Comparison
Curcumin vs Low-Dose Naltrexone
Side-by-side of Curcumin and Low-Dose Naltrexone. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Curcumin
Curcumin supplement guide: turmeric extract at 500-1000 mg/day, piperine and Meriva for absorption, evidence in joint inflammation and mood.
Low-Dose Naltrexone
Low dose naltrexone at 1.5 to 4.5 mg, one-tenth the 50 mg addiction dose. Compounded Rx. Small trials in fibromyalgia, Crohn's, Hashimoto's.
Effects at a glance
Curcumin
- •Reduces osteoarthritis knee pain comparable to ibuprofen at 1500 mg/day enhanced formulation
- •Modest antidepressant effect (SMD ~0.34) as monotherapy or SSRI adjunct in major depression
- •Standard curcumin has ~3% bioavailability; Meriva, BCM-95, Theracurmin shift absorption 5-30 fold
- •Inhibits NF-kB and COX-2; reduces hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha in chronic inflammation
- •Antiplatelet effect at higher doses; meaningful interaction with warfarin and DOACs
- •Iron chelation can contribute to deficiency in already-marginal patients
Low-Dose Naltrexone
- •Off-label use at 1.5 to 4.5 mg, roughly one-tenth the FDA-approved 50 mg addiction-treatment dose
- •Proposed mechanisms include brief opioid receptor blockade triggering rebound endogenous opioid release, plus TLR4 antagonism
- •Compounded prescription only; insurance rarely covers; cash prices 20 to 80 USD per month
- •Younger 2013 reported ~30% pain reduction in fibromyalgia at 4.5 mg in a small crossover trial
- •Smith 2011 reported endoscopic improvement in active Crohn's disease (n=40 placebo-controlled)
- •Vivid dreams affect 20 to 40% in first 2 weeks; manageable by switching to morning dosing
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Curcumin | Low-Dose Naltrexone |
|---|---|---|
| Category | natural | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | turmeric extract, diferuloylmethane | LDN, naltrexone (low dose) |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 7 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 4.5 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily with meals | once daily, typically at bedtime |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 2 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 4 | 1.5 |
| Molecular weight | 368.38 | 341.4 |
| Molecular formula | C21H20O6 | C20H23NO4 |
| Mechanism | Inhibits NF-kB transcription factor, COX-2, and lipoxygenase; activates AMPK and Nrf2; modulates JAK-STAT and PI3K-Akt kinase signaling. Pleiotropic anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. | Brief mu-opioid receptor antagonism proposed to trigger compensatory upregulation of endogenous opioids; secondary TLR4 antagonism on microglia and immune cells contributes to anti-inflammatory effect. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement (global) | Off-label compounded prescription (naltrexone is FDA approved for opioid and alcohol use disorder at 50 mg) |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled | Rx only (not a controlled substance) |
| Pregnancy | Culinary turmeric is safe; supplemental curcumin best avoided in pregnancy | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 458-37-7 | 16590-41-3 |
| PubChem CID | 969516 | 5360515 |
| Wikidata | Q312266 | Q426444 |
Safety profile
Curcumin
Common side effects
- nausea
- diarrhea
- dyspepsia
- yellow stool (benign)
Contraindications
- active gallstones (curcumin stimulates gallbladder contraction)
- severe biliary obstruction
- scheduled elective surgery (discontinue 1-2 weeks prior)
Interactions
- warfarin and DOACs: additive antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects; meaningful bleeding risk at 1000+ mg/day(major)
- aspirin and NSAIDs: additive antiplatelet effect(moderate)
- tacrolimus and cyclosporine: CYP3A4 and P-gp modulation may alter drug levels(moderate)
- iron supplements: curcumin chelates iron; can contribute to deficiency in marginal patients(moderate)
- chemotherapy agents: potential interference with multiple agents; coordinate with oncology team(major)
Low-Dose Naltrexone
Common side effects
- vivid dreams
- sleep disruption
- headache
- mild GI upset
- fatigue (early)
Contraindications
- concurrent opioid use
- acute hepatitis or liver failure
- opioid dependence
- pregnancy (insufficient data)
Interactions
- opioid analgesics (oxycodone, morphine, codeine): blocks analgesic effect; precipitates withdrawal in dependent users(major)
- tramadol: blocks opioid component of analgesia(major)
- thyroid hormone replacement: may alter dose requirements after immune modulation; monitor TSH(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Curcumin comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Low-Dose Naltrexone is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Curcumin.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Curcumin.
- → If your priority is immune support, pick Low-Dose Naltrexone.
- → If your priority is pain modulation, pick Low-Dose Naltrexone.
Edge case: If you want to avoid prescription-only, Curcumin is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Curcumin. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Low-Dose Naltrexone only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Curcumin and Low-Dose Naltrexone?
Curcumin and Low-Dose Naltrexone differ in category (natural vs pharmaceutical), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Curcumin or Low-Dose Naltrexone?
Curcumin half-life is 7 hours; Low-Dose Naltrexone half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Curcumin with Low-Dose Naltrexone?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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