I have successfully prescribed LDN to thousands of patients over the last several years. The vast majority of these patients experience symptom relief to some degree, and, furthermore, a good number of them have claimed life-changing experiences with LDN.
As you research LDN, or perhaps get ready to start LDN, I’m here to share some helpful tips to help you maximize the benefits of your LDN prescription.
Work to Find Your ‘Goldilocks’ Dose
When researching LDN or getting ready to start a prescription, many patients ask what dosage they will be prescribed. The dose most commonly prescribed for LDN is 4.5mg daily, however, in my experience, about 20-30% of patients find that a different dose is optimal for them.
Finding the optimal dose is key to maximizing the benefit of LDN therapy. Why? Too low a dose and you may not notice much, if any, improvements in symptoms. Too high a dose, and side effects may not be tolerable and it may not be as effective. While AgelessRx makes every attempt to prescribe the optimal dose based on your health history, current medications, and goals, the key is communication. Be sure to communicate any changes or unwanted side effects as soon as possible—especially on your AgelessRx New Patient Check-In (sent within the first month of starting your prescription).
To find and really clock in your Goldilocks dose, the only true way is through trial and error. At AgelessRx, we start patients on a standard protocol using 1.5mg capsules. You will start by taking 1.5mg per day and slowly increase your dosage every 10 to 14 days until you reach the standard 4.5mg/day. Otherwise, you can work with our medical team to lessen the dose if you feel that 3mg or even 1.5mg worked better; conversely, you can also increase the dose slowly all the way up to 9mg (total of six 1.5mg capsules/day or 2 x 4.5mg caps).
Take LDN at Bedtime
For most patients, LDN is best taken at bedtime between the hours of 9pm and 2am. This is thought to do with endorphin activity. The endorphin system is thought to be most active in the morning, when the temporary blocking of the endorphin receptors by LDN (taken the night before) wears off and, as a result, allows a rebalancing of the endorphin system.
Some patients report some success taking LDN twice per day to mitigate side effects (half dose in the morning and half at night before bedtime). Again, trial and error will be the best way to determine what is right for you, as well as communication with our medical team.
A minority of patients cannot tolerate taking any LDN at night, or do better with it during the daytime.
Manage Side Effects by Adjusting Your Dose
Most LDN side effects tend to subside with continued use of LDN – usually within 3 to 5 days. However, if side effects are bothersome, they can easily be remedied/minimized by simply adjusting the dose. This is largely why AgelessRx starts off new LDN patients at a lower dosage and a slow ramp up to the prescribed dose.
If, for any reason, 1.5mg still causes unwanted side effects, you can contact us to request 0.5mg capsules to get you started on a lower dose and work up more slowly.
Another option is to take a 1.5mg capsule every other day, or every third day, and increase the frequency slowly. Changing the time of day the LDN is taken can also help; if so, you may consider taking LDN in the morning or afternoon to help reduce some common side effects, such as sleep disturbance.
Consider Changing Your Eating Habits
You may not know it, but your diet can play a large role in common health issues and symptoms. Generally, removing gluten (wheat) and dairy from your diet, as well as eating a wider variety of vegetables, can help optimize your immune function and even upregulate healthy endorphins. Together with LDN, this simple change may provide powerful and positive effects on your daily life.
Explore Various Forms of LDN
AgelessRx currently offers LDN only in capsule format—which is the most common—but there are other forms of LDN available through various telemedicine services, including tablets, sublingual tablets, and liquid, to name a few.
- Capsules: By far, capsules are the most commonly prescribed form of LDN. They are effective, generally well tolerated, easy to take, and the most affordable.
- Tablets: A few pharmacies have the ability to compound LDN in tablet form, but this is much less commonly available than capsules. The advantages of tablets over capsules is the ability to cut them in half when starting out on LDN.
- Sublingual (SL) Tablets: Tend to be favored by patients who have a hard time digesting capsules. Not as widely available as capsules or tablets.
- Liquid: Preparations can make it easy to start a really low dose and work up in smaller increments. It can also be useful in patients who have absorption issues, however, it comes at a higher price point, often needs refrigeration, and is less convenient to take since it needs a syringe or measuring cup with every dose.
Presently, AgelessRx only offers LDN capsules in 0.5mg, 1.5mg or 4.5mg strengths. Other doses and dosage forms can be prescribed through local clinics or other online telemedicine services, such as LDNResearchTrust.org.
Note: The above statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
To learn more about the science behind LDN, click here.
To request an LDN prescription, click here.