How Can LDN Help with Chronic Illness Management?

Rose Beverly
Apr 27
4 min read

Finding the right treatments to manage chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia, long COVID-19, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and autoimmune conditions can be overwhelming for both patients and providers. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and it can take a lot of trial and error to find accessible solutions that make a significant difference in a patient’s day-to-day life. While it’s not guaranteed to work for everyone, the limited available research and anecdotal evidence suggest low dose naltrexone (LDN) can help treat a variety of common chronic symptoms, with some studies showing improvement in over 80% of participants.

What is LDN?

Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist, which means it blocks the effects of opioids and doesn’t have any narcotic effects. The standard dose of 50mg to 100mg per day, which is approved by the FDA to treat opioid addiction, works against both pharmaceutical opioids and the ones the human body naturally produces. Low dose naltrexone refers to doses less than 1/10th or less of the standard dose, most commonly 4-5 mg per day.

How Does It Work?

The chemical structure of LDN is nearly identical to naturally produced endorphins and binds to endorphin receptors for about an hour and a half, creating a blockade that lasts from four to six hours. Benefits include anti-inflammatory analgesic effects. It also increases the production of natural endorphins and their receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems, GI tract, and on lymphocytes, which are crucial white blood cells that support the immune system. This is especially helpful because it’s common for patients with autoimmune conditions to have lower levels of certain immunomodulatory endorphins.

5 Ways LDN Can Help Manage Chronic Illness Symptoms

1. Chronic Pain

Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, LDN can reduce the severity of chronic pain in patients living with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, rheumatological diseases, and other conditions that cause debilitating pain, which is often unresponsive to more common anti-inflammatory treatments. One small, double-blind trial in which 31 women were given 4.5mg of LDN at night before bed found that 57% of participants experienced about one-third less pain when the treatment was completed.

2. Fatigue

LDN has the potential to reduce fatigue by targeting certain receptors in the brain that are thought to be impaired in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Both patients with general chronic fatigue and those who have been diagnosed with CFS can benefit, including people who experience debilitating fatigue after a COVID-19 infection. LDN can also help improve sleep disorders, but some patients also experience insomnia as a side effect, especially when first beginning treatment.

3. Brain Fog

According to an early study exploring LDN as a treatment option for CFS, patients reported that their concentration difficulties, thought impairment, and cognitive overload were all improved following treatment. Chronic pain and fatigue can also make brain fog worse, so one medication that can address all three could be life-changing for struggling patients.

4. Gastrointestinal Issues

In addition to alleviating chronic pain associated with gastrointestinal conditions like Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome, LDN can also help improve inflammation, leading to better bowel function and relief from other GI symptoms, including nausea. LDN is typically tolerated better than many other pharmaceutical medications, which is appealing since people with autoimmune conditions tend to be more sensitive to medications and other substances.

5. Psychological Conditions

Finding relief from physical symptoms often helps alleviate psychological conditions like depression and anxiety, but LDN might also directly improve mental health in chronically ill patients managing these conditions, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and bipolar disorder.

What Are the Drawbacks of Taking LDN?

Just like any other medication, LDN can cause side effects, although they tend to be mild in most patients and resolve over time. Common side effects include:

Insomnia
Nausea
Vivid dreams or nightmares

You can’t take LDN at the same time as opioid medications because it blocks opioid receptors, and it might not be safe for people with acute hepatitis. Most insurance plans also don’t cover LDN because only a compounding pharmacy can prescribe it, though the cost is often much lower than other non-covered treatments.

How Do I Get Started?

The first step is to talk to your doctor about LDN. They’ll send your prescription to a compounding pharmacy, and you’ll need to provide the pharmacy with your payment and shipping info. Typically, your doctor will have you start on a very low dose (1mg or less) and increase gradually until you reach the full dose (usually 4-4.5mg). You’ll receive your prescription in the mail and won’t need to make an extra trip to a conventional pharmacy to receive your medication.

Dr Corey can prescribe LDN for patients in Washington. You can schedule your appointment online (scroll to the bottom of the page), or call/text 206-971-6708.

This information is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Seek care from a medical professional before starting any supplementation or lifestyle changes