What Is LDN?
LDN, short for Low Dose Naltrexone, is a drug that helps to regulate dysfunctional immune systems. LDN is relatively new to today’s market, however, Naltrexone itself is not. Naltrexone is an FDA-approved drug used to help treat individuals suffering from opioid addiction that has been on the market since 1984. However, today, Naltrexone is being prescribed at a much lower dosage to help reduce symptoms of many other health-related issues such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, mental health concerns, certain types of cancers, and obesity, chronic pain, and inflammation. LDN is also known to upregulate our body’s endorphin production, thus playing a critical role in improving our overall mood, as well.
Today, LDN can be prescribed in several different forms such as in capsule form, topical creams, gels, oral liquids, sublingual liquids, and more depending on the patient’s individual needs. However, most patients are prescribed the capsule form of LDN, with some patients noticing significant improvements in their symptoms within the first few weeks of use. Today, LDN can be prescribed and purchased easily online from companies that specialize in prescription therapies, such as AgelessRx. On their website, you can get started with an online medical evaluation and get prescribed LDN quickly and hassle-free. Also check out The Confidant Health app, it is an At-home, virtual, confidential and discreet way to access expert help for medication assisted treatment which combines psychotherapy or counseling with certain medications.
What Does LDN Help With?
As mentioned previously, LDN is prescribed today to help several different health-related issues. Examples of what LDN can help to prevent are outlined below.
Inflammation in the body
LDN helps to upregulate our body’s endorphin production, and endorphins play a key role in moderating our overall immune systems. For most users, they will start with a relatively low dose of LDN and increase over a specified period. As they increase their dosage, their endorphin levels will also increase, thus helping to bring balance back to our immune systems and reduce any signs of inflammation, as well.
Reduces brain fog and fatigue levels
When inflammation occurs within our brains, it oftentimes leads to brain fog, as well. However, by increasing your LDN levels it can have a significant impact on combating brain fog as well as overall fatigue. LDN works to block our body’s opioid receptors, and that has a rebound effect on our body’s ability to produce endorphins. As our endorphin levels increase, not only does it help to reduce overall brain fog, but it helps to reduce any pain or inflammation that may be having an impact on your ability to sleep or quality of sleep.
Encourages weight loss
LDN can also help to lessen overall appetites in users. Similar to how Naltrexone is used to fight opioid addiction, LDN may help to reduce patients’ cravings and overall appeal for food. Ultimately, when LDN is used in combination with healthy eating and exercise, it can help to encourage weight loss for some patients.
How Do I Find My Optimal LDN Dosage?
When it comes to LDN, it’s important to find the dosage that works best for you. In most scenarios, LDN is prescribed at approximately 4.5mg per day, typically taken before bed. However, that doesn’t mean that 4.5mg is a one-size-fits-all dosage. Depending on each patient and their unique symptoms and needs, a higher or lower dosage may be required. The key is to find what is oftentimes referred to as the Goldilocks dose. This concept is easy to understand for those who have heard the story of “The Three Bears”. Goldilocks tastes three different bowls of porridge to determine which was the right temperature for her. Today, this concept is used to find just the right amount when it comes to a patient’s dosage.
For patients to discover their optimal LDN dosage, it’s important to start small. Most medical professionals advise their patients to start with a lower dose, around 1.5mg per night. After the first 10 days, they can increase to two 1.5mg capsules, then eventually to three 1.5mg capsules. After taking three capsules totaling 4.5mg, the majority of patients notice a reduction in their overall symptoms. However, for patients who don’t notice a direct impact on their symptoms, they may be instructed to add an additional 1.5mg to their nightly dosage. When increasing your LDN dosage, it’s important to provide yourself with at least a two-week timeframe to look for any significant reduction or differences in symptoms.
Overall, when it comes to finding your optimal LDN dosage, it’s important to work with your medical provider and ensure you’re providing yourself enough time to notice the impacts of each LDN dosage you try out. Similar to the Goldilocks method, finding your optimal LDN dosage requires a bit of trial and error. However, eventually, you may find the dose that works great for you and helps to alleviate your initial symptoms!
