IV Therapy: Facts vs. Fiction

IV therapy and hydration is known to be the fastest way to deliver any kind of fluid or medication to the body. With a bioavailability absorption of 100%, this therapy has also demonstrated many benefits in the realm of healthcare and wellness.  IV nutritional therapy, in which vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are delivered directly into the bloodstream, has been documented to:

• increase energy
• enhance the strength of the immune system
• counter anxiety and stress
• and, act as a preventive aging measure

IV Therapy History:

While more modern IV therapy is less than a century old, it was known that medications could be injected into veins as early as the 1600s. In 1831, Dr. Thomas Latta’s studies on the symptoms and diagnostic treatment of the cholera epidemic led him to discover the use of IV saline infusions. More than a century later, in the 1950s, the modern intravenous drip technique was further developed and made more widely accessible—eventually established as routine medical practice.

The idea that IV nutritional therapy can restore and rejuvenate the overall body originated with the Myers cocktail, created by physician John Myers—a technique that is still commonly used. This vitamin therapy combines a mix of minerals like magnesium, calcium, zinc, and a host of other vitamins that collectively ‘recharge’ and RELIEVE the body within a matter of minutes.

Through IV administration, nutrients can bypass the digestive system and can achieve blood concentrations that are impossible to obtain orally. IV therapy offers a variety of meaningful health benefits, in addition to therapeutic and preventative effects. As our bodies are often dehydrated and malnourished due to lack of exercise and poor eating habits, IV vitamin therapy can help offset many health drawbacks. Moreover, for patients with digestive or malabsorption issues, IV nutrient therapy can be effectively life-changing, as the body can successfully and efficiently utilize the nutrients that support the major bodily systems.

IV therapy helps to alleviate stress and boost energy, but it can also be used for more serious and chronic diseases. Research has shown that vitamin C infusions prolong survival times, and improve quality of life, in patients suffering from:

• Cancer (NIH)
• Lyme Disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Inflammation/Inflammatory Diseases and Conditions
• Chronic Migraines and more

While IV therapy has its detractors and critics, it cannot be denied that it has been a successful form of treatment for a wide array of health conditions. As more people incorporate IV therapy into their lifestyles, it will likely become a progressively more routine practice from which patients can see immediate benefits.

A Word of Caution About IV Therapy

Because IV hydration is such a popular new treatment, many centers are opening without the medical expertise of a physician. These centers have “medical supervisors” who attach their name to legal documents, but they do not have a physician directly monitoring patient history and treatment or Registered Nurses administering the treatments. It is extremely important to make sure that a D.O. or M.D. is directing and an RN is administering your IV treatment. No other health professional should or is legally allowed to administer these treatments. If you go to an IV hydration center, make sure to ask who is administering your treatment. D.O., M.D., or R.N. only! Read more about this here.