Naltrexone: Wonder Drug for Alcoholism?

IS IT? or ISN’T IT? –

Jan 8, 2025 – Although it’s been used since the 1980s, naltrexone remains a relatively unknown treatment for alcohol dependency. Costing around £3 per pill, the drug blocks the “euphoric and sedative effects” of alcohol which helps “reduce cravings.” Naltrexone reportedly has a claimed 80% success rate in clinical trials and can be prescribed by the NHS but is more commonly accessible privately.

However, some argue that the drug could be used for heavy drinkers who do not meet the “criteria for alcohol addiction” and help stop them from “mindlessly” drinking, which can lead to dependency, said Esther Walker in The Times.

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist, meaning it blocks opioid receptors in the brain that cause a “dopamine high” and subsequently lead to craving, said The i Paper. People can “still get drunk”, but the lack of a “euphoric effect” should reduce the appetite to drink more and more.

Naltrexone is not the only drug used to treat alcoholism, but its high success rate and lack of substantial side effects are what led it to go “viral on social media” and be “praised for helping those struggling with alcohol overconsumption”, said Metro.