Naltrexone is a medication that has been commercially available for almost 20 years for the treatment of mild to moderate opioid addiction and alcohol dependence. Naltrexone binds to the same receptors as Vicodin, Percocet and Oxycontin to help patients wean off of these opioids. For this indication, the starting dose is usually 50mg.

However, the latest research has shown that naltrexone at low doses of 1.5-4.5mg is effective in treating various other conditions. At these low doses, naltrexone works by increasing the release of hormones called endorphins. This increased production of endorphins may promote healing, block cancerous cell growth and decrease inflammation.

The potential benefits of this response can be effective in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s disease and fibromyalgia. It can also be effective in disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s and IBS. Low dose naltrexone, commonly referred to as LDN, is not yet commercially available at retail pharmacies, but can be made locally at a compounding pharmacy.

To further evaluate if you could be a candidate for this new cutting-edge therapy, contact a compounding pharmacist for more information and referral to an experienced provider in this field.

Dana Reed-Kane, Pharm.D., FIACP, FACA, NFPPhC, FCP, is a compounding pharmacist at Reed’s Compounding Pharmacy, 2729 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson. Connect at 520-318-4421 or ReedsRX.com.