Low-Dose Naltrexone: Miracle Drug?

Julian Whitaker, MD

“I am a registered nurse and certified nurse anesthetist. Nine years ago I came down with severe fatigue and achiness and was diagnosed with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. My internist tried anything and everything—heavy metals, sleep studies, supplements, and more. For two years there were days I never got out of bed. Of course, this put an end to my career.

“I read about low-dose naltrexone (LDN) in your newsletter. I got a prescription for 3 mg, and within five days, I felt like a different person. My fibro pain was gone, and over the next two months my fatigue subsided as well. Today, I continue to have the same great relief. Forty or so of the patients I work with in a support group are using LDN, all with some degree of relief. It seems like those with rheumatoid arthritis take longer but have a slow, steady climb.

“It boggles my mind that I had this drug in my anesthesia cart for over 30 years, not knowing that it would return my life to the way it was 10 years ago.” — Joy, Michigan

Low Dose, High Degree of Effectiveness

This letter is just one of the many stories I’ve received from patients and subscribers praising low-dose naltrexone. Many of them, like Joy, describe remarkable improvements in chronic fatigue or autoimmune disorders. Maria, who has had multiple sclerosis for several years, has had significantly fewer episodes of urinary incontinence since starting on LDN, and Anna, whose ulcerative colitis caused her to waste away to 88 pounds, is thrilled with her rapid nine-pound weight gain.

But LDN also helps a wide range of other conditions. Lou says that since she started taking it, she no longer gets her “annual colds,” and D.G. hasn’t had a cold sore in the three years she’s been on the drug. LDN has been shown to boost mood and energy and to prevent allergies in sensitive individuals. It’s reported to reduce the symptoms and progression of Parkinson’s disease and improve social interaction in children with autism. There’s even a new scientific paper confirming LDN’s benefits in the treatment of cancer.

Recommendations

• In addition to the conditions discussed above, LDN is a promising therapy for general health enhancement and disease prevention.
• The suggested dose is 3–4.5 mg per day, taken at bedtime. The only contraindication is narcotic drugs. LDN blocks their effects and could cause withdrawal symptoms, so it should be started only after those drugs are completely out of your system. LDN is safe and well tolerated. Some people report vivid dreams at first, but in my clinical experience, sleep disturbances are rare. To avoid this, you may want to start with a dose of 1.5 mg and build up slowly over two months.
• LDN requires a prescription and is available only from compounding pharmacies such as Gideon’s Drugs (212) 575-6868, Skip’s Pharmacy, (800) 553-7429, and McGuff Compounding Pharmacy, (877) 444-1133. If your doctor refuses to write a prescription, consider coming to the Whitaker Wellness Institute. For more information, call (866) 944-8253.
• To learn more about LDN, also visit lowdosenaltrexone.org or simply surf the Internet. This will give you a feel for the tremendous patient enthusiasm for LDN.

Modified from Health & Healing with permission from Healthy Directions, LLC. Photocopying, reproduction, or quotation strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher. To subscribe to Health & Healing, click here.