Re: LDN every night? Here's why.

[Guest guest]

Sorry, error: below should read " after 6 doses.. " instead of 3 doses

> The debate on whether to take LDN continuosly or with breaks,

really

> centers on your philosophy. When taking it continuosly, one

believes

> in a " receptor blockade " approach. When taking it intermittently,

> one believes in periodically giving rest to the endorphin

receptors.

> The principle can be better appreciated by most, when applied

to

> alcohol, opiates etc. Regular dosing (receptor blockade), dulls

the

> response and builds tolerance after some time. You need to take

> higher doses to get the same response.

>

> Dr.Bihari possibly proposes the continuos dose regimen, because

the

> half-life of LDN is quite short, 4 hrs for naltrexone. In effect

it

> is an intermmitent dose, since most of the drug is excreted in 5-6

> half lives, i.e. 4x6=24 hrs, therefore by the next dose 24 hrs

> later, the receptors would be empty. i.e. even Dr.Bihari's regime

is

> intermittent !.

>

> Dr.Lawrence's alternative point of view could be that one also

needs

> to consider the important, metabolite of naltrexone (6-beta-

> naltrexol) with a half life of 13 hrs. i.e.in 6 half lives (6x 13

> hrs= 3 days approx), the patient will have attained steady state

> levels. In other words, after 3 doses, LDN is present in your body

> the whole time. One would like to block the endorphin receptors

for

> a few days more, and then empty the receptors to refresh them

(i.e.

> after 10 days of LDN). Therefore when you wish to refresh the

> receptors, you need to take a 3 day break (6 half lives) to rid

the

> body of LDN and refresh the receptors.

>

> I believe the intermittent approach is theoretically superior, but

> who am I to know :-)

>

>

> Yash

> P.S. I have never contacted Drs.Bihari/Lawrence,so the above is

> really my speculation as to what may be their reasoning.