Naltrexone was originally marketed as a medication to help stop opiate addiction. It has the ability to stop an overdose in its tracks as well as prevent relapses by binding to opiate receptors. Emergency rooms have been saving lives with Naltrexone for decades.

Research and clinical application is showing that extremely low doses of Naltrexone (0.5 - 10 mg) can help increase endorphins in the body by signaling it to make more. Endorphins are pain fighting chemicals that help modulate the immune system and lower inflammation. Studies have shown people with autoimmune diseases and cancer have lower endorphins than the regular population, and that raising endorphin levels with Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) can improve a variety of conditions such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, lupus, crohn's disease, and many others.

An important aspect of using LDN is to make sure you are not taking a time released formula or formulas with calcium carbonate as a binder. The effectiveness of the treatment lies in its ability to bind to opiate receptors for a short period of time and then be metabolized. During the time it is bound to the receptors, the body will ramp up its production of endorphins. If the Naltrexone stays bound to the receptors without being metabolized, the newly created endorphins will have no receptors to bind to. Your body will not be able to absorb their healing effects.

The best time to take LDN is around 9 PM at night. This will allow the Naltrexone to bind to receptors around 4 AM when your endorphins should be highest. This is the signal for your body to start ramping up your production of it's natural pain-fighting chemicals. However, some patients experience nightmares when taking LDN at night which is mitigated by taking LDN in the mornings and/or starting at a lower dosage. The improvements with LDN does not cure the root cause of disease but can give you a better quality of life. For example, with multiple sclerosis patients, the condition was not reversed with LDN treatment. However, it does help patients feel less pain and fatigue. When dealing with any chronic illness, your Naturopathic Doctor can help you correct the underlying causes of illness while also using treatments like LDN to provide more immediate relief.