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Naltrexone HCl (Oral Tablet)
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Naltrexone: Reduce Cravings and Heavy Drinking
A once-daily pill that blocks the reward behind alcohol and opioids, most effective alongside support.
Naltrexone is a prescription opioid antagonist used to treat alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder. By blocking opioid receptors, it reduces the rewarding effects and cravings that drive drinking and opioid use. It is a daily tablet that works best combined with counseling or mutual-help programs, and it requires being opioid-free before starting.
Physician-prescribed · Dispensed by licensed US pharmacies · FDA-approved active ingredient · Ongoing care team support
- Naltrexone Hydrochloride (Opioid Antagonist): A long-acting opioid-receptor antagonist that blocks the reward from alcohol and the effects of opioids, reducing craving and heavy drinking. It is not an opioid and is not addictive.
Best for: Adults working to reduce heavy drinking or maintain recovery from alcohol or opioid use disorder, who are opioid-free and can pair medication with behavioral support.
Not recommended for: Anyone currently using opioids or physically dependent on them, in acute opioid withdrawal, or with acute hepatitis or liver failure; and anyone with hypersensitivity to naltrexone.
Common side effects are nausea, headache, dizziness, and fatigue, often improving over time. The most important safety points are that you must be opioid-free before starting to avoid severe withdrawal, that opioid tolerance falls during treatment (raising overdose risk if you relapse after stopping), and that naltrexone is used cautiously in significant liver disease.
- ¹ Reduces heavy drinking and alcohol cravings Effects of naltrexone on alcohol self-administration and craving: meta-analysis of human laboratory studies. 2016 (PMID 27411969). (Meta-analysis found naltrexone reduced alcohol craving and consumption, supporting its efficacy for alcohol use disorder.) → PubMed
- ² One of the most-used and best-supported medications for alcohol use disorder Naltrexone and Alcohol Use. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2022. (Daily and long-acting injectable naltrexone have among the strongest evidence for alcohol use disorder, improving return-to-any-drinking and return-to-heavy-drinking outcomes.) → Am J Psychiatry
- ³ Blocks opioid receptors to reduce the rewarding effects of alcohol and opioids Effects of naltrexone on alcohol self-administration and craving: meta-analysis of human laboratory studies. 2016 (PMID 27411969). (Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that alters dopamine release after alcohol, reducing craving and the rewarding effects of alcohol and opioids.) → PubMed
How it Works With EHRX
The entire process is online. No waiting rooms. Just straightforward, medically guided care.
Step 1
Choose your treatment and complete checkout
You'll receive a confirmation email with next steps.
Step 2
Complete a brief medical consultation
Check your email for a link to a short intake form and link to a virtual consult with a licensed physician.
Step 3
A licensed provider reviews your consultation
If approved, your prescription is written and sent to the pharmacy. If not, you receive a full refund.
Step 4
Your pharmacy ships within 3–5 business days
Your medication is shipped directly to your door in temperature-controlled packaging.
What to know before you start.
Naltrexone HCl (Oral Tablet) is a compounded medication prepared by a licensed pharmacy for individual patient use.
It has not been reviewed by the FDA for safety or efficacy, and is prescribed based on the clinical judgment of a qualified healthcare provider. Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed but are not FDA-approved for safety and efficacy.
Clinical Evidence
Meta-analyses show naltrexone reduces heavy drinking and alcohol cravings, and it is among the most-used and best-supported medications for alcohol use disorder, especially with counseling. It reduces heavy drinking more than it produces complete abstinence, and it is also FDA-approved for opioid use disorder in opioid-free individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions
We aim to provide absolute clarity regarding your biological data and personalized wellness protocols.
One tablet daily as prescribed, with or without food. Your provider confirms you are opioid-free before you start.
No. Naltrexone is not like disulfiram; it does not cause a reaction with alcohol. It reduces the reward and craving, which helps you drink less.
Some people notice reduced cravings within the first weeks; benefits are strongest alongside behavioral support.
Because naltrexone blocks opioid receptors, starting it while opioids are present can cause sudden, severe withdrawal. Most people wait 7 to 10 days.
It is used cautiously in liver disease; your provider may check liver tests and weigh the risks and benefits.
Generic oral naltrexone is widely available; coverage varies. Pricing is shared before you start.
Yes, at any time before your next shipment.
Your provider may check liver tests before and during treatment and will monitor your response and side effects.
Tell any provider you take naltrexone, since it blocks opioid pain relievers; your team can plan alternatives.
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