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- Mar 3, 2021
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We're hearing a lot more about this all the time, so I thought I'd explain it a bit. LDN stands for "low dose naltrexone". Naltrexone is a drug first synthesized in 1967, as part of the ongoing search to discover morphine-like compounds useful for pain relief and opiate withdrawal. Naltrexone was a godsend for opiate withdrawal, and its use as a blocker of the opiate receptors in the body led to the refinement of dosing at the low levels of LDN, about 40x lower than the dose commonly used with opiate withdrawal treatments. The first immunological use of it was in AIDS patients, by Dr. Bernard Bihari in the mid-1980's. It was found to completely obviate the typical HIV destruction of the immune system. Research into how, exactly, it works continued, and key to this was the discovery of endorphin receptors, and later, toll-like, or TLR, receptors in both the peripheral and central nervous systems.
Briefly, a small dose of LDN, usually something on the order of 1.5 mg, is taken once daily. It attaches to the opiate receptors in the body and blocks their output of endorphins - the lovely natural painkillers treasured by both addicts and athletes
Endorphins also regulate the immune system, and blocking the receptors briefly forces more manufacture of endorphins. The LDN blocks the receptors only briefly, about 4 hours, but this allows the increased endorphin production to act in an enhanced immunomodulatory way to correct immune system malfunction. This is a gross simplification of LDN's action; it acts also on TLRs, where its effect has proven to depress cell growth such as cancers.
Since many outward diseases are expressions of a malfunctioning immune system, LDN has a profound effect on major and minor immune issues, ranging from CFS, fibromyalgia, some thyroid diseases, IBD, Lupus, MS, depression, and autism spectrum disorders. Its use is well-documented these days, largely in the work of the LDN Research Trust (LDNResarchTrust.org). Many physicians - and yes, veterinarians - are prescribing LDN and monitoring patients with great success. Upon initial exposure to the idea, I was sure this was just another nasty painkiller, and was ready to reject it. My very astute MD shooed me back to research it more thoroughly, and I became convinced after only ONE dose. The body responds to the blockade with its own natural healing actions, as if freeing one from all the confusing pains and malfunctions the immune system had developed. It takes some time for a complete remission, say from MS or Lupus, and a bit of experimentation with dosage - each of us seems to have his own "best" dose. But people stay on it forever, and generally say it gave them their life back.
So, yes, folks are using it for their pets, with equally dramatic results. In our case, it is healing a medial shoulder injury that has been around for three or so years - about 90% fixed now. For me, a much better quality of brain function, no more fog, less body pain - I feel much as I did a decade or two ago, but I have some to go yet. Yuji is happy and bright, lost a little weight even as his appetite has increased, skin issues cleared. Other animals have cleared tumors, arthritis, skin issues...
There are two FB groups: <Low dose Naltrexone (LDN) for chronic illness & infections>, which has 43,000 members. And: <LOVE OUR PETS Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)> with 3600 members. This being FB, there is a huge range of experience and smarts, but some very astute moderators and tons of advice. The LDNResearchTrust has two excellent books available, plus a ton of videos on their site.
Ask me more if you like. Many of our colleagues are familiar, too. And there will be some who dismiss it, or accuse us of careless, unresearched, or non-prescription use - that is not, however, the case anywhere I've found. LDN holds great promise, and I believe it is a potential life-saver for much of the human condition.
Briefly, a small dose of LDN, usually something on the order of 1.5 mg, is taken once daily. It attaches to the opiate receptors in the body and blocks their output of endorphins - the lovely natural painkillers treasured by both addicts and athletes
Endorphins also regulate the immune system, and blocking the receptors briefly forces more manufacture of endorphins. The LDN blocks the receptors only briefly, about 4 hours, but this allows the increased endorphin production to act in an enhanced immunomodulatory way to correct immune system malfunction. This is a gross simplification of LDN's action; it acts also on TLRs, where its effect has proven to depress cell growth such as cancers.Since many outward diseases are expressions of a malfunctioning immune system, LDN has a profound effect on major and minor immune issues, ranging from CFS, fibromyalgia, some thyroid diseases, IBD, Lupus, MS, depression, and autism spectrum disorders. Its use is well-documented these days, largely in the work of the LDN Research Trust (LDNResarchTrust.org). Many physicians - and yes, veterinarians - are prescribing LDN and monitoring patients with great success. Upon initial exposure to the idea, I was sure this was just another nasty painkiller, and was ready to reject it. My very astute MD shooed me back to research it more thoroughly, and I became convinced after only ONE dose. The body responds to the blockade with its own natural healing actions, as if freeing one from all the confusing pains and malfunctions the immune system had developed. It takes some time for a complete remission, say from MS or Lupus, and a bit of experimentation with dosage - each of us seems to have his own "best" dose. But people stay on it forever, and generally say it gave them their life back.
So, yes, folks are using it for their pets, with equally dramatic results. In our case, it is healing a medial shoulder injury that has been around for three or so years - about 90% fixed now. For me, a much better quality of brain function, no more fog, less body pain - I feel much as I did a decade or two ago, but I have some to go yet. Yuji is happy and bright, lost a little weight even as his appetite has increased, skin issues cleared. Other animals have cleared tumors, arthritis, skin issues...
There are two FB groups: <Low dose Naltrexone (LDN) for chronic illness & infections>, which has 43,000 members. And: <LOVE OUR PETS Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)> with 3600 members. This being FB, there is a huge range of experience and smarts, but some very astute moderators and tons of advice. The LDNResearchTrust has two excellent books available, plus a ton of videos on their site.
Ask me more if you like. Many of our colleagues are familiar, too. And there will be some who dismiss it, or accuse us of careless, unresearched, or non-prescription use - that is not, however, the case anywhere I've found. LDN holds great promise, and I believe it is a potential life-saver for much of the human condition.
