Can Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) help  with Long COVID?

Can Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) help  with Long COVID?

Yes, but with caveats. We know LDN is unlicensed medicine. So, we can’t say for certain because there has not been a clinical trial done.However, we started using LDN to treat Long COVID in the middle of COVID and have continued to do so ever since. The results have been quite remarkable in our clinical practice. You can usually notice results during four to six weeks after starting therapy with LDN.

The dosage we use for Long COVID is the same as we use for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as many of the symptoms are similar. More specifically, brain fog seems to be the main symptom that is cleared up very quickly in Long COVID with LDN. Dosages are between 1.5 and 4.5 mg increased over two months.

For Long COVID patients, we do find that some people who feel they are regressing at the 4.5 mg dose actually need to come down and reduce their dose to maybe 3 mg or somewhere between 3 and 4.5. This may be due to the expression of opioid receptors changing over time, or the inflammation reducing, or the dose just becoming slightly too high.

Once people have been stable and their symptom control is stable for six months, we would then be looking at a trial reduction or stopping the LDN and keeping a diary of symptoms to see how you are getting on.

Once you have been feeling well for about six months, it is time to do a trial stop of LDN, see how you’re feeling. You can always restart it again if your symptoms start to come back. If they don’t, then you would be fully recovered.