Can Low-Dose Naltrexone help with long COVID symptoms?
It may help: records from 230 adults linked its use to fewer long COVID symptoms, but did not prove the drug caused the change.
The study looked at Low-Dose Naltrexone, a small dose of a drug usually used for addiction. Researchers reviewed Stanford Long COVID Clinic records from 2023 through December 2025. Everyone had a confirmed COVID infection and symptoms lasting at least 90 days. Each person had a visit before starting the drug and another while taking it.
Symptoms eased from the starting visit to more than three months after prescription. A combined score covering seven symptoms started at an average of 20. After accounting for other factors, the estimated drop was 5.1 points per year. The number of symptoms also fell by an estimated 2.4 per year. These were yearly estimates, not changes measured after exactly one year for everyone.
People reported less fatigue, brain fog, trouble sleeping, and waking without feeling rested. They also reported less worsening of symptoms after activity. Headaches and lightheadedness showed no clear improvement. Ratings of daily function improved, too.
The key gap was the lack of a comparison group. Without people not taking the drug, its role remains unclear. Recovery over time or other treatments could explain some changes. These results came from self-reported symptoms, not blood tests.
For BioSocial members tracking this practice, separate symptom ratings could make comparisons more useful. Notes on fatigue, sleep, brain fog, and daily tasks can show different patterns. Recording other treatment changes adds context when comparing notes with the community. A single overall score may miss what changed most.
What changes—or lack of changes—have you noticed in your symptom ratings over time?
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