McCall McPherson explains low-dose naltrexone (LDN): how small, compounded doses of naltrexone purportedly upregulate endogenous opioids, reduce inflammation, and modulate the immune system without immunosuppression. The speaker claims clinical benefits for autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s, Graves/hyperthyroidism), cancer surveillance, and aging, provides anecdotal evidence (one case: TPO antibodies fell 500 points in three months), notes common side effects (vivid dreams; ~15% feel groggy), reports high tolerability (fewer than 5 of 2000 discontinued for side effects), and mentions cost (~$120 per three months) and that it must be compounded.
Chapters
I want to talk to you about a medication that can trigger a natural reaction that can help put your Hashimoto's into remission or significantly, often lower antibodies. And this is in response to one of the questions you guys wanted answered. So we are going to do a deep dive into LDN or low dose naltrexone. LDN is a small microscopic amount of a medication called naltrexone. Normally in normal doses of 50 milligrams to a couple hundred. Naltrexone blocks opioids or pain medication. So in cases of overdose or addiction, it can help. But when you compound it or make it into microscopic doses, something completely different happens. And what ends up happening is it blocks a small amount of your natural endogenous opioids and that tells our body to upregulate and make more, leaving you actually in a state of excess opioids, not depleted. Okay. That does a couple things. One, it lowers inflammation of any kind. It turns the volume down. Doesn't matter if it's genetic, food, environment, whatever it is. Second, it modulates your immune system and improves it. So what medicine has historically done to reduce inflammation is suppress your immune system with things like stero, steroids. This does not do that. This is not an immunosuppressant drug. It is a naturally natural response that creates immune modulation and inflammation reduction. So what does that mean? It means it doesn't matter what inflammation is driving Hashimoto's or an autoimmune disease. It reduces that inflammatory response. I have seen, for example, someone's TPO antibodies reduce 500 points in three months only with the addition of LDN and no other lifestyle changes. That's very significant, right? LDN also has a lot of other health benefits. It can modulate your immune system to fight off cancer cells, to prune them off early so that they don't develop into something more. It can protect you from developing other more serious autoimmune diseases. It can slow the breakdown of your body due to inflammation and aging over time and slow that process. I believe most people should be on low dose naltrexone. I personally am on it. I do not have an active autoimmune disease anymore, though. I am celiac. But I no longer have Hashimoto's. I make my husband take it. We will both be on it for the rest of our lives. It is something I use in Hashimoto's. It is something I use 100% of the time in graves or hyperthyroidism. And it's something I use for people that struggle with inflammation. Side effects are very minimal, y'. All. Most commonly is vivid dreams. Maybe 15% of people feel groggy. Out of 2000 people on LDN, I've probably had less than 5. Stop it for side effects. That's how tolerate well tolerated is. Downside is it is compounded. It costs about $120 every three months or so. So I hope that answers y' all's questions. If I left anything out and you want to know, post your questions and comments below.
