Helminthic therapy and low-dose naltrexone (LDN)

Helminthic therapy and Low-dose naltrexone are fully compatible[edit | edit source]

The modes of action of LDN and helminths are different but they are compatible. LDN acts as a novel anti-inflammatory by raising endogenous endorphins and enkapahlins - its specifically the met-enkaphalin called Opioid Growth Factor (OGF) that does the healing, acting as an anti cell proliferative. Helminths secrete immunoregulatory molecules that promote the induction of regulatory T-cells while inhibiting the function of antigen presenting cells and other T-cells. Both modes of action will help to restore immune system homeostasis. Personally I use both, and think its a good combination for autoimmune and/or allergies. [1]

Helminths and LDN are a good combination for most users[edit | edit source]

The powerful combination of low dose naltrexone and hookworms is by far the most efficacious treatment I’ve seen (for IBS-D), and the best thing is they're both relatively cheap." [2]

I take LDN and host helminths and the two together are better than either alone. [3]

I have a disorder with some similarities to MS and have had good luck with a combination of hookworm and LDN … My major problems have been with nerves in my feet. Following treatment with hookworm + LDN, my feet have been slowly returning to normal over the last couple of years. (Link expired)

The HT and LDN combo has helped the fatigue to disappear and joint pain 80% gone. Fibro pain 90% gone. PsA pain 80% gone i.e tendonitis, enthesitis. Skin soreness gone. I need no pain meds or any other conventional meds. 2 years ago I needed eye drops 3 times a day every day for 3 years I was chronically fatigued and in terrible pain and sometimes bed ridden on a flare. (Patient with Sjogren’s syndrome, psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia.) [4]

I am using NA for treating seasonal allergies, and seeing significant improvement but not 100% (my worst symptom is excessive fatigue) - so I recently added LDN as well, with good results... Between the NA and LDN, I am extremely happy with the results (after 25 years of trying many therapies with little to no relief)! [5]

I should add that, after treatment with hookworm + LDN, my immune system seems to be working very well. Don't think I've caught a single cold since my infection with hookworm a couple of years ago. (Link expired)

I take LDN and have hookworm and I really believe the combo has been what has helped my crohn's. It seems like together they're both more effective than either one individually. [6]

I'm on ldn and helminths for my colitis. It's working like a charm, I'm basically symptom free and in total remission. (Link expired)

LDN is certainly compatible with HT. I've used both to treat my Sjogren's Syndrome, and found them each to be helpful, though HT provided a much greater reduction of symptoms, including minor neuropathy. LDN was mainly helpful in improving my sleep and helping to boost energy (though that might just have been the improved sleep cycle). I did experience some vertigo while on LDN, and I've been trying to find a dose where I get the benefits without the downsides. [7]

I started HW therapy first, and then added LDN several years later. While both are helpful and reduce inflammation, my impression is that the HW helps my airborne allergies most, while the LDN helps more with my food intolerances. [8]

For me the LDN helped but there were more drawbacks than HT. The LDN helped with pain but not my autoimmune issues. I know some people find it helps with this but for me it did not. The HT was not as fast acting but over time it worked on my systemic inflammation, allergies, energy, pain, and has regulated my immune system. [9]

One treatment may be better than the other for a few users[edit | edit source]

I tried LDN and it helped a bit, but HT made me 95% "normal." [10]

I have been on ldn for about a year and had been on the rat tapeworms for about a year before that. Been on both for about a year combined. I personally think the ldn is better for me. I have Hashi's and am allergic to something they put in thyroid meds so even tho I need the thyroid meds I can't take them. The ldn helps balance or lower my need for thyroid, or whatever you would call it. I started the worms to help with my psoriasis and thyroid, which they never changed. I just cancelled my worm script yesterday to see if I feel any difference without them. [11]

If a person is really sensitive, LDN is worth putting into place first. I had onset of rheumatoid arthritis two yrs ago and it’s almost entirely gone now w/o any other meds but LDN. (Via private message.)

LDN does not suit everyone[edit | edit source]

A clinical scientist involved in helminthic therapy has commented:

I have spoken to quite a few people who have said LDN worked really well. The impression I got was that it really is very effective or no help at all, nothing really in between.

And LDN can cause side effects, especially when dosing guidelines (see below) are not followed.

Changes to sleep patterns (when taken at night)

Just my experience but LDN did not help me for my issues, and it made sleeping difficult. [12]

I tried LDN for awhile (before trying helminths) and it was very helpful for some symptoms. Among other things I have celiac disease, and the first thing I noticed was a sense of ease in my gut that I think I have never experienced before. Also seemed to help with nerve pain and fatigue. But even at 1.5 mg it was so disturbing to my sleep, I started taking it in the am. But that only worked for a short time. My dreams became increasingly vivid and violent, and I started acting them out. After a fairly significant dream induced injury I stopped taking it. I use it once in awhile if I've had a bad nights sleep and it does help with energy levels in that case, but I only dare use it once or twice a month. [13]

(LDN) did seem to help my Crohn's disease but I stopped sleeping, like, completely. It felt very much like prednisone to me--made me hyped up and agitated. Not a good long term solution in my case. It seems to work great for some people though. [14]

Mild stomach upset that usually resolves quickly

LDN was great at first for me, only slightly nauseated. Then I noticed my stomach hurt all the time and when I stopped taking it my stomach got better. My stomach pain completely went away within the first day LDN free [15] [16]

Last couple of weeks had lots of upper stomach pain with fevered sleep. Have upped my LDN at same time. (It) was better almost immediately when i stopped. [17] [18]

Mild self-limiting headache that goes away after a few days

Dosing is critical with LDN[edit | edit source]

It is recommended that LDN should be introduced at a maximum of 1 mg per day. This may be taken at nighttime (after 9pm) - or in the morning. The timing appears to make no difference to the response.

After taking 1 mg daily for 7 days, the dose can be increased by 1 mg every 7 days until 4 mg is reached. It can then be increased to 4.5 mg.

In some cases, especially with M.E. and CFS, the dosing regimen should start at 0.5 mg daily, and increase by 0.5 mg every week until 4.5 mg is reached. This reduces the risk of side effects.

The following advice on dosing to optimise LDN’s healing potential was posted to the Helminthic Therapy Support group in response to a member who was not maintaining his early success with LDN.

I thought you might say 4.5mgs. This is possibly why you are not maintaining your early success. Its a questionable dose that is pedalled around a lot of FB groups. I run an LDN group and one of our admins has regular communication with the leading LDN researcher and founder of LDN, Dr Zagon, and what Dr Zagon suggests is that 3mgs and no higher is the optimal dose for most people (or lower than 3mgs). The reason for this is to fully capitalize on the 'rebound effect'. Remember the 'rebound effect' is when the healing takes place, when LDN is not occupying the receptors. Naltrexone has a half life of 4 hours, what this means is that it takes 4 hours for HALF of the dose taken to be eliminated. So if you take 4mg, 4 hours later you will have 2mg of LDN occupying the receptors, 8 hours after that (additional 4 hours) you have 1mg of LDN antagonising the receptors, after 12 hours (another 4 hours) from taking your dose you will have 0.5mg antagonising the receptors. So as you can see the higher the dose of LDN the longer its takes for the FULL 'rebound effect' to occur - less time for healing if you take your dose daily. Perhaps you could try taking 3mgs or lower and even skip a dose here and there to fully capitalise on the 'rebound effect'. With LDN 'less is more’.
LDN works in such a way as to trick the body into healing itself. Initially when taken, LDN blocks a certain amount of your opioid receptor's (depending on dose) and then after 4 hours, half the dose is eliminated from the body (naltrexone has a half life of 4 hours - it takes 4 hours for HALF of the dose taken to be eliminated). The effects of this blockade is that the body responds by increasing its production of endogenous endorphins and enkephalins. It is the increased production of the met-enkaphalin called Opioid Growth Factor (OGF) and its receptor (OGFr) that does the healing - this is the 'rebound effect' - where the elevated OGF interact with the more-sensitive and more-plentiful OGF receptors acting together as a powerful endogenous cell growth regulator called the OGF/OGFr axis. In the 'rebound effect' the OGF/OGFr axis is modulated causing it to slow down proliferating cells in the disease process. This anti-proliferative action will help inhibit inflammation, slow down the disease process and promote homeostasis. [19]

LDN dosing may need to be re-optimised when combined with helminthic therapy[edit | edit source]

One subject who found LDN to be "super helpful" as a partner to HT also discovered that even very low doses of TSO (up to 300 ova every 2 weeks) reduced the amount of LDN that she needed, such that she began to get sicker again due what had become, for her while taking the TSO, an excessive amount of LDN. So, at a fortnightly dose of 300 TSO, she settled on half the dose of LDN that she had been taking previous to starting the TSO.