing!
jmr says
My doctor recently prescribed LDN. I have CFS, FM, Hashi’s, Graves and a few other things so I’m not sure if he prescribed it for one or all of those. He told me it shouldn’t have side effects and that’s what most of my internet searching has confirmed. However, I’m having insomnia, nightmares, sleepwalking, dizziness (sometimes incapacitating – I woke up to feel the room literally spinning like I was on an amusement park ride the other day), diarrhea, severe nausea and headaches. I’m trying to tough it out hoping I’ll adjust, but 3 weeks in, the side effects are just getting worse. He started me on 1.5 the first 2 weeks, then 3.5 for the next month. This stuff is miserable. Maybe I need to start lower.
Galyn F says
Typically sleep disruption includes getting a little reved up at first and more intense dreams but, in my experience, not nightmares. Naltrexone disrupts dissociative phenomena, including protective amnisic bariers. If there is an extensive history of early childhood trauma, it might be good to back way of. If there is any possibility of a dissociative disorder, such as dissociative identity disorder, it should be first ruled out by a therapist familiar with traum and dissociative disorders before using LDN. Ulrich Lanius et al, “the neurobiology and treatment of dissociation (2014) chapter 22 is a good resource. Galyn forster
Galyn F says
I find patients frequently find dreaming to be more intense initially, but nightmares are rare. LDN and naltrexone disrupt dissociative phenomena, including dissociatve amnesiac bariers. If there is an extensive history of early childhood trauma, dissociatve disorders may need to be ruled out by a trauma specialist, familiar with dissociative disorders.
Rebekah says
@Galyn F
That LDN “disrupts dissociative amnesiac barriers” is very interesting to me. For the last decade (I’m 22 yrs old now) I’ve lived with an autoimmune thyroid disorder. Started out as Graves’ but I think I’m Hashimoto’s now. I’m very interested and optimistic about taking LDN (in tandem with other appropriate treatments) based on all the research I’ve done on it. It seems like the most promising way to begin unravelling my autoimmunity. But both my dad and older brother suffered from schizophrenia, and I’ve experienced a lot of traumas in my life. From your use of the term ‘patients’ I’m guessing you’re a practitioner of some sort… Can you describe *what could happen* in any more detail? Dream-retrieval of previously forgotten traumas?
Karen Warner says
I started taking compounded LDN adding one drop each week. I’m now up to 8 drops last week.My Dr. wants me to get up to 4.5 ml which is 9 drops. I have been waking up several times a night being on it. Last night I woke up 4 times and am getting extremely fatigued. I wasn’t like thi this before taking it. I do have early childhood trauma which I think could have been dissociative disorder and feel emotionally unstable since being on LDN. How is it connected and is there a book on LDN to help me. I’m wondering if I need a lower dose or should take earlier in day.
b shaw says
Karen you will have to start on a lower dose at first. 1.5mg. for 2 wks then 3.5 for 2 weeks etc… IT does work. Have faith. remember most not all Doctors that are educated and trained in medicine will need to prescribe rather then heal. It is their nature.
sheila says
LDN is personal…meaning everyone is different in what dosage is good to start with and how to move up, or even if you should. I belong to a couple of closed groups on FB that have people talking about how they manage LDN. Personally, I take it in the AM and I am on such a small dosage you’d wonder if it’s working. But, for me it is. Other folks in the group start small, stay small and work up very slowly…I mean over a month or 3. Personally, I started in mid October and I’m still working my way up to .5mg. It is individual. In the beginning it was thought everyone should get to 4.5mg, but that is not so anymore. Even people go back down to lower dosage when they felt better. Some stop for a few days to let things clear. Keep on trying to find your way. Unfortunately doctors don’t know all the in’s and outs yet, at least not from the threads I’ve read on my groups. Good luck, don’t give up, start small and work up slowly…you are not in a race. <3
Julie says
You should find a Lyme Literate MD, and get tested for Lyme Disease. A negative test does not rule out Lyme, but a positive one is helpful in getting treatment started sooner.
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in 2001, RA in 2006, MS in 2012 and finally got the Lyme diagnosis later in 2012. I speak from experience, it’s a rough road to recovery, as I’m not there yet. I’ve done the LDN treatment. It worked at first, but no longer helps.
What mainstream medical will not admit, is that #1 MS is not a disease in and of itself, it is a symptom. #2 Research in the early 1900s showed that MS was caused by a bacterial infection, which is exactly what Lyme Disease is. They have the same etiology.
Julie
Thomas Buividas, DPM says
A friendly warning If you are taking any of the following: Norco, Vicodin, hydrocodone, Ultram, tramadol, Demerol, morphine, codeine, etc, any narcotic you should not take LDN. You will trigger withdrawal symptoms.
Brooke says
What about fluoxetine?
c says
Thomas, No one should be prescribing naltrexone to anyone on those drugs. Since most errors are drug related and since LDN needs compounding, the regular pharmacist will not be servicing the patient and that might increase the chance of not “catching” it …depending on drug reporting systems within a state. It’s always good to be an informed patient.
Elana says
Thanks!
TZ says
I have thought for years that I have some kind of auto-immune disease, so reading the posts/comments has been interesting! I have had gut issues all my life, to some level. They worsened as I got older. Milk fat was an issue causing extreme symptoms, somI eventually got my self down to non-fat and that dealt with the painful symptoms. The biggest of my symptoms Were not dramatic just uncomfortable. I ended up with a low thyroid after I had my kids, and have been taking a thyroid led since then…more than 17 years or so. My gut issues worsened even more and Specialiats just defined the symptoms – not the cause. They gave me a prescription to help move things along, and this stuff ended up ruining my intestines. I have always known beef was an issue for me, and breads as well…so I severely limited it in my diet. A bite here or there and then on holidays a bit more…CHRSITMAS PRIME RIB…YUMMMM! I also removed gluten, wheat, dairy, and starch/grains like corn, and grains. Some of these changes worked for a short while, but within a week to a month reverted back. A Gastro doc I had seen told me I have a long colon and removing a length of it MAY BE my only option for help. Hold crud – they wanted to remove my colon as a MAY BE FIX!?!?!! I had heard about food sensitivities and people who’s lives changed for the positive from the info found…but it was an expensive out of pocket cost so I blew it off. With colon cutting the only option in my future I decided to research the food sensitivity arena. I ended up going with the LEAP program…and a Certified LEAP Nutritionist to help implement it. It tests sensitivies to a type of protein in 150 food/additives, and has a high level of accuracy…and is well-known for it. I got a kit, got my blood drawn into four vials, packed it up including my check and FedEx overnighted it to the lab in Florida. A week later my Nutritionist sent me the results in email. It found me sensitive to EVERYTHING I was eating MULIPLE times a day…all nightshades, basil, green beans, spinach, beef, milk (cow/bovine proteins period), olives (olive oil!!!! Ugh), pecans, pistachios, red and blue food coloring, meta bisulfite (I have problems with sulfates/nitrates, and nitrites as well), and weird items (I rarely ate, if ever) like cod, millet (what was that I was thinking…lol), and some others. I removed all of these immediately and in two weeks my gut was already feeling noticeably better. I went on an elimination diet for weeks – only including the lowest reactive foods with fluctuations based on nutrition needs. My system was so much better already. I even found out some higher -low reactives (the ones in GREEN) that I had problems with…ALL LETTUCE and lentils being two. My system is like night and day different. Strangely, wheat and gluten were only a very low reactive, as was rice, yet, my system slows to an uncomfortable crawl if I consume more than a few bites of even rice or quinoa. I have to vary what I eat daily, or my system has issues again until I go back to basically veggies, not too much sugar (I only eat 100% organic maple syrup, coconut sugar, or raw honey a but even too much fruit in my NutriBullet drink is an issue). My system seems to get used to what I am eating and then hiccups again. I also cannot consume flax, chia, or psyllium (my nutritionist told me some people cannot digest this type of fiber). Sadly, the more Itema I added back, the more inconsistent my system got. I am wondering if this could be auto-immune related, and maybe because I have always been a good weight, exercised (except when pregnant and with undiagnosed thyroid because I was so sick…or extremely tired), and ate healthier than most…the symptoms were not/are not as noticeable or consistent. I also have some physical issues, but none related to MS (I even had a brain scan about five years ago by a nuerologist…and they did not find anything. I am seeing a rehab personal trainer to help build up atrophied muscles/muscle imbalances, etc…and he said he mentioned an auto-immune issue as a possible issue based on my mentioned symptoms. I did not even mention my own concerns…so this is why I am posting here! I am wondering who I would even see (my GP sucks for help or referrals…and I have had a few since my GREAT doc retired) to define this. My LEAP Nutritionist works with a Naturopath…but I had a Naturopath nightmare (doctor’s and healthcare providers on a whole actually) that has kept me from moving in that direction. Input would be very helpful at this point!! Any takers are greatly appreciated!!! :))
Mrs. M. says
TZ, Have you considered looking into your gallbladder/pancreas? It sounds like you may need to purge some gallstones. Most of your symptoms are identical to mine and once I did about 12 gallbladder flushes I started feeling human and was able to consume tons of food again. Most people have issues with their gallbladder and they have no idea –most of those symptoms mimic a lot of auto-immune. I am not a doctor, but I would start there. I also worked with a nutritionist who helped me clean my water and my air. Water is such a huge part of the healing process as well.
June Ohm says
My husband was recently diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis while in the midst of a major flare. He just had his first dose of ldn a couple hours ago. The Dr recommended 3 mg 4x/day – is that typical? He is also taking a maitake supplement and using turmeric.
Barbara says
Hello Elana,
I have a daughter whose food issues match some of your delicious cupcake recipes. My question is: How much cupcake batter do I need to fill a 10″ or 9″ baking pan and how do I adjust the baking time?
She is having a baby shower in a couple of weeks and I am making a snowman (using your recipes for cupcakes and icing). I need to know how to adjust the recipes to make this cute desert centerpiece that my daughter can eat.
Your earliest reply is so appreciated.
Thank you,
Barbara (grandma-to-be!)
Ravind Singh says
I have severe psoriasis and inquire if there is a Naltrexone cream or ointment that is available.I cannot take oral medication as my liver is damaged through excessive alcohol
intake and jaundice has set in.
rose says
Hi Ravind. Yes, LDN is available as a cream, as well as capsules, liquid and sublingual drops.
Jennie says
I am very pleased with your recipes and wholesome lifestyle and cooking pursuits. However, just to clarify, in your article regarding low dose naltrexone,which is, in fact “somewhat experimental”, naltrexone in doses of 50-100mg are FDA-approved for alcohol and opioid addiction treatment. In regards to your comment that naltrexone is given in emergency rooms at doses of up to 1500mg, you may be confusing naltrexone with naloxone, which is also an opioid antagonist often used in ERs to reverse opioid overdose. Please be aware the this medication is necessary not to make people “lucid”in the ER, but to reverse the opioid-induced respiratory depression that often kills opioid addicts who have accidentally overdosed. In essence, it saves their lives. Naltrexone at appropriate doses can be very useful treatment for those suffering from addictions—the “junkies” as you refer to them. Addiction is a disabling and debilitating disorder and people with addictions are often unfairly stigmatized and judged.
emilla says
I have been diagnosed with As. Can anyone tell me how to find doctor in Australia who would prescribed LDN ?
Mary says
I don’t know if this medication would be able two help, but I have a friend who has autoimmune disorder as well, she is allergic to over 7,000 things, and it she is itching constantly,and it is not something that can control from external creams or lotions, the itching is coming from the inside out, and she’s lost all of her hair on her head she’s in her sixties and very depressed. The medication that they gave her that was helping and her skin that was actually finally healing caused her kidneys to go into failure and put her in a depression so bad that she was suicidal. I have talked to her about the Paleo diet, and the autoimmune protocol diet, but I don’t know if this would help in this situation. They technically say she has eczema but it would be if you were to rate eczema in different stages, she would have eczema in stage 4. Can you offer me anything information wise or from previous experiences to help her?
Erin says
Your friend needs to investigate high histamine issues. This is a genetic issue exacerbated by diet and food. Even many so called “healthy foods” such as yogurt, will trigger histamines in those who have a genetic predisposition. Look up the Histamine Diet and supplements that damper histamines in the gut such as pancreatic enzymes, vitamin C and Black currant seed oil. FYI, everyone is on a “probiotic” craze right now. Those with high histamines will have VERY high histamines when using most probiotics. There are a few low histamine variations though so look into those only.
Vera says
I’m taking LDN for Dermatomyositis and microscopic colitis. I started 5 months ago while on the Paleo diet, which had only improved my skin and symptoms 60%. Within 4 months, my Dermatomyositis rash was completely in remission and my extreme sun sensitivity vastly improved. I’m tan now!! In those 4 months I dropped from 10 mgs prednisone to 5 with no flares with each drop. My energy levels improved and my mood has never been better. I’m in awe and wish I had tried it when my disease first flared.
Gaius Gracchus says
Thanks to Vera for her posts about DM and LDN. I have DM and my doctor has never treated it but prescribed the LDN for me. She was very happy to hear about someone with DM who has had success with this treatment, since I mentioned Vera’s posts to her.