IV therapy is short for intravenous therapy. Essentially, it means receiving a dose of medication or nutrients directly into a vein rather than orally. Sometimes this is because the patient is unable to consume it orally, but in most cases, it’s because IV therapy is the safest and most efficient way for them to receive nutrients.
For medical purposes, IV therapy has many uses. The most common use is to deliver a saline solution for patients who need quick rehydration. Other times, the IV drip bag may contain dextrose, a type of sugar, to normalize blood sugar levels. Many surgeries also require patients to be hooked up to an IV solution called a “Ringer’s lactate.” But this article will focus on IV therapy for supplemental health, wellness and beauty purposes.
IV vitamin drip treatments
IV vitamin drip treatments were first developed by Dr. John A. Myers in Baltimore, US in the 1970s. He created what’s now known as a “Myers’ cocktail,” and administered it to many of his patients. This was used to treat a host of ailments such as asthma, allergies, fibromyalgia, respiratory tract infections, and more. After he died in 1984, his formulation was lost, but the basic ingredients are known – they include magnesium sulphate, B vitamins, calcium gluconate, selenium, and vitamin C.
Since then, the method developed by Dr. Myers has been expanded to a variety of different formulas for different purposes. One popular treatment is to cure hangovers and its symptoms such as dehydration, headaches, brain fog, fatigue, and nausea. Other formulas may offer benefits such as extra energy, brighter skin, better sleep, getting rid of body toxins, migraine relief, and more. Aside from general wellness, there are host of beauty and anti-aging benefits too.
Better absorption
The clearest benefit of IV drip and vitamin drip treatments is that it allows the body to absorb the nutrients much better and faster. Yes, vitamins and liquids are present in food and water, and you can consume them by eating them. But did you know that many of the nutrients in your food are not fully bioavailable? That means your body fails to absorb them, and instead passes them out through excretion. In fact, depending on the health of your gut, you may only absorb 20-50% of the nutrients through oral consumption.
By delivering these nutrients directly into the bloodstream, vitamin drip treatments bypass the digestive system altogether and allows you to absorb 90-100%. The absorption rate is also nearly instantaneous, allowing to gain – and feel – the benefits instantly. If you’re suffering from a minor deficiency in, say, zinc – a mineral that most people don’t get enough of – you don’t have to eat tons of foods that contain zinc over several days. Instead, an IV drip could safely and effectively deliver it to you in just 30 minutes to an hour.
Anti-aging
Another advantage of IV therapy is the ability to deliver nutrients that are hard to find anywhere else. For instance, glutathione. Glutathione is an amino acid and antioxidant that may be one of the most beneficial antioxidants of all. Studies have shown promising results for treating symptoms of conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and fatty liver disease. It is also able to repair damaged cells, detoxify the liver, boost the immune system, and protect against free radicals. All these benefits make your skin look brighter and healthier, and even has a whitening effect.
However, the benefits of glutathione are not easy to take advantage of. It’s rarely found in any common foods, for one thing. You can buy glutathione supplements that are taken orally, but its bioavailability is very low. Supplements aren’t cheap, and you would probably waste a lot of money by taking glutathione supplements that you can’t even absorb much of. Hence, an IV drip treatment is the most effective way for you to gain its benefits.
Other benefits
There are many other IV drip and vitamin drip formulas with a wide range of benefits. Hangovers, as previously mentioned, can be cured by an IV drip of fluids and electrolytes. When absorbed intravenously, your body can rehydrate and replenish the salts depleted by alcohol consumption much faster and more effectively than simply drinking water. IV therapy can also help with weight loss by delivering supplements that help with losing weight, such as carnitine that helps break down fat and alpha-lipoic acid that helps boost the metabolism.
Another condition that IV therapy can help improve is cardiovascular health. Calcium helps regulate the contraction and dilation of blood vessels. Magnesium is good for regulating blood pressure. Tri amino and arginine help relax your blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure. All of which you can enjoy the benefits of through an IV drip treatment. In addition, amino acids and vitamins are natural energy boosters, and they’re much better for you than sugary and caffeine-rich energy drinks. B vitamins delivered through a vitamin drip can give you a quick, more long-lasting energy boost without the caffeine crash or unhealthy effects of sugar.
Disadvantages
Like any good thing, IV therapy treatments come with a list of cons too. Since it’s an intravenous procedure, a needle is required to puncture the skin to insert the catheter that will deliver the drip, so those with a fear of needles should take note. The needle needs to go into the vein, and sometimes it can be hard to find the vein through the skin, which necessitates several attempts.
Also, while the catheter tube is in your vein, you may experience bruising or inflammation around the injection site – although this is normal and shouldn’t last more than a few minutes. Lastly, as with any injection, there is always a small risk of infection. This should be mitigated if the nurse administering the treatment is professional and practices basic safety standards.
IV therapy is still relatively new, and many more benefits are still being discovered. If you’re interested in trying it out for yourself, make sure you choose a reputable wellness clinic to administer it for you. And if you’re interested to talk to a medical professional about it, contact us at any of the channels below.