Naltrexone (low-dose)
Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Typical Dosage: 1.5mg to 4.5mg daily
Effectiveness
55%
Safety Score
80%
Clinical Trials
3
Participants
750
Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)
Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
80
DangerousModerateSafe
Treatment Details
Dosage Range
1.5mg to 4.5mg daily
Time to Effect
4-8 weeks
Treatment Duration
Long-term
Evidence Quality
LOWConfidence Score
60%confidence in effectiveness data
Health Economics
Annual Cost of Care
Drug Cost:$500
Monitoring:$200
Side Effect Mgmt:$50
Total Annual:$750
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Cost-Effectiveness Rating
EXCELLENTQALYs Gained
0.05
Outcome-Based Costs
Cost per Responder
$1,875
Cost per Remission
$37,500
Prescription Access Economics
Annual Societal Loss per Patient
$1,540
Cost of prescription-only barriers (visits, time, admin, price premium)
Physician Visit Cost
$150/year
Time Cost
$50/year
Travel + wait time
Insurance Admin Cost
$20/year
Prior auth, claims
Rx Price
$500/year
Potential OTC Price
$180/year
Estimated if OTC available
Early Treatment Benefit
+0.01 QALYs
From faster OTC access
Risk Assessment
Misuse Risk
LOWMissed Diagnosis Risk
LOWNaltrexone (low-dose) Outcomes
for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Efficacy Outcomes
Overall Effectiveness
+55%
Response Rate
+40%
Remission Rate
+2%
Common Side Effects
Nausea
+12%
Insomnia/Vivid dreams
+15%
Headache
+7%
Sources:
Active Clinical Trials
3 active trials recruiting for Naltrexone (low-dose) in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Low-Dose Naltrexone For ME/CFS: Dose-Finding
NCT07285473NOT YET RECRUITINGPHASE2
75 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Birmingham, United States
Started: Apr 1, 2026
Low-dose Naltrexone for Post-COVID Fatigue Syndrome
NCT05430152RECRUITINGPHASE2
160 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Vancouver, Canada
Started: Jan 15, 2024
LIFT: Life Improvement Trial
NCT06366724RECRUITINGPHASE2
160 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Boston, United States
Started: Sep 10, 2024