Little-known prescription pill is helping Americans drink less alcohol

Recent studies proceed to enactment a decades-old cause arsenic an alternate means of reducing intoxicant consumption.

The medicine opioid pill, called naltrexone, was archetypal approved by the FDA to dainty opioid dependence successful 1984. A decennary later, it was approved for intoxicant usage disorder.

In summation to the regular pill version, naltrexone is besides disposable arsenic a monthly injectable therapy, which was approved for intoxicant usage upset successful 2006 and opioid usage upset successful 2010.

POPULAR WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS COULD TAKE THE EDGE OFF YOUR ALCOHOL BUZZ, STUDY FINDS

How it works

Naltrexone works by blocking opioid receptors successful the brain. For those babelike connected opioids, it blocks the "euphoric" effects of the drugs and besides curbs cravings for alcohol, according to experts.

The medicine opioid pill, called naltrexone, was archetypal approved by the FDA to dainty opioid dependence successful 1984. A decennary later, it was approved for intoxicant usage disorder. (iStock)

"Naltrexone tin beryllium utilized to assistance with reducing intoxicant cravings and trim the pleasurable effects from intoxicant ingestion, which tin assistance those prone to binge-drinking to devour little volume," Dr. David Campbell, objective manager and programme manager astatine Recover Together, a behavioral wellness and addiction attraction installation successful Bend, Oregon, told Fox News Digital.

HIGHER STROKE RISK LINKED TO CONSUMING CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL, STUDY FINDS

The medicine is utile for radical who acquisition beardown cravings, often portion to excess erstwhile they start, oregon portion chiefly owed to reward oregon alleviation arsenic opposed to habit, according to Campbell.

"Naltrexone affects the rewards halfway of the brain, which blocks the rewarding effects of alcohol."

Jessica Steinman, main objective serviceman astatine No Matter What Recovery successful Los Angeles, calls naltrexone "an incredibly adjuvant and life-saving tool" for radical who conflict with intoxicant usage disorder. 

"Currently, successful our society, galore radical are looking to get medication-assisted assistance from overconsumption of definite things oregon behaviors, including food, cigarettes and present alcohol," she told Fox News Digital.

FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND FENTANYL VACCINE TARGETS OVERDOSES BEFORE THEY START

"Naltrexone affects the rewards halfway of the brain, which blocks the rewarding effects of intoxicant and cravings to beryllium minimized. It tin assistance successful telling the encephalon that intoxicant isn't wanted."

The cause tin besides assistance if idiosyncratic has a "healthy" narration with intoxicant and is looking to chopped backmost connected their drinking behaviors, Steinman added. 

"We bash not suggest moderation successful immoderate mode for radical struggling with intoxicant usage upset oregon immoderate benignant of dependence to intoxicant oregon different substances," she noted. "We bash not judge drinking ‘less’ is simply a solution."

Side effects

Common broadside effects of naltrexone tin see nausea and vomiting, headache, slumber disturbances, dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, nonaccomplishment of appetite, and associated oregon musculus pain, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

These effects are mostly mild and whitethorn amended arsenic the assemblage adjusts to the medication.

The medicine is utile for radical who acquisition beardown cravings, often portion to excess erstwhile they start, oregon portion chiefly owed to reward oregon alleviation arsenic opposed to habit. (iStock)

In uncommon cases, patients whitethorn acquisition much terrible effects, specified arsenic liver issues, allergic reactions, occupation breathing and intelligence wellness effects.

"The astir important happening erstwhile taking naltrexone for intoxicant usage is to guarantee that determination is nary concurrent usage of opioids, arsenic taking naltrexone erstwhile utilizing opioids tin induce precipitated withdrawal, a precise uncomfortable event," Campbell cautioned.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

More than 50% of U.S. adults portion alcohol, astir 17% are classified arsenic binge-drinkers and astir 6% portion heavily, according to CDC data.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Each year, astir 178,000 deaths successful the state are linked to excessive intoxicant use.

"Heavy intoxicant depletion and binge-drinking tin pb to galore wellness problems and marque chronic wellness conditions worse, truthful reducing intoxicant intake tin truly amended health," Donita Robinson, Ph.D., an subordinate prof of psychiatry astatine the UNC School of Medicine successful North Carolina, told Fox News Digital.

More than 50% of U.S. adults portion alcohol, astir 17% are classified arsenic binge-drinkers and astir 6% portion heavily. (iStock)

"Naltrexone helps galore radical trim their drinking – it’s an effectual medicine to trim intoxicant craving and dense drinking, and it works champion successful operation with counseling oregon different therapy."

Robinson reiterated that radical who are connected opioid medications, including immoderate painkillers, shouldn't instrumentality naltrexone, arsenic it tin artifact their effectiveness and origin opioid withdrawal.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Naltrexone is disposable with a medicine from a licensed healthcare provider, specified arsenic a superior attraction doctor, addiction medicine specializer oregon psychiatrist.

Health officials pass against purchasing the cause online oregon without a prescription, arsenic it whitethorn beryllium counterfeit and unsafe.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Those funny successful exploring whether naltrexone is an enactment for them should spot a doctor, who tin measure the information of the cause based connected the patient’s aesculapian presumption and history.

They should besides "make definite they person their goals and intentions successful enactment earlier utilizing a medicine similar this," according to Steinman.