Low Dose Naltrexone: A Surprising Tool for Inflammation, Pain & Perimenopause Support
Photo by Teslariu Mihai
If you’re in your 40s or 50s and dealing with things like joint pain, brain fog, stubborn inflammation, or autoimmune flares—there’s a good chance you’ve been told to just “manage it” with diet, rest, and maybe a few supplements.
But what if there was another option?
One that’s been around for years… but flies under the radar in traditional medicine?
Let me introduce you to Low Dose Naltrexone, or LDN.
This tiny dose of a well-known medication is gaining traction for its ability to support women dealing with pain, inflammation, and immune dysfunction—especially during perimenopause, when all those things seem to hit at once.
As a doctor, I first used LDN years ago for pain—and recently, I decided to bring it back into my own routine. Why? Because inflammation had crept back in despite eating clean, using targeted supplements, and experimenting with peptides. And let’s be honest—midlife isn’t always graceful when it comes to symptoms.
So What Is Low Dose Naltrexone?
LDN is a much smaller dose of the drug naltrexone, which is normally used in high doses to help with alcohol or opioid dependence. But in tiny doses (typically 0.5 to 4.5 mg), it works in a completely different way—supporting your body’s natural feel-good chemicals (like endorphins) and calming an overactive immune response.
This isn’t about numbing symptoms—it’s about nudging the body to rebalance itself.
What It’s Being Used For
Although it’s not FDA-approved for these conditions (what we call “off-label” use), LDN is being explored and prescribed by functional medicine doctors for:
Fibromyalgia and chronic pain
Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune conditions
Hormone-related inflammation
Mood issues
Even food cravings (yes—especially sugar!)
It’s not for everyone, and it’s not a magic bullet—but for many women, it’s been a total game changer.
Curious if it could help you?
There’s so much more to say about how it works, who it’s right for, and the side effects I personally experienced when I restarted it (spoiler: vivid dreams!). I dive deeper into all of that in my latest YouTube video.
Watch it here: https://youtu.be/PJ_82JX8v1w?si=msXRRgElMl1_QmVk
This one’s worth watching—especially if you feel like you’ve tried everything and still don’t feel like yourself.