The more patients we work with taking Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), the more excited we get about it. We believe this medication can help many people in our community.
Naltrexone, an opiate receptor antagonist, is not a new drug, but when used off label, at very low doses, is a drug shown in many trials to be of therapeutic benefit. The 50mg dose of Naltrexone was approved by the FDA in 1984 to treat opioid and alcohol addiction.
In 1985, Bernard Bihari, MD, a physician with a clinical practice in New York City, discovered the effects of a much smaller dose of Naltrexone. When reduced to doses ranging from 0.5mg to 9.0mg daily, it can modulate the immune system and may provide relief to those suffering from autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, mental health challenges, inflammation, and more.
Over the past fifteen years, there has been a growing body of evidence that the body’s endorphins (naturally occurring opioids) have a crucial role in regulating the immune system and providing pain relief. LDN’s blockade of Toll Like Receptors (TLRs) is believed to contribute to the anti-inflammatory and immune dampening effects. These mechanisms help us understand why LDN is beneficial for so many patients.
Since we began specializing in LDN at Norland Avenue Pharmacy, we have seen a wide variety of successes. It is these successes that motivate us to continue to try to help other patients.
We recommend LDN to many patients for four main reasons:
It’s Safe: The FDA approved Naltrexone in 1984 at doses of 50mg and greater. LDN is just a fraction of that strength. Also, a study was published in January of 2019 to evaluate the safety of oral naltrexone by examining the risk of serious adverse events and adverse events in randomized controlled trials of naltrexone compared to placebo. Over 11,000 participants were included and there was no evidence of increased risk of serious adverse events for naltrexone compared to placebo.
It Has Few Side Effects: After completing follow-up calls with patients on LDN, we found that 52% experienced no side effects while taking LDN. The most common side effect reported was vivid dreams or sleep disturbances at 33%. However, 100% of patients that experienced side effects said that the side effects resolved after a few weeks.
It’s Cost Effective: At Norland Avenue Pharmacy, LDN costs only about $1/day.
It Works for Patients with Many Different Conditions: The list of conditions that LDN has been helpful in treating is too long to include in this article and continues to grow every day. It includes any autoimmune disease, pain, depression, anxiety, cancer, inflammation, and more!
“As a very conservative figure, at least 70% of the patients who have tried LDN have had a positive clinical response. If you take out the patients who stopped early because of side effects, the number increases to over 80%. Of the patients who have had a clinical response, the percentage who rate their response as much improved (which would be a level 5 on a scale of 1 to 5) is around 30%.” - Jill Cottel, MD, Medical Director, Poway Integrative Medicine Center, Poway, CA
LDN is available only by prescription and is custom made at a compounding pharmacy. The key to success in using LDN is an understanding that optimal dosing is ultimately patient specific and is not dependent on a set protocol. Therefore, it is critical to work with a provider or a compounding pharmacy knowledgeable in strategies that can help ensure success with LDN.
If you would like to know more, visit our website or stop by the pharmacy. We can provide you information to take to your physician. Or, join Dr. Wayne Myers for our free seminar on Thursday, September 16th.
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Featured sections:
· Free Seminar: LDN
· Share Your BHRT Story
· Diabetes Bootcamp: Limited Openings
· Recommendations for Protection & Immunity
· Revitalize Your Skin: The Difference is Night and Day