NALTREXONE

What is naltrexone (Vivitrol)?

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist, a medication that blocks opioid receptors in the brain. Opioids are a class of drugs that derive from or mimic natural substances found in the opium poppy plant [1]. When taken, they can decrease pain and provide a sense of euphoria. Opioids can be very addictive due to their euphoric effects. Naltrexone is prescribed to combat this problem by preventing a person from getting “high.” Naltrexone blocks where the opioids bind at the opioid receptors. In addition to opioid use disorder, naltrexone can also be used for alcohol use disorder.

How can naltrexone be used in long-COVID?

There has been some evidence that naltrexone may be helpful for patients dealing with symptoms of long-COVID. In long-COVID, the body is theorized to be under constant inflammation. Although a person is no longer actively infected with COVID-19, the body is still shedding the virus. Since the virus is a foreign material, the immune response is invoked and causes inflammation [2]. Using naltrexone at doses much lower than for alcohol or opioid disorder emphasizes its anti-inflammatory properties to help the body recover quicker [3].

Current published studies have looked at the use of low-dose naltrexone and symptom relief. One study of 52 patients showed improvement in activities of daily living, energy levels, pain levels, concentration levels, and sleep disturbance with the use of low-dose naltrexone [4]. A second study found that low-dose naltrexone increased sleep patterns, headache, brain fog, fatigue, fewer symptoms, and overall better functional status [5].

Current studies are being conducted to help solidify naltrexone’s use as a treatment option for long-COVID, however, it is still in the beginning phases [6]. However, with the limited research conducted, naltrexone does show promise in treating the long-COVID disease state to help restore patients to their pre-COVID baselines.

References:

¹https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/opioids

²https://www.covidcaregroup.org/blog/low-dose-naltrexone-for-post-covid-inflammation

³https://text2md.com/blog/ldn-for-covid-long-haul/#:~:text=LDN%20and%20its%20role%20in%20post%2Dcovid%20symptoms%3A&text=Thedose%20of%20naltrexone%20used%20for,patients%20experiencing%20post%20covid%20symptoms

⁴https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9250701/

⁵https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.08.23291102

⁶https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05430152

Search for: Long COVID, naltrexone | Card Results | ClinicalTrials.gov