Low-dose Naltrexone (LDN) has exhibited benefits for a number of illnesses, including autism. In the United States, approximately 1 in 59 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is about 4 times more common among boys than among girls, without race, ethnic, or socioeconomic preference. While there’s no cure for autism, combining appropriate therapy with medical intervention during its early stages will result in the individual’s better chances of recovery and promote healthy development.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities that were previously diagnosed separately. Some prefer to use the word autism instead of autism spectrum disorder because of the negative meaning implied by “disorder”. ASD includes the following: autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and an unspecified form of pervasive developmental disorder.
ASD is characterized by impaired social interaction and problems with verbal and non-verbal communication. This leads to difficulty in communicating and interacting with other people. Autism influences the nervous system and affects the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical health of the individual causing problems in school or at work. People with autism perceive the world differently. Its symptoms can range from mild to disabling and may start to appear anytime from 0 to 3 years of age.
What is Low-dose Naltrexone (LDN)?
Naltrexone was first approved by the FDA in 1984 to treat opioid addiction. Later on, it was discovered that low-dose naltrexone (LDN)—low dose being one-tenth of naltrexone’s usual dose—shows immune-modulating effects. LDN appears to be safe because of its low abuse potential and few side effects. It is also cost-effective because only a small amount is needed. Research on LDN also demonstrated improvements in other diseases such as cancer, Crohn’s disease, Lyme disease, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, etc. LDN has also shown good results in children with autism.
How can Low-dose Naltrexone (LDN) help people with autism?
LDN has shown to be an effective pharmacologic intervention for autism. Parents of children with autism were surveyed and 75 percent of them reported that LDN is “overall beneficial” for their children as they noted significant improvement in cognition, communication, and socialization. Research also showed additional positive effects: a decline in hyperactivity, restlessness, inattention, and aggression in young children with autism. LDN also appears to be a potential alternative for treating behavioral symptoms including self-injurious behavior when traditional attempted therapies have failed. LDN is described as a safe, non-addicting, and inexpensive behavioral and immunomodulating treatment for autism spectrum disorder.
Where can I find more information about LDN?
While the knowledgeable pharmacists at The Compounding Center do our best to share accurate scientific information, we also understand that first-hand accounts from actual patients are also valuable.
On the LDN Research Trust website, you will find accounts of patients’ experiences with LDN in treating autism spectrum disorder. We encourage you to talk to your doctor about whether LDN might be appropriate for you or your loved one to try.
How can I try LDN?
If you live in NY, PA, MD, DC, VA, WV, NC, GA, and FL, our trained pharmacy staff will compound your specific LDN dose with a prescription from your doctor.
LDN is only available from a compounding pharmacy. The Compounding Center in Leesburg prepares LDN as immediate-release pills with no fillers or binders to interfere with the drug’s absorption. Plus, we take your allergies and dietary concerns into consideration. We make sure our compounded LDN capsules and tablets are free of common allergens like gluten, lactose, and dyes. LDN can also be made in a non-allergenic cream for topical application.
We’ll even ship it to you if you can’t get to the store!
Call or text The Compounding Center to get a quote
703-779-3301
Reference
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352928
https://www.ldnresearchtrust.org/dr-brian-udell
https://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/default.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8570775