Low-Dose Naltrexone

What is Low-Dose Naltrexone?

Naltrexone belongs to a class of drugs called opioid antagonists. It was approved by the FDA in 1984, at the 50 mg dose. At this approved dose, it works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and blocking opioids from binding to these receptors. It basically prevents the feelings of well-being that people with an opioid addiction get when they take this pain medication. Because of its mechanism of action at this dosage, Naltrexone is used for the treatment of opioid and alcohol abuse.

middle aged woman smiling benefiting from low-dose naltrexone

older woman washing vegetables at the sink benefiting from low-dose naltrexone

Low Dose Naltrexone Article

In 2014, an article in Clinical Rheumatology proposed using low dose naltrexone or LDN for pain. (PMID 24526250) In the article, the authors discuss the experimental use of LDN and state in the abstract, “Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has been demonstrated to reduce symptom severity in conditions such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and complex regional pain syndrome.” They go on to state that the article reviews the evidence, “that LDN may operate as a novel anti-inflammatory agent in the central nervous system."