Naltrexone: The Benefits of Daily Use

Daily use of naltrexone is recommended for the treatment of alcohol use disorder by leading medical experts.

And Oar members who take their medication always or often are more than twice as likely to meet their goals than members who take their medications sometimes, rarely or never.

Taking naltrexone every day has four main benefits:

Taking naltrexone every day means that you will maintain an active, effective dose in your body. Naltrexone is absorbed relatively quickly by the body, so taking your medication every day is important to getting the benefits of fewer cravings for alcohol and less reward if you do drink.

Taking naltrexone every day reduces the likelihood and severity of side effects. Side effects are most common when your body is adjusting to naltrexone. So, starting and stopping naltrexone risks recurring side effects. Although side effects like nausea, headache and dizziness can be managed safely, it’s preferable to avoid them entirely.

Taking naltrexone every day makes it easier to stick to your medication routine. It’s easier to build a habit if you do it every day rather than only some days. Putting your medication next to your toothbrush or coffee maker can help you take your medication at the same time every day, ensuring that you get the medication’s full benefits. You can find additional tips here.

Taking naltrexone every day is the best studied approach. The majority of the large, randomized controlled trials that have demonstrated naltrexone’s effectiveness in helping people drink less or quit were conducted with patients taking the medication every day.

As an alternative to taking naltrexone every day, some people take their medication in a targeted fashion, sometimes following The Sinclair Method. You can learn more about The Sinclair Method here.