IV nutritional therapy is a treatment that is sworn to be great by many celebrities. Adele reportedly receives a $200 concoction to keep her vocal cords healthy, for example. People opt for IV treatment to boost immunity or treat a serious underlying health issue in other scenarios.
Regardless of the root cause, IV nutritional therapy has emerged as a first choice for many.
Avid supporters claim that vitamins taken intravenously are way more effective than ones that are taken in pill form. Naysayers claim otherwise. No matter which side of the spectrum you stand on, there isn’t enough medical evidence supporting either of the claims. Still, we will decode everything you need to know about this highly-controversial treatment in this blog. Let’s jump right in.
What is IV Nutritional Therapy?
Quite simply, IV nutritional therapy is used to boost the body’s immunity by replenishing it with a cocktail of essential minerals, vitamins, amino acids, electrolytes, and antioxidants. These nutrients are injected directly into the bloodstream to relieve the receiver from dehydration and other health issues. Some of the most common types of IV treatments include those for vitamin C, B12, D3, and D.
Why Do People Opt For IV Nutritional Therapy?
People may choose to go for this treatment for a myriad of reasons, such as the following:
- Feeling under the weather or wanting to boost the energy levels
- Struggling with jetlag and associated symptoms
- Wanting to get rid of toxins within the body
- Improving symptoms of depression
- Warding off a severe illness or suffering through a severe bout of flu symptoms
- Looking to improve a physical fitness routine
- Looking to treat critical issues such as fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and fatigue
- Wanting to reduce stress or combat aging naturally
- Wishing to boost brain function
Remember that IV treatments can cost anywhere between $150 to $400 each time. Furthermore, it can take anywhere between 20 minutes to up to three hours to get the right course of treatment.
What Are the Proposed Benefits of Using IV Nutritional Therapy?
The real question that might be circling your mind is why celebrities and others swear by this form of treatment? According to experts, the most significant benefit of taking IV injections is that it gets readily absorbed by the body as it goes directly into the bloodstream (compared to pills taken orally, which travel straight to the stomach). However, note that there is not enough scientific evidence supporting this claim. On the flip side, some experts prefer taking vitamins via the oral route as it is much safer, less expensive, and less experimental. Additionally, the risk of absorbing too many vitamins/minerals gets eliminated with oral supplements.
Common Side Effects and Precautionary Measures to Make Note of When Taking IV Nutrient Therapy
If you are considering trying IV nutrient therapy, there are some things worth keeping in mind. For starters, unregulated clinics can offer low-quality and risky treatment cocktails, affecting your health adversely. You may end up with higher-than-normal levels of a vitamin/mineral within your body, which can become quite dangerous to your overall health
The inability to predict how your body will react to the nutritional cocktail mix is also a major concern. For example, an overdose of vitamin C can cause stomach issues such as diarrhea. Excess to vitamin D can cause nausea, weakness, and other critical symptoms The inability to understand how the drip will affect your heart is also an essential factor, particularly if you’re a heart patient; too many electrolytes can cause heart arrhythmias.
You may also run the risk of an infection from the injected needle. The vein can inflate on the off chance of an infection, or worse, and a blood clot can appear. If you are a kidney patient, please speak to your doctor to understand if you should proceed with this treatment or not also, as you will need to monitor the intake of minerals such as potassium, sodium, and phosphorous, to name a few.
You must also ensure that the treatment does not interfere with any existing medicines that you might be taking. Always cross-check before jumping on the IV nutrient therapy bandwagon with your healthcare provider. Finally, people who are generally allergic to the most common things must tread cautiously. Always check the ingredients within the drip before self-administering, or you might risk having an adverse reaction, which can become fatal if not treated properly
IV Nutritional Therapy: The Verdict
Long story short, IV nutrient therapy isn’t a sure-shot method or a miracle cure. It may work for some, while it may not work for others. There’s no standard concerning the advantages or results. In addition, note that taking this form of treatment is not free of adverse side effects, and there are preventive measures to keep in mind.
The Bottom Line
IV treatments aren’t truly a novel idea. They’ve been around for ages. Hospitals leverage this to rehydrate patients or fill the nutritional gaps or deficiencies patients may have. However, using it for personal use has emerged as somewhat of a speedy solution for certain everyday health problems, all thanks to its open use by A-star celebrities; from Chrissy Teigen and Ariana Grande to Kim Kardashian and Adele, the list is long. Whatever be the end-use case, it helps to understand this treatment and get your homework done before you consult with your doctor about it. Most experts recommend adjusting your food intake or opting for oral supplements instead of heading the IV nutrient therapy route.
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