The Incredible Benefits of IV Vitamin Therapy

By Annie Savage

When Annie first suggested the topic of IV vitamin therapy as a blog post I’ll admit I didn’t know much about it. After delving into her background and finding that she’d cured herself of chronic migraines using natural therapies I was interested to find out more. Annie is a qualified naturopathic practitioner and today we’re lucky that she’s sharing her knowledge about the little-known area of IV vitamin therapy. Please seek medical advice if you’re unsure whether drip IV therapy is right for you – Elly xx

What is Nutrient IV therapy?

Licensed naturopathic physicians use IV vitamin therapy as a tool to replenish a patient’s micronutrient and nutritional status. Studies have found that IV vitamins can be a great way to improve many health conditions and achieve optimal health and wellness. IV vitamin therapy is an effective and efficient treatment at replenishing vitamins and minerals because it bypasses the digestive system, allowing for 100 percent absorption.

Food or medications such as multivitamins must be chewed or swallowed whole. They pass down the esophagus to the stomach where the acidic environment begins the breakdown. The small intestine then starts the process of digestion and absorption. Enzymes break the foodstuff down into their smaller molecular pieces, and eventually into amino acids (the building blocks of proteins).

The small intestine absorbs these amino acids and passes them into the blood where they are carried to the liver. The liver acts as our primary detoxification organ. It receives everything that we put into our body and processes it to be transported in the blood or excreted as urine or stool.

Assimilating the vitamins and minerals from our food is a long and complex process. There are many steps that can be interrupted, and this is where vitamin IV therapy comes in.100 percent absorption is ensured through IV vitamin therapy because the vitamins and minerals can be administered directly to the blood. Therefore, many different types of patients can benefit from vitamin therapy, and much more efficiently than by taking food or medication orally.

What is a Myer’s cocktail?

A Myer’s cocktail is a Nutritional IV Therapy. It is named so after Dr. John Myer and is commonly misnamed a ‘Meyer’s cocktail.’

It is unknown what the true “Myer’s cocktail” was, as there was no written account of the exact treatment. Patients of John Myer reported that he used a 10-mL syringe to perform a slow vitamin push of various nutrients into the vein. Today, IV nutrient therapy or IV vitamins is used interchangeably with the name Myer’s cocktail and consists of various different vitamins and minerals in combination to treat specific diseases.

The Myer’s cocktail is now done in an IV bag, rather than a vitamin push from a syringe. The patient receives more hydration and nutrients this way. Common nutrients found in IV vitamin therapy are:

  • Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
  • B complex
  • Magnesium chloride
  • Calcium chloride

The Myer’s cocktail can be personalized to any patient for their specific needs. For example, a “migraine cocktail” can be formulated for a patient suffering from chronic migraines.

The Myer’s cocktail also differs from a ‘banana bag,’ which is administered in the hospital. This is because it has many more vitamins and minerals and it is formulated to treat specific conditions for each individual patient. A typical banana bag contains thiamine (vitamin B1), folic acid, and magnesium sulfate and is in either normal saline or dextrose water.

What are the benefits of IV vitamins?

You might be wondering “How can IV nutritional therapy help me?” The benefits of IV vitamin therapy are many!

As discussed above, nutrients traveling through the digestive system can have many interruptions or problems. Healthy eating sometimes isn’t enough for optimal nutrient absorption on its own. Because IV vitamin therapy bypasses this system, 100 percent absorption of the vitamins and minerals can be achieved.

For this reason, vitamin IV therapy can correct micronutrient deficiencies. This improves the overall nutritional status of an individual, allowing for the relief of many symptoms.

So does a vitamin IV actually make you feel better?

Some IV therapy benefits include:

  • Increased energy
  • Reduced symptoms of stress
  • Improved hydration
  • Regulation of the immune system, improving the symptoms of chronic illnesses and treating autoimmune disease flare-ups
  • Improved skin quality
  • Reduction in headaches
  • Improved symptoms of depression
  • Improved symptoms of asthma
  • Shortened recovery time for athletes, optimal performance, improved endurance
  • Relieves allergies, colds and flus

IV vitamin therapy benefits are likely to vary from person to person. The benefits will depend on the health status of the person as well as a number of other factors.

Is IV nutrient therapy safe?

Nutritional IV therapy is safe when administered by a qualified practitioner who has completed the certification course and knows how to calculate the osmolarity of the solution being administered.

Our practitioners at Bay Wellness in Vancouver have completed the relevant qualifications to be able to administer IV vitamin therapy safely.

Vitamin IV therapy side effects

Some individuals get a feeling of warmth from nutrient pushes, most likely due to the magnesium and/or calcium. However, this is rarely found to be intolerable.

It is also important that the patient has eaten something before being administered IV vitamins because the B vitamins can cause nausea if given on an empty stomach.

Rapid administration of magnesium can also lead to hypotension (low blood pressure). In this case, the IV is stopped until symptoms resolve and from there it can be administered more slowly.

The elderly and frail patients require special consideration. For them, the IV or the vitamin push can be administered more slowly. Alternatively, IM injections can be performed instead to avoid any adverse effects such as hypotension. Special attention should be paid to those patients taking diuretic medications who are losing excess potassium. This is because the administration of magnesium can then cause adverse effects.

Patients who suffer from renal disease or renal failure and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency have an increased risk of adverse effects. All patients should be tested for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency before receiving 10 grams or more of ascorbic acid.

Who can benefit from nutritional IV therapy?

Everybody can benefit from vitamin drips! Today, most people are under chronic stress, not getting enough sleep or adequate nutrition, and are feeling run-down, tired, and in pain. Vitamin IV therapy is a great way to address any deficiencies in vitamins or minerals and reach optimal nutrient levels and hydration status.

In acute cases, vitamin IV therapy is a great tool to treat migraines, headaches, colds, flu, jet lag, seasonal allergies, morning sickness during pregnancy, fatigue, and hangovers.

Mental health could also be improved with IV vitamin drip therapy if the issues are related to deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals.

IV infusion therapy as a treatment for chronic conditions

In chronic cases, IV therapy can be used to treat diseases such as:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Cancer
  • Crohn’s disease
  • IBS/IBD
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Lupus
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Asthma
  • Depression
  • Drug addiction
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Adrenal insufficiency or adrenal fatigue

No matter how clean you eat, food today doesn’t have the same nutrient density that it once did. Therefore IV nutrition therapy can be a fantastic place to start to receive the missing nutrients. Furthermore, for nutrients to reach the blood, food has to be digested and absorbed efficiently. Gut health must be optimal for this to occur.

How much does IV vitamin therapy cost?

Vitamin infusion therapy varies in cost from clinic to clinic. At our clinic, Bay Wellness Centre the cost is $150. The average cost can range from $120-$200. It will be higher reaching in some cases of cancer-specific treatments with very high doses of vitamin C. These types of treatments should only be done by FABNO trained naturopathic physicians.

Where can I get IV nutrition therapy done?

Naturopathic doctors’ offices can provide IV vitamin therapy if they have completed the extra training and certification. They also need to be located in provinces and states where it is licensed.

What the research says about IV drip therapy

IV vitamin explanation references:

Intravenous Nutrient therapy: the “Myers’ Cocktail” by Alan R. Gaby, MD

Intravenous micronutrient Therapy (Myers’ cocktail) for fibromyalgia: a placebo-controlled pilot study by Ather Ali, ND MPH

Short and long term treatment of asthma with intravenous nutrients by Welman A Shrader Jr

Vitamin C: Intravenous Use by Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioners and Adverse Effects by Sebastian J. Padayatty

IV vitamin therapy reviews

If you’d like to hear about the experiences of people who have tried IV vitamin therapy, check out the videos below.

We hope you have enjoyed reading about the benefits of IV vitamin therapy and all the other details including safety information, where to get it, and how much it costs. Have you used vitamin therapy before? Are you considering IV nutrition therapy? Please leave a comment in the box below – we’d love to hear from you!

If you enjoy learning about other holistic modalities, check out these reasons to see a naturopath and the benefits of osteopathy.

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Related Posts You May Also Like

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Leave a comment below to let me know what you think of this post.

Annie Savage

43 Comments
  1. Olivia Smart

    Thank you for explaining that IV infusion therapy can treat things like asthma and arthritis. My friend has been having problems lately with her arthritis and can’t find anything that has really helped her. I wonder if she’d be willing to try something like this to see if it can help.

    Reply
  2. Ultra IV Services

    Thank you for the information. IV vitamin therapy is a safe and effective treatment that provides our body with essential vitamins and nutrients. Keep sharing!

    Reply
  3. Zoe Campos

    My favorite part of the article is where you mentioned that everyone can possibly benefit from IV therapies. This fact will be useful to my friend, who’s thinking that she might be too old for IV hydration. Maybe I should let her read your article so I can convince her to continue with the treatment.

    Reply
  4. ATL Live Well

    Thanks for sharinging this wonderful benefits of IV Therapy. Keep sharing these informational posts in the future also…

    Reply
  5. Revive Therapeutics

    Where was this when I was pregnant with terrible morning sickness?! I would have done this! This also beats taking drugs for a headache/migraine. I’d do an IV any day! I’m so curious how using an iv for allergies would help them? If it’s a gradual improvement or instant improvement and what specific vitamins help with allergies? I just had no idea an iv could help for autoimmune conditions. This is amazing!

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Thanks for your comment. I hear you on the morning sickness! Since your questions are quite specialist-specific, I’ll see if Annie can answer them for you

      Reply
      • Annie Savage

        Hi,

        Nutrient IV’s are an amazing way to increase your nutrient status. By doing so, we are optimizing the intracellular nutrient levels, which are what make our cells work!

        As for allergies, I am assuming you are referring to seasonal allergies, like hay fever. That reaction is a destabilization of your mast cells (which are white blood cells). They release histamine, and that is what leads to the symptoms that you experience. Symptoms like runny eyes, runny or congested nose, itchy eyes and throat. Traditionally, anti-histamines, like Claritin or Benadryl are used to treat allergies. To stabilize those mast cells naturally, we can use Vitamin C and Quercetin. Some herbs that are great for allergies are stinging nettles. Doing a nutrient IV is a good way to increase Vitamin C status quickly and easily by bypassing the digestive system. You would most likely require a series of IV’s as treatment for allergies. Removing food sensitivities and consuming whole-healthy foods is also important.

        Reply
        • Elly McGuinness

          Thanks so much for your comprehensive reply on this Annie!

          Reply
  6. James

    Super useful article. Thank you so much, I can`t leave without this IV Drips anymore. Our body needs those vitamins it not getting. – it`s that simple. If you are from New York – I`d highly recommend visiting this place https://thefuelstop.com/vitamin-iv-push/

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Thanks for your comment James, and also for the recommendation:-)

      Reply
  7. Shaylee Packer

    As you mentioned, when the nutrition goes straight into the bloodstream, your body is able to use more of it. My mother takes a series of vitamins everyday, I wonder if it would be better for her to do it through an IV. I will have to mention this to her, and see if she has heard of it before.

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Glad to hear you found the post useful Shaylee:-)

      Reply
  8. Hangover IV

    Thanks for this post!!!
    The most popular reasons for IV vitamin treatment is to relieve stress, rid your body of toxins, balance hormones, boost immunity, and make skin healthier. There are positive anecdotal claims of relief and rejuvenation

    Reply
  9. Edwin

    How often do you have to have this IV treatment after the first dose?

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Hi Edwin, thanks for your comment. I imagine this would differ on an individual basis and it’s something to discuss with your IV vitamin practitioner. Testing vitamin levels before and after treatments could provide a good baseline indication so you can get a clear idea of where your deficiencies lie. How often you get treatments will likely depend on your lifestyle and health status, as well as the reasons you’re getting vitamin therapy to begin with. Best of luck!

      Reply
  10. teen

    Some medications are also given by IV “push” or bolus. A syringe containing the medication is connected to an access port in the primary tubing and the medication is administered through the port. The syringe plunger is pressed slowly, if it might irritate the vein or cause a too-rapid effect. Certain medications, such as potassium, are never to be administered by IV push because the spike in medication in the blood from the IV push could be fatal. Once a medicine has been injected into the fluid stream of the IV tubing, there must be some means of ensuring that it gets from the tubing to the patient. Usually this is accomplished by allowing the fluid stream to flow normally and thereby carry the medicine into the bloodstream; however, a second fluid injection is sometimes used, a “flush”, following the injection to push the medicine into the bloodstream more quickly.

    Reply
  11. Iv Vitamin Therapy

    IV therapy is safe and an alternative method of enhancing the body with the required amount of vitamins and minerals the body needs.

    Reply
  12. Jay Jorgenson

    My wife and I want our daughter to be very healthy. I like how you mention licensed naturopathic physicians use IV vitamin therapy to replace a patient’s micronutrient and nutritional status. Thank you for the information. I’ll contact a medic so my daughter can get an IV therapy.

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Thanks for your comment Jay and I wish you and your family amazing health:-)

      Reply
  13. Florence Welch

    It sure got my attention when you said that some of the benefits of infusion therapy are improved skin quality and a boost in the immune system. I’ve been stricken with an auto-immune sickness which makes it hard to live a normal life. That is why I am looking on getting some infusion therapy to add to my treatment so I can have better protection against infections and other sickness dues to a boost in my immune system. Thanks so much for educating me about IV vitamin infusion therapy!

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Thanks for sharing this Florence, and I hope you get great results from using IV vitamin therapy xx

      Reply
  14. Elia Opstein

    Nutritional vitamins and minerals are as critical as oxygen and water. You can not endure without them. Unfortunately, there are thousands and thousands of folks who fall short to get enough of these. Are you confident that you happen to be acquiring the proper amount of nutrition? Do you know which food items are wealthy in vitamins and minerals? Study on for a healthier and much better existence.VitaminsThe phrase “vitamin” comes from the terms “vital amine.” Our body can’t manufacture natural vitamins, but they are crucial for its appropriate operating. Natural vitamins are of two types:* Excess fat soluble nutritional vitamins (A, D, E, and K) – you can get them from dairy goods, oils, animal fat, nuts, and a couple of greens. The entire body stores excess of these nutritional vitamins in fatty tissues and liver. This signifies that you want not get them every day.* H2o-soluble nutritional vitamins (B, C, and folic acid) – the B group consists of B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, which are acknowledged as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantotheinic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, and folic acid, respectively. You can get them from entire grains, fruits, and veggies. They achieve the a variety of entire body elements via the medium of drinking water. The excessive amount is handed out through urine. This means that your physique does not shop them and you require to get them every day. Cooking destroys these natural vitamins. You have to eat steamed or grilled food to retain them.The greatest way to get all the nutritional vitamins in adequate portions are to try to eat a selection of foodstuff especially, clean foodstuff. This is due to the fact processing methods lessen the nutrient price of foods. Also, minimize fruits or greens held for extended get rid of their natural vitamins. Frozen veggies are occasionally far better than greens stored at space temperature, as the freezing temperature assists retain the nutrient value.MineralsMinerals assist the natural vitamins in appropriate operating of your body. The crucial types are iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium, chromium, and zinc.Vitamins and minerals are vital nutrition with specific features in the body. For example, vitamin A helps preserve sharp vision and promotes healthier bone growth. Vitamin E builds immunity and supports DNA repair. Minerals like calcium bolster the bones and teeth and stop the onset of osteoporosis in girls. Iron is crucial for hemoglobin formation while sodium prevents goiter.When it comes to natural vitamins and minerals, moderation is the key. Also little triggers deficiency that can lead to numerous issues, whilst way too considerably (especially the excess fat-soluble natural vitamins) could cause troubles too, as the physique finds it tough to eliminate the extra quantities. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals hampers the body’s capability to safeguard and heal by itself. The body’s immune program weakens and it turns into susceptible to different conditions.Dietary SupplementsFor hundreds of thousands, popping multivitamin tablets has turn out to be a daily ritual. A lot of commercials make nutritional dietary supplements search like “alma mater” without which your entire body would be incomplete. An article printed in the Journal of The American Medical Association states that to avert long-term diseases, grownups have to consider vitamin dietary supplements. Now, this has sparked a discussion simply because, till now, it was proven that health supplements are barely required if you consider a well balanced diet.The word “dietary supplement” signifies “anything in addition to”. The tablets “complement” your organic intake of natural vitamins and minerals. This suggests that you should to consider a balanced diet initial. Nutritional dietary supplements are not substitutes for vitamins from foodstuff. You are not able to relinquish fresh fruits and veggies, and complete grains from your diet plan and anticipate the supplements to keep your physique wholesome.In fact, medical doctors prescribe nutritional health supplements in circumstance of deficiency of nutritional vitamins, minerals, or other vitamins. They can be used as a brief expression guard in opposition to nutrient shortfall in the body. Pregnant females and the elderly might need them to fulfill the dietary wants of their body.There is a redundancy of data on promises that health supplements can treatment conditions. The hundreds of nutritional supplements obtainable make the situation even far more perplexing. In accordance to the Dietary Health supplement Overall health & Education and learning Act (DSHEA), nutritional supplement is one thing that supplements your diet plan, consists of natural vitamins or minerals, amino acids, or other substances or a mix of these. You can get them as tablets, pills, capsules, or in liquid sort.Nutritional nutritional supplements are of a variety of varieties. Vitamin and mineral drugs are loaded with micronutrients even though organic tablets are recommended for medicinal reasons. The latter is meant for distinct physique locations like bones, pores and skin, or liver. Vitamin health supplements normally have extracts of all-natural meals. For example, vitamin A pills include fish liver oil, vitamin B pills have extracts of yeast or liver, vitamin C and vitamin E pills consists of extracts of rosehips, and maize or soybeans, respectively. Synthetic supplements are also accessible, but they may possibly not function as efficiently as natural-dependent ones.Who Wants Supplements the Most?Certain folks may need to supplement the nutritional requirement of their bodies possibly since of their life style, health care situation, or other causes. They incorporate:* Pregnant and lactating women* Women right after puberty may need to have additional iron and calcium* Aged individuals* Vegans* Kids and teenagers with erratic foodstuff habits* Dieters* Individuals allergic to specified foodstuff* People with deficiency ailments, lactose tolerance, absorption disorders, consuming problems* Folks who take in surplus of junk foodImportant Suggestions to RememberAlways just take nutritional supplements after consulting your medical professional. This is not some thing that you take since your friends are having it or since somebody informed you about its advantages. Your doctor will prescribe you the required supplements following examining your entire body.Numerous moments, people complain that health supplements will not perform as desired. They will not be efficient if you preserve them in daylight, which strips them of their nutrition. A awesome, dim spot is perfect for storing vitamin tablets. You can also place them in an airtight jar and hold them in the fridge.Take vitamin tablets after meals and throughout the working day. Having them on an empty stomach is a huge miscalculation, as they will go out by way of urine, specifically the h2o-soluble nutritional vitamins.The 1st action toward healthful residing is ingesting a balanced diet plan. Only when you cannot satisfy the nutritional demands of your entire body ought to you change to nutritional supplements. Keep in mind, mother nature has bestowed us with ample varieties of foodstuff to fulfill our vitamin and mineral needs.

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Thanks for your comprehensive comment Elia! Yes I agree that nutritious whole foods should be our first go-to in terms of nutrition, and that supplements should be just that – supplements when required (not “replacements”). A holistic outlook is certainly recommended in order to make sure we’re getting the most we can from our nutritional intake (e.g. keeping stress levels under control and gut health in good shape).

      Reply
  15. IV Therapy

    Thanks for sharing this amazing post. Of course, the IV therapy is effective and it gives the sufficient nutrients to our body. I’m waiting for your next post.

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      You’re welcome! Annie did a great job on the article

      Reply
  16. Shelly

    I do not have a gallbladder and I have Hashimoto Disease. I have added lifting weights (2 wks) and walking 40 minutes a. Day several days a week. I have been on a paleo diet for 2.5 years. I have sedative and stressful job. I don’t normally let the stress get to me anymore though. Will iv therapy help me get healthy and lose weight. Should I do the Keto diet. I have been trying it but cannot seem to get into Ketosis.

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Hi Shelley, thanks for your comment. Great to hear you’ve added weight lifting and walking into your program. Has the paleo diet helped you to make progress towards your goals over the past 2.5 years? It’s a relatively low carb approach, although not as extreme as keto. If you’ve gotten good results from going paleo and you’ve found it easy to maintain then the ketogenic diet could be worth exploring.

      Personally, I don’t promote “diets” of any sort. I’m more about finding a personalized, sustainable approach that will work for you. I prefer to look at your overall lifestyle (nutrition, stress, sleep, exercise, mindset, relationships etc) to determine what is holding you back from achieving your goals. From there we’d determine small, achievable steps that will help you to move forward to achieve what you’re after.

      If you want to achieve healthy weight loss, I’d suggest you start by having a look at my free weight loss audios and videos as an introduction to the holistic approach. You can get them here: https://hhh.ellymcguinness.com/free-weight-loss-audio-video-series/

      In terms of the IV therapy part of your question, let me pass that on to Annie to answer, seeing as she is the specialist in that area. Hold tight and I’ll ask her to respond to it.

      Reply
    • Annie Savage

      Hi Shelly,

      IV therapy can be very beneficial in managing stress and energy levels. It can also help maintain optimal nutrient status, which may be more difficult for you to achieve without your gallbladder. It’s also very anti-inflammatory, which is beneficial to Hashimoto’s disease, as well as weight loss. I personally think that the ketogenic diet is too extreme and strict for people to follow unless it is being used for cancer or epilepsy; I would follow a whole foods diet. Depending how you feel adding in the walking to your routine, you could add in HIIT (high interval training) 1-2 days a week to increase fat loss but play close attention to how you feel before adding more days.

      Reply
  17. Amy

    I’m a nurse and I’m interested in opening a IV clinic just to administer vitamin IV
    do I need any special license to do this

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Hi Amy, thanks for your comment. I’ll ask Annie to reply to that one for you asap…so sit tight and she will comment soon!

      Reply
    • Annie Savage

      Hi Amy,

      I believe that you would need extra training as a nurse to open up an IV clinic. I’m unsure if you’re able to do it without either a nurse practitioner or ND/MD present as well.

      As an ND practicing in BC, we had to do an extra 4-day course on top of our degree.

      I would check with your licensing board about what you’re allowed to administer!

      Hope this helps,

      Dr. Annie Savage

      Reply
  18. Lisette

    Hello, is this treatment available for those who have had gastric bypass ? If so how often does one need to go to get adequate amount of vitamins a month.

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Hi Lisette

      Thanks so much for your question. I’ve asked Annie to respond to your question asap, so sit tight! It’s a specialist question and I’m interested to hear her expert opinion about it.

      Reply
    • Annie

      Hi Lisette,

      This is a great way to achieve optimal nutrient status after having a gastric bypass surgery. Depending on the amount of food you’re able to eat and the quality of the food would determine the amount of nutrient IV’s you would require and for how long. Beginning with one IV per week would be a safe starting point and then titrating down from there once nutrients are replenished and high quality food is being consumed.

      Reply
  19. Atim at EffiFit

    I had no idea IV vitamin therapy was a thing. Thanks for all the information!

    Reply
    • Elly McGuinness

      Always something new to learn huh! I didn’t know anything much about it myself, but it’s a core service offered by some Naturopaths. Another avenue for people to explore when they’re looking at ways to optimize their health or recover from an illness.

      Reply
    • Dr. Annie Savage

      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  20. Debra Klein

    Thanks for the insight and education on vitamin therapy. Good to know!!

    Reply
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