Low Dose Naltrexone, Rheumatoid Arthritis & Multiple Sclerosis
We have discussed in the previous articles what LDN stands for, what it is, and how does it work.
I invite you to review the previous articles and if you’d like, browse the links below that contain ever growing evidence of LDN’s successful use for so many conditions that involve inflammation, immune deficiencies and chronic pain.
Wherever opioid receptors are found and a low level of endorphins exist, apparently a disease associated immune deficiency occurs and this is the common denominator for the conditions where LDN can be a beneficial therapeutic choice.
Now let us see what rheumatoid arthritis is and why LDN may be the preferred treatment choice for so many patients.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory auto-immune disorder that affects mainly the joints. In some people, the condition also can damage a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels. The immune system attacks the body’s own tissues causing damage to the lining of the joints, associated with painful swelling, leading to bone erosion and joint deformity. The inflammatory component causes damage to other of the body. In advanced cases, rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating condition.
Like any other autoimmune condition, the cause is unknown and multi-factorial. In the conventional medicine it is thought that there may be a genetic predisposition and risk factors or triggering factors for these conditions of unknown cause to develop.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a life-long serious condition in its own and as if this is not enough, it may have even more severe complications, such as: osteoporosis, rheumatoid nodules, dry eyes, dry mouth, infections, heart and lung problems, etc.
It is also difficult to diagnose because many of its symptoms mimic other autoimmune conditions’ symptoms. This makes it very difficult for the patients to find a good practitioner to accurately diagnose it and then create a personalized treatment plan.
Customized treatment plan is crucial for rheumatoid arthritis patient because, despite the recent pharmacological developments and wide range of pharmaceutical treatment options, there is no treatment to cure the disease; only to maintain the condition under control with the help of the drugs. Many of these drugs have serious side effects, sometimes more serious than the expected benefits.
Multiple Sclerosis – is another potentially debilitating chronic autoimmune disorder. It affects the brain and the spinal cord (central nervous system). The damage consists of demyelination of the nerves that lead to disabled communication between the brain and the rest of the body. In the long run, the nerves themselves may become damaged causing more dysfunction to the body.
The signs and symptoms come in a very wide variety and degrees of intensity, they differ from person to person and they can occur in the young adult population. The progression can be unpredictable as the disease can have spontaneous remissions for prolonged periods of time. Like any other autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis has no cure. The treatment aims to delay the progression of the condition and to control the symptoms. For all autoimmune conditions, lifestyle changes and adjuvant, non-pharmacological therapies, must be adopted to help the patients cope with the disease.
This is the reason why many of the patients who have learned about LDN, its potential benefits, and mild side effect profile have made it their preferred option for pharmacological treatment.
If you’ve decided to try LDN, tell your doctor about it and ask for a prescription. If your doctor does not know about LDN and wants to learn about LDN “protocols”, tell him/her to give us a call. One of our experienced compounding pharmacists will be happy to help!
References:
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353653
- Exp Biol Med (Maywood).2018 Dec 12:1535370218817746. doi: 10.1177/1535370218817746. [Epub ahead of print] Intermittent blockade of OGFr and treatment of autoimmune disorders. Zagon IS1, McLaughlin PJ1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30541348
- Pharmacotherapy.2018 Mar;38(3):382-389. doi: 10.1002/phar.2086. Epub 2018 Feb 23. The Safety and Efficacy of Low-Dose Naltrexone in the Management of Chronic Pain and Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s Disease, and Other Chronic Pain Disorders.Patten DK1, Schultz BG1, Berlau DJ1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29377216
- Exp Biol Med (Maywood).2018 Feb;243(4):361-369. doi: 10.1177/1535370217749830. Epub 2018 Jan 7. Featured Article: Modulation of the OGF-OGFr pathway alters cytokine profiles in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. Ludwig MD1, Zagon IS1, McLaughlin PJ1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29307283
- Endogenous Opioids in the Etiology and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Ian S. Zagon and Patricia J. McLaughlin https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470156/
- Low dose naltrexone in multiple sclerosis: Effects on medication use. A quasi-experimental study Guttorm Raknes, Lars Småbrekke https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0187423
- Exp Biol Med (Maywood).2017 Sep;242(15):1524-1533. doi: 10.1177/1535370217724791. Epub 2017 Aug 2. Featured Article: Serum [Met5]-enkephalin levels are reduced in multiple sclerosis and restored by low-dose naltrexone. Ludwig MD1, Zagon IS1, McLaughlin PJ1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28766982
- Exp Biol Med (Maywood).2016 Jan;241(1):71-8. doi: 10.1177/1535370215596384. Epub 2015 Jul 22. Opioid growth factor and low-dose naltrexone impair central nervous system infiltration by CD4 + T lymphocytes in established experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a model of multiple sclerosis. Hammer LA1, Waldner H2, Zagon IS1, McLaughlin PJ3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26202376
