Is sexual dysfunction a common side effect of Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)?
I read some of that LDN can cause sexual dysfunction in men. Is this common? My husband is interested in trying LDN for arthritis pain.
I have had some reports in maybe diminished sex or libido in some patients with LDN. It's not very common. I put it kind of at the bottom of the list in terms of side effects. In the rare occasion where it does happen, again, I had that discussion with the patient, how bad is it bothering you? And how much benefit are you getting it? And it's one of those things where you kind have to weigh the benefits from this potential side effect. I don't have enough exposure to this problem to say whether or not it'll go away over time.
A lot of side effects from LDN do go away overtime. So it's possible that will, I think I've had a couple patients where it was bothersome enough that they had to stop it, that side effect, but it it is one of the much less common side of facing somebody.
Dr. Mark Schuchman actually uses it in his practice for sexual dysfunction. Yes. You find it's very useful, works very well. With any medication, you can get what's called a paroxysmal reaction, or a paradox reaction where you kind of get the opposite effect in some cases, Linda pointed out a doctor using LDN to help with sexual disfunction.
But on the other hand, I have had some patients, a few, I don't remember the last time I heard that complaint, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. I think kind of on a list of side effects, it's quite low. And the benefits might outweigh, even if somebody does have that. There could be other ways to manage the sexual dysfunction as well, however that forms.