Low Dose Naltrexone for Autoimmune Diseases
BROWNSBURG, IN – A medication long known for its use in substance abuse treatment is getting a second life in the world of functional medicine, offering a new approach for people suffering from chronic autoimmune disorders.
In an exclusive interview, Ashley Regal, co-owner of Total Body Wellness, discussed the often-surprising prescription she gives to patients: Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). While the standard dose is used as an opioid receptor blocker to reverse overdoses, the micro-dose version is proving highly effective at managing inflammation and immune dysfunction.
Regal admits that the initial reaction from patients is often confusion. “I know, and that one takes a lot of time when I’m educating patients on it because they often look at me like, what are you talking about?” Regal said.
LDN is a compounded medication dosed at a tiny fraction of the standard amount—often starting at just 0.5 milligrams, compared to 50 milligrams in a hospital setting. The concept originated from studies in the 1980s that realized by briefly engaging, but not fully blocking, the opioid receptor, they could stimulate the release of feel-good endorphins like dopamine.
The key benefit of LDN is its ability to reduce inflammation without the debilitating side effects of traditional immunosuppressant drugs. In autoimmune diseases, the body produces mast cells, which create antibodies that mistakenly attack healthy tissues.
“When we can block production of mast cells, we bring down inflammation significantly,” Regal explained. “And so what is so cool is when you can block all of these mast cells through low dose Naltrexone, you see this remarkable response in inflammation and autoimmune disease.”
Regal highlighted the crucial difference between LDN and traditional methods:
“What’s really cool about low dose Naltrexone is it doesn’t suppress your immune system. It modulates it and modulate just means that it just gets it to work back to normal.”
This modulation helps protect organs under attack—such as the gut—and Regal reports remarkable success in patients with conditions like Hashimoto’s and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Perhaps the most compelling argument for LDN is its unique set of “side effects,” which are highly beneficial due to the subtle boost in dopamine.
“I’m prescribing it to you for your autoimmune dysfunction… but the side effects are: it helps boost your mood, it’s great for sleep, it’s good for chronic fatigue syndrome,” Regal stated. “What can you take in medicine that like I’m taking it for my autoimmune disease, but my side effects are going to be more energy and a better mood? Sign me up.”
Regal warns that slow dosing is key to avoiding rapid neurotransmitter release, which can cause restlessness. However, by carefully easing the patient up to the therapeutic dose, LDN provides a path to symptom relief, improved energy, and a significantly higher quality of life.
** Johnette Cruz is a News Anchor at WIBC and recently started a Women Health Series. To read the first article CLICK HERE. To learn more about this topic visit this WEBSITE. **
