Low Dose Naltrexone Provides Options for Treatment
With potential benefits addressing a slew of serious medical issues, it’s no wonder more people than ever are inquiring about how to get low dose Naltrexone. Low dose Naltrexone is a safe, non-toxic, and relatively inexpensive drug thought to help regulate a dysfunctional immune system.
Developed in the early 1980s, Naltrexone was approved by the FDA in 1984 for use in the treatment of opioid addiction at standard doses ranging from 50mg to 100mg per day. It is used to treat patients addicted to heroin as well as other opium products and remains a pure antagonist at various opioid receptors, Delta Kappa, Mu, and Opioid Growth Factor (OGF) receptors.
However, low dose Naltrexone (LDN) refers to treatment with the drug that comes in doses far lower than the opioid addiction treatment dosage — commonly no more than 5 mg or less than 10% of the addiction treatment dosage. Naltrexone has paradoxical properties at low dosage levels, including analgesia and anti-inflammatory effects. These effects have been found to benefit some patients suffering from a wide variety of conditions and diseases.
Before we learn how to get low dose Naltrexone, let’s review some of the uses of LDN and the kinds of diseases it has been shown to offer some relief against.
What Low Dose Naltrexone is Used For
LDN works by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and in all types of immune cells to block endorphins, which in turn signals the body to increase endorphin production. The increased endorphin production helps increase the activity of your body’s stem cells, T and B cells, macrophages, natural killer cells, and other immune cells. It also helps prevent overactivity from the immune system, which curbs the release of neurotoxic and inflammatory chemicals in the brain.
In simpler terms, LDN forms a ‘blockade’ on your body’s cells which causes you to make more endorphins. Once LDN clears from your system, your body benefits from the increased endorphin production.
Large-scale and long-term research into the potential benefits of these effects hasn’t been completed or is still underway. But there are some promising small-scale studies and anecdotal evidence that suggests LDN can offer patients some relief from a wide range of medical issues.
Small-scale studies suggest that LDN can help patients suffering from chronic pain or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), and even Diabetic Neuropathy. One study indicated more than 75 percent of those suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) found reduced pain and overall symptom relief after four weeks on LDN. Another clinical trial suggested that LDN reduced the pain, fatigue, inflammation, and stress of those who have fibromyalgia.
Other diseases that LDN has been used to help treat include:
- ALS
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Crohn’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- CFS/ME
- Lyme Disease
- Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
- Diabetes Type 1
- Psoriasis
- Anxiety and Depression
- A variety of cancer types, including Oral, Breast, and Colorectal
This is not an exhaustive list. For a complete list of all ailments that LDN has been used to treat, visit the LDN Research Trust.
How To Get Low Dose Naltrexone
It should be noted that the FDA does not officially sanction low dose Naltrexone as a treatment option for many of the diseases and afflictions listed above. This means that insurance plans won’t typically cover LDN. The FDA has approved Naltrexone only as a treatment for opioid addiction and alcoholism.
Because the FDA has not approved naltrexone for off-label uses, the only way to acquire low dose Naltrexone is from a compounding pharmacy — like Lakeview Pharmacy — with a recommendation from your healthcare provider. For example, if you receive a 4mg prescription, you’ll need a compounding pharmacy to convert the available 50mg tablets into something you can take for a daily dose.
LDN is NOT an opiate or a controlled substance, and the incidence of side effects is low and typically mild. The dosage — 5 mg maximum in nearly all cases — is no more than a fraction of the dosage used to treat addiction.
As a safe, inexpensive option to augment or complement treatments for issues attacking or affecting the immune system, low dose naltrexone is gaining more trust from patients for its benefits in managing troubling symptoms.
Lakeview Pharmacy Offers a Complete Suite of Compounding Services
Lakeview Pharmacy offers a wide range of compounding pharmacy services and is proud to work with you to craft ideal medicinal treatment options around your particular circumstances. Whether you need an LDN treatment or are exploring ways to manage a chronic pain condition, we’ll develop the necessary adjustments to make your treatment easier and perhaps more effective. You can see more about all the compounding services we offer to patients here.
Contact Lakeview Pharmacy today to learn more about low dose Naltrexone and how it — and similar products — can help.