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If you’re taking a naltrexone dose for alcohol reduction or to get a handle on an alcohol use disorder timing is extremely important because it impacts the effectiveness of the medication.
What You’ll Learn:
- How long a single dosage of naltrexone lasts.
- How long it takes a dose of naltrexone to start working.
- When is the best time for the starting dose of naltrexone for alcohol use disorder.
- When is the best time for an everyday dose of naltrexone for alcoholism.
- When to take a dosage of naltrexone once you’re in remission.
- When is the best time to take a dose of naltrexone for alcohol reduction.
Timing is everything when you are taking naltrexone to curb alcohol cravings and get alcohol use disorder under control. When you take a naltrexone dose for alcohol cravings has a direct impact on how effective the medication will be. If you don’t time it right, you could actually set yourself back and hinder progress towards reducing the urge to drink.
Getting the timing right is dependent on the mechanisms of the medication and what you want to accomplish by taking a dose of naltrexone.
The Duration of a Naltrexone Dosage For Alcohol Cravings
The first thing to consider with timing the dosage is how long does one dose of naltrexone last. How long naltrexone stays in the system can vary slightly from person to person due to factors like metabolic rate, but on average a standard dose is effective for about a day.
The range for a single dose of naltrexone is 20-24 hours if you’re taking 50mg. Taking a 100mg dose will double the timeframe, and a 150mg dose will triple it.
How Long Naltrexone Has to be in Your System to Start Working
Naltrexone lasts about a full day, but another important point is when the medication actually becomes effective once it’s in your system. Research suggests that you should take naltrexone an hour before consuming any alcohol in order to ensure it’s effective.
In order for naltrexone to curb alcohol cravings it must be absorbed within the gastrointestinal tract. Then the liver gets to work metabolizing the medication into 6-beta-naltrexol, which makes it even more effective. Once naltrexone reaches a peak concentration in an hour, it can block the endorphin release that comes from consuming alcohol and the craving to drink more.
The process takes time to go from the gut to the liver to the brain. So play it safe and make sure naltrexone has been in your system at least an hour before drinking alcohol.
Timing Your Naltrexone Starting Dose For Alcohol Use Disorder
The initial naltrexone dose for alcohol use disorder is important beyond giving yourself an hour for effectiveness. The recommendation for the starting dose of naltrexone for alcohol use disorder is three days after your last drink. However, if you can go a full week without drinking that’s an even better time to begin taking naltrexone.
The reason behind the delay is to give your body time to process the alcohol that was consumed and get past the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. So, time the naltrexone starting dose for alcohol use disorder when your system is completely clear.
The Best Time For an Everyday Naltrexone Dosage For Alcoholism
After the first dose of naltrexone the timing is still important since it’s only effective for a day. Anyone who is taking a naltrexone dosage for alcoholism will want to make sure the medication is continually in the system to avoid setbacks and relapses. All it takes is one time drinking without naltrexone for the endorphin euphoria to kick in and put you back to square one.
For that reason, it’s recommended that 50mg tablets of naltrexone be taken once a day at the same time every day. This will keep the naltrexone effective in your body 24/7 so if you end up having an alcoholic beverage randomly there’s no concern about alcohol cravings kicking back in.
When to Take a Dosage of Naltrexone in Remission
Naltrexone has been shown to help many people with an alcohol use disorder stop drinking entirely and reach AUD remission, which begins at the 3-month mark. However, it’s not considered sustained remission until you reach a year of sobriety.
Getting to that point is a huge accomplishment, but staying in remission is challenging as well. Some patients decide to continue taking naltrexone after the year mark to reduce the risk of relapse. The timing of naltrexone doses in remission can vary. The safest bet is to continue taking the medication daily to ensure the alcohol cravings are kept at body, especially for people who were heavy drinkers. In some cases, the patient may reduce the daily dose to 25mg and then take a second dose an hour before activities that involve alcohol for added support.
The Best Time For a Dose of Naltrexone For Alcohol Reduction
One of the key benefits of naltrexone is it gives people the option to simply reduce the amount of alcohol they drink rather than quitting completely. This is highly beneficial for anyone who has issues with binge drinking and wants to drink more responsibly when they do consume alcohol. For these people the timing of a naltrexone dose can be a little different.
Some people choose to only take naltrexone shortly before they know they will be drinking or will be involved in activities that could lead to drinking. A good example of this is a work mixer at a bar. Taking naltrexone at least an hour before the event should diminish the rewarding feeling that you get when you consume alcohol, reducing the desire to keep drinking once you start. A number of studies have shown that instead of binge drinking 4-5+ drinks, people who are taking naltrexone will often stop after just 1-2 drinks.
It should be noted that taking naltrexone as-needed requires very careful timing. You’ll need to give the medication enough time to start working, which means planning in advance.
Find out if a daily dose of naltrexone can help you by taking our Alcohol Use Assessment. Once it’s verified that you are a candidate for the medication, you can discuss dosing with a medical professional that can provide recommendations specifically for you.
