Can Low Dose Naltrexone be Used for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Syndrome

Multiple sclerosis is a serious disorder of the immune system, which leads to the degeneration and decline of the nerves of the central nervous system. As brain is the main controlling organ of the body, the degeneration of the nerves of the central nervous system leads to various complications of the body and mind, thereby affecting the normal healthy life of the victim making him/her completely debilitated during the attack.

The disease has been found to affect women more than men and too women who are between the age group of 20 to 40 years. The cause of this serious brain disorder is still unknown, although certain genetic and environmental factors are generally citied as the causes or reasons for this major disease. Being an auto immune disorder, MS is an inflammatory disease in which the body's own immune system attacks the nerves and tissues of the brain leading to severe damage.

Multiple sclerosis treatment involves the consideration of various issues by the physician or the neurologist after the diagnosis of the disease. The three main goals of multiple sclerosis treatment are:

• reducing the frequency and number of attacks

• speeding up the recovery time after the attack

• slowing down the progression of disease

Although corticosteroids were mostly used for the treatment of multiple  sclerosis in the intial years, today many physicans are considering low dose naltrexone for MS. Being an opiod antagonist, naltrexone is basically prescribed and used for the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction. Low doses of this strong opioid antagonist have now been proved to be beneficial for the treatment of various serious diseases like cancer, crohn's disease, HIV/AIDS and ms.

While, the success of naltrexone for alcoholism treatment is well known and well established, success of low dose naltrexone for ms treatment is a new development. Now you must be wondering how does LDN works to treat autoimmune diseases like  ms.

As opposed to the  popular belief that many auto immune diseases like crohn's disease, ms etc. are caused by an overactive immune system - LDN therapy works on the basis that autoimmune diseases develop as a result of immunodeficiency – a lack of immune system activity. More specifically, LDN therapy works on the theory that low blood levels of endorphins contribute to disease-associated immune deficiencies.

LDN therapy increases the body's production of met-enkephalin and beta endorphins, as patients with ms are found to be deficient in these chemicals, LND has been shown to prevent further attacks along with reducing progression, fatigue and symptoms of ms.

Naltrexone dosage of 5mg should be taken before bedtime – ideally between 9pm and 3am for maximum efficiency.