NAD+ for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

Benzodiazepine  Withdrawal is Treatable with NAD+ Therapy

I know a secret that other physicians don’t seem to know. Benzo withdrawal sucks! And lasts a long, long time.

Benzo withdrawal can last for months, even years. Patients feel depressed, anxious, and can’t sleep. Worse yet is that not sleeping and feeling terrible makes it all that much worse. Because you didn’t sleep you’re now more tired and depressed.

Your doctor didn’t think that keeping you on Klonopin, Valium or Xanax was a big deal; until you tried to stop. Benzos cause some serious and lasting changes to the central nervous system. But with time, nutritional support, medication and education patients can and do recover.

There is a lot of interest in using NAD+ for benzo recovery. We have quite a bit of experience in this field.  NAD+ works for benzo detox, but often needs to be used differently when used for alcohol or opiate withdrawal. For both alcohol and opiate withdrawal, patients can stop their drug of choice and detox. With benzos that doesn’t always work. Basically, benzos are stickier, and the repair process is slower.

Here are 3 examples of how to use NAD+ to detox off benzodiazepines

The Test Dose

One option I like to employ when I have the luxury is the test dose. I offer patients  a couple of days of IV NAD while they continue their regular benzo dose. I want to know if they’re going to respond and how it makes them feel. Patients really like this option because they don’t need to invest a considerable amount of money and time into a program not knowing if it’s going to work. Patients can come up for as little as 2-3 days for IV NAD+ and discover for themselves if that limited amount of NAD+ will alleviate any withdrawal symptoms or have a positive effect on their current condition. An ultra short course of NAD is not a substitute for a program, but it’s a good introduction for patients. We can get an early view of who is going to respond. For those patients who feel better, I can confidently recommend a full NAD Program to completely detox. That means 10-14 days of IV NAD+.

The Equalizer

Another option that I’ve learned over the years is using the NAD+ Infusion to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms during an outpatient detox. What does that mean? Most patients at this point are  doing a slow and gradual outpatient taper. Many hit a wall. At a certain dose they just can’t get below that amount. I’ll have patients come in to the clinic and do NAD infusions until they stabilize at that dose and feel good. Patients usually need less than a week to push past their previous limit. In this case, we’re not using NAD to completely detox off opiates rather we’re using it to help stick the landing on  the last benzo dose reduction. Patients can stay on this lower dose during the infusion days. This is a  successful technique which is great for patients. They’ve accomplished a dose reduction and only have to come into our clinic for a week or less.

The Detox

If patients are on a low dose of benzo but just can’t get through that last little bump we can stop the benzo and drip IV NAD+. In this situation patients stop their benzo and we detox them. The NAD does the heavy lifting but we’ll use amino acids, and calming IV nutritional infusions. These infusions  may contain taurine, magnesium and other ingredients the body seems to like during this period. We’ll also send patients across the road for a few days of HOCAT treatment. Most patients need at least 10-14 days of IV NAD to comfortably and effectively detox of benzodiazepine medications.

Every patient has a unique genetic blueprint in this constellation of benzo dependence which will determine how they respond to different therapies.

If you or someone you know is struggling with benzos and is ready to be done. Have them give us a call. We have answers.

In Health,

Ken Starr MD

Board Certified Addiction Medicine