Improve your Immune Function with LDN
Updated Jan. 9th 2025
Laughter is good for our health. When we laugh, our brain releases the feel good hormones called endorphins. Which have been shown to kill cancer cells directly, among other benefits. So the saying,... “Laughter is the best medicine” is actually backed by science.
Professor Ian Zagon is one of the pioneers of endorphin research, working out of Penn State University. He is the one who found Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) can improve immune function, by naturally increasing production of its principle regulators, endorphins. LDN not only increases endorphins, but also their associated receptors. And these receptors are most abundant on immune cells. He refers to endorphins as endogenous opioid peptides, or Opioid Growth Factors (OGF) and their associated opioid receptors (OGFr). Here's his profile and to date,... 337 studies he's been involved with, showing the benefits endorphins have with many cancers and various autoimmune disorders.... Ian Zagon - Penn State
It's interesting how LDN came about. Naltrexone was originally produced to tamper drug addiction. It blocked the opioid receptors so that those who took narcotics wouldn't get high. It wasn't a popular remedy for drug addiction. Patients didn’t feel good using it and so most stopped taking it. It made them depressed and anxious. The reason for this,… I will explain later.
Back in the early 80's, in Pennsylvania, Professor Zagon found that if you block the opioid receptors using Naltrexone, it would trick the brain into thinking there's a shortage of endorphins. Therefore, the brain would ramp up production of our body's endogenous opioids, at 3 times the normal rate. And this increase would remain elevated for a full day (17 hours at least). The brilliance of Professor Zagon was that he discovered,... if you block the opioid receptors for only a short time, using the minimum amount of the drug to still produce this 3 fold increase, hence Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN),.... the additional endorphins produced, can then connect to the receptors for the rest of the day, after the LDN wears off in 3 or 4 hours. This results in you getting the benefits of increased endorphins the majority of the day, because the blockade of the receptors is only temporary with a low dose. That was his genius. This was all cutting edge stuff at the time, because the existence of endorphins was only discovered a few years earlier, in 1975, the year I graduated high school. That is when they first discovered opioid receptors, and wondered why our body would have them. Is Morphine or Heroin supposed to benefit us? That's how they found these neurotransmitters/peptides that connected to these receptors, that they aptly named endorphins. The word comes from endogenous morphine. Since then, they have found many kinds of endorphins, that benefit us in a multitude of ways. The opioid system (endorphins and their receptors) is believed to be one of the most complex systems in the body, that plays a critical role in major biological processes. Endorphins have been found to be heart protective, reduce high blood pressure, reduce blood glucose, increase insulin sensitivity, pain modulation, protect against the flu, and reduce stress among many other benefits.
With pain relief being a major benefit,… those who took full strength Naltrexone daily for drug addiction didn't feel well because their opioid receptors were being blocked all day, every day. So no pain relief or stress reduction was afforded to them. We now know endorphins are the feel good hormones released when we exercise, have sex, eat something delicious, laugh, etc.. They also control cellular growth, inflammatory signaling pathways and many other processes.
Professor Zagon and his team in Pennsylvania, are still leading the research on LDN. There are other researchers worldwide, who are also pursuing the benefits of LDN. But Professor Zagon was the first who discovered it. Here is an excerpt from a book he published in 2017....
ENKEPHALINS AS GROWTH FACTORS (Enkephalins are endorphins or as called here opioid growth factors)
“Although enkephalins were initially considered to function as neurotransmitters, in the early 1980s, it was demonstrated that one specific enkephalin—[Met5]-enkephalin—regulated the growth of normal and abnormal cells and tissues, and hence was renamed opioid growth factor (OGF). OGF is a potent, reversible, species-unspecific, and tissue-nonspecific negative growth regulator with action that is opioid receptor mediated….. With regard to the role of OGF in disease, OGF was successful at reducing tumor burden, limiting metastatic growth, and had few side effects…. Another group of diseases—autoimmune disorders—manifests with too little OGF…" Endogenous Opioids in the Etiology and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis - NCBI Bookshelf
With LDN raising endorphins levels, therefore improving immune function, it is used mostly by HIV/AIDS patients. Followed closely by those with cancer and those with some type of autoimmunity. Mainly multiple sclerosis, crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia and ME/CFS. There are doctors who believe Long COVID and Vax injuries are ME/CFS. So it is not surprising LDN is included in treatment protocols for these long-term conditions.
I-RECOVER: Post-Vaccine Treatment - FLCCC
I-RECOVER: Long COVID Treatment - FLCCC
"When used in doses of 1 to 5 mg (LDN) it acts as a glial modulator with a neuroprotective effect via inhibition of microglial activation… therefore inhibiting the downstream cellular signaling pathways that ultimately lead to pro-inflammatory cytokines, therefore reducing inflammatory response. Low dose naltrexone has gained popularity as an off-label treatment of several autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as chronic pain disorders including fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and diabetic neuropathy. Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) may also have utility in improving mood disorders and the potential to enhance the quality of life." Pharmacology Update: Low-Dose Naltrexone as a Modality for Chronic Pain Syndromes (Oct. 2019)
I ran out of LDN during the pandemic, and I wasn't able to obtain more until a month or two later. It's amazing how you don't realize the benefits of something until you are without it for a while. Lots of aches and pains returned, including my back and neck stiffness. My psoriasis also flared up. And in just two days of being back on LDN, I saw the benefits I had lost. Psoriasis is the abnormal growth of skin cells. Skin grows in spots in one day, that would normally take a month. And lately it's been spreading to more parts of my body. Not a good sign when it is connected to my inflammatory, autoimmune arthritis (Psoriatic Arthritis). But since getting back on LDN, I can clearly see the growth of my psoriasis has slowed. I’m also experiencing less arthritic joint pain that is easily detected. Much easier to get up and out of my chair, bed, etc...
Here is some of the latest research showing endorphins, increased by LDN, fighting cancer....
Preclinical and clinical studies into the bioactivity of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) for oncotherapy (July 2021)
Low Doses Naltrexone: The Potential Benefit Effects for its Use in Patients with Cancer (Jan. 2021)
Beta Endorphins - Therapeutic Approach To Cancer (Dec. 2019)
Low-Dose Naltrexone as an Adjuvant in Anticancer Therapy (March 2024)
That last study (2024), basically a review of the existing literature is very revealing. In that only 3 clinical trials are listed,… with one of them being discontinued due to a lack of participants. LDN has been in existence for decades and this is all there is? It’s obvious Big Pharma doesn’t want LDN to show promise in the treatment of cancer. The one cancelled, was likely to be the only one to possibly show strong benefits. That’s because it was the only one of the three, not looking at brain cancer patients. LDN is known not to cross the blood/brain barrier. So LDN, or for that matter Ivermectin, would not likely be very effective for gliomas. They may have indirect benefits, as both have multiple mechanisms of action. But as shown in one of those RCTs discussed, it wasn’t anymore beneficial than placebo in improving quality of life or fatigue. Of note: There is not a mention or peep on the progression of their cancers anywhere in that study. They only reported on how they felt, through a questionnaire. Moving on,… the other trial they mentioned of the 3, didn’t use LDN. They used full strength Naltrexone, at a dose of 100 mg every other day. Which is contrary to the whole premise of LDN. More is not better with this drug. In fact, it may have the opposite effect and actually promote cancer. So this was another bogus glioma (brain cancer) trial. Remarkably though, the survival rate one year after therapy,… was significantly higher in the patients who received the high dose Naltrexone. That might be due to them giving breaks in the treatment every other day. Allowing the increased endorphins to connect to their receptors on the off day. Just guessing. It’s truly incredible that this is all there is, after all these years. Although it’s not really surprising. I’ve been saying the same thing about Ivermectin,… never going to clinical trials.
Here is the late Dr. Bernard Bihari, M.D. He was the first doctor and researcher to use LDN in his practice. Most of what we know of LDN's real world benefits comes from him. He was once the Commissioner of the NYC Health Department, back in the late 70's. This is a rare interview of him speaking on LDN. I cleaned up the video as best I could. It's kind of dated. He passed away in 2010 at the ripe old age of 78. So this video must have been made 10 or 15 years before then. He explains how he came about LDN during the AIDS epidemic. How endorphins raised by LDN, can rapidly double the number of immune cells,… and how immunity is almost entirely regulated by endorphins. And how endorphins on their own, can kill cancer cells directly. A very informative clip, well worth watching….
This great man was so loved by the LDN community. The heartfelt condolences are a testament to his impact on so many lives.... BERNARD BIHARI Obituary (2010) - New York, NY - New York Times
Dr. Burt Berkson practices medicine in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Patients come to him from all over the world. He is another doctor who uses LDN, that he combines with ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid) with great success. Here is a short audio clip (2009) of how he found out about LDN and Dr. Bihari....
This audio clip comes to you courtesy of the website Honest Medicine. You can listen to the full interview with Dr. Berkson there. He has published a number of clinical cases in medical journals, of patients having remarkable recoveries with stage 4 cancer, following his treatment with LDN and ALA. He is the author of the first 3 studies below.
Case study of stage 4 pancreatic cancer… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16484716
3 more cases of pancreatic cancer… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20042414
Case study of Renal (kidney) cancer (2018)… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29258346
Professor Zagon and his team at Penn State report on 2 cases of hepatoblastoma (liver cancer)… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23275062
Here are some other assorted clinical cases…..
50-year-old male with lung cancer (2018)… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6126779/
Case study of a rare type of oral cancer… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25284545
How safe is it? There are fertility clinics around the world giving LDN to expecting mothers (that's how safe LDN is) for troubled pregnancies. And found their babies are born much healthier than those not taking LDN. The only contraindications are narcotics and immunosuppressants... Dr. Phil Boyle, Director of the NaPro Fertility Care Clinic in Dublin
I want to point out, LDN does not cure anything. Any benefits you get, are due to the increased levels of endorphins. And they will drop once you stop taking it. But being it is extremely safe with such a tiny dose, and very affordable, it is cake to take it at bedtime every night,… like I have been doing for the last 12 years. The only side effect are sleep disturbances, very vivid dreams. But that passes, or maybe we just get used to it, not sure. But if you find it too disturbing for proper sleep, you can take it in the morning instead, or maybe lower the dose. But it is best before bedtime, as your brain releases the most endorphins in the middle of the night. But as previously mentioned, they are also released many other times during the day. i.e.. working out, laughing, etc… It’s also a great mood enhancer and stress reliever,… so you just know it has neuro protective effects and benefits.
Here are a few more doctors citing clinical cases and promoting its benefits. There were also some patient stories, but I left them out except for one, which I found a bit astonishing.
The Game Changer - LDN & Cancer (2016)
As Dr. Bihari has said, the optimal dose range is 3 mg to 4.5 mg. Manufacturers produce full dose Naltrexone in 50 mg tablets, making it necessary for a compounding pharmacy to the reduce the dose and make LDN capsules in that optimal range. I prefer to do this myself and not leave it to any pharmacist. It’s easy to do and has benefits. You go out and buy a baby bottle and a baby medicine dropper. You can get them at the dollar store cheap. Measure out 50 ml of distilled water in the baby bottle. Drop a 50 mg Naltrexone tablet in the water and stir. It dissolves readily in water when stirred and is completely soluble. Then with the baby medicine dropper, measure out 4.5 ml or 3 ml or anywhere in between, and you will have the proper amount you want. The benefits of this, besides avoiding any pharmacy mistakes and adjusting the dose to your preference,… is that you could avoid most of the excipients used in the tablets. They will settle to the bottom of the bottle. Once stirred, the Naltrexone is dissolved in water like salt. Therefore, using the dropper at the top of the solution will avoid all the excipients that settled to the bottom. Each 50 mg tablet contains the following inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, crospovidone, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, synthetic red iron oxide, synthetic yellow iron oxide and titanium dioxide. Of course, some of these might also be soluble in water, but you can still see plenty on the bottom that isn’t. That mixture will last you 11 to 16 days depending on the dose used. So there is a little work involved, but it’s cake. Keep it in the dark, preferably in the fridge, and try not to stir it up after the initial mixing. That’s the recipe I use. Since you are taking it everyday, who needs all those excipients.
This is an FDA approved drug prescribed by doctors. But people do get it from India (pharmacies) as well. Nodict from Sun Pharma is a reputable brand. They are 50 mg tabs you’ll need to reduce, which as explained is easy to do. You’ll likely pay more for shipping than for the product itself.
LDN acts more like a nutritional supplement than a drug, in that it corrects an insufficiency in endorphins. Stress, age and illness all reduce the body's production of endorphins. And they are critical in protecting our physical and mental health. LDN enhances immune function by raising endorphin levels. Individuals with weak immune function, or any chronic condition would benefit from this completely safe and effective therapeutic. Results will certainly vary, but no doubt will surely help on some level. And with numerous documented remissions of stage 4 cancers, some results can be quite remarkable.
I’m updating this because of the recent rise in cancers in all age groups, brought about by these toxic clot shots weakening immunity. I am cancer free 12 years and counting, taking LDN nightly. While Fenbendazole and Ivermectin look like very promising therapeutics for cancer, it always good to have multiple layers of protection prompting various avenues from which to strike. Cancer is a very sly customer. It creates cellular pumps after a round of chemo to expel the poison. Hence why the 2nd round is not as effective. It uses immune cells (T regs) to suppress immunity, making it invisible to killer T cells. It also creates its own blood vessels. Cancer is one tough, clever cookie.
Here is Dr. Ryan Cole on this recent disturbing trend of highly aggressive malignancies, aptly named turbo cancers…
Cancer Taking Off Like Wildfire: Dr. Ryan Cole (2023)
Now granted, these are mostly anecdotal reports from doctors. But these practitioners are highly esteemed medical professionals, and their explanations are always evidence based. For instance, Dr. Cole did an interview 3 years ago on what he saw and boy has it aged very well… Dr. Ryan Cole: I'm Seeing a 20x Increase in Endometrial Cancer, Vaccines Dropping CD8 Immune Cells (bitchute.com)
Here is another reference from a doc, highlighted in the above ‘Game Changer’ vid, Dr. Dana Flavin,… showing her steps to reversing cancer, using detoxification, nutrients, and off label meds. I am personally finding detox to be of great benefit right now. I’m late to the party on this. The body can’t heal or function very well, when dealing with all these toxins on the regular. We are being poisoned on a daily basis. i.e… the food, air, and water,… also with personal care and home cleaning products. It’s almost impossible to avoid all the toxins we take in daily… Dana Flavin, MD - Reversing Cancer with Biochemistry (2018 Conference)
As doctors have mentioned in the ‘Game Changer’ vid, LDN works synergistically with vitamin D in improving outcomes. So don’t forget to take your D3.
Many have taken multiple mRNA shots, and subsequently compromised their immunity. And with LDN increasing endorphin levels, the principle regulators of immune function, it could well be,… a very useful tool in these difficult times.
Stay safe and be well….
How would one ask a dr to prescribe this?