Do you always experience exhaustion and feel nothing helps to give you that push of energy you need to go about your day? Are you prone to illness or feel as though you are not getting all the vitamins and nutrients you need for optimum health? Or, are you just simply looking for preventative care to staying healthy? Good news! IV nutritional therapy may be just for you to help you achieve your health goals! The blend of vitamins and nutrients from a IV nutritional therapy session can help you feel energized and calm as you deal with the stressors in life, help your body shake off that feeling of exhaustion, and help you absorb the recommended amount of nutrients your body needs sufficiently without chewing and digesting food. IV nutritional therapy, has been use for decades in hospitals but is increasingly being offered in private clinics to treat an array of medical conditions from nutrient-deprivation absorption disorders to dehydration. Are you convinced? Give IV nutritional therapy a try so you won’t miss out on how this can boost your health to above optimal levels.
What is IV Nutritional Therapy?
IV Nutritional Therapy, also known as parenteral nutrition involves infusing amino acids, electrolytes, minerals, nutrients, fluid, and vitamins directly into patient’s veins. It is used for patients whose absorption of food and of fluids are inadequate, inaccessible, or unsafe. Sine your digestive system is limited in the absorption process, oral intake of high doses of nutrients is not possible. So, you can receive the full benefits of absorbing essential vitamins and nutrients without taking the time to chew, swallow and taste unpalatable boatloads of supplements. (1)
How does IV Nutrition Therapy work?
The intravenous procedure consists of infusions (pressure supplied by gravity), which are known as “drips” and injections (higher pressures with a syringe). IV nutritional therapy is the fastest route to deliver nutrients throughout the bloodstream to distribute to the rest of the body. The nutritious concoction is slowly administered via a small needle to the patient’s vein for over 20-30 minute (2). During the session, the patient can listen to music, relax, read, and let the healing take place. The therapy is usually done 1-2 times per week and the beneficial effects are usually noticed by the third or fourth visit. Many who experience chronic conditions continue to use IV therapy every 1-4 weeks of when they feel their energy tanking. It’s like pampering your organs and cells to a nutritional spa treatment! (3,4)
Different IV Nutritional Therapies
There are different IV nutritional therapy procedures, depending on what your health goals are. If you are looking for a quick energy boost or a fast defense for the cold and flu season, read on. Your ticket to health is imbedded in one of these interesting blends:
Myer’s Cocktail
Myer’s Cocktail, named from the late John Myers, MD, is a type of IV nutritional therapy where the infusion consists of vitamins known to enhance the immune system and improve athletic performance. It works by increasing circulation of blood to distribute several essential minerals and vitamins beyond that which can be accomplished when taking supplements orally. Other conditions that responded well were migraines, fatigue, cardiovascular disease, acute asthma, fibromyalgia, seasonal allergies, acute muscle spasms, upper respiratory tract infections, and chronic sinusitis (5). All of these health benefits jammed pack into a small needle!
Glutathione
People spend a lot of money looking and feeling young. Glutathione, maybe just the trick for you to accomplish your beauty goals! Glutathione, is a powerful antioxidant and considered “The fountain of youth” due to it’s anti-aging properties. It’s more than just for beautiful skin. Glutathione also has other life-saving properties it can offer for you! IV glutathione has been used to improve blood flow, in the treatment of diabetes, and prevent toxic side effects of chemotherapy and to prevent anemia in patients going through dialysis, kidney conditions, and treating Parkinson’s disease (6).
Chelation
We feel the effects of being exposed to toxins and heavy metals on a daily basis by feeling tired, experiencing memory loss, muscle pains, autoimmune disease, and gastrointestinal and skin concerns. IV chelation therapy, involves removing heavy metals from the blood by using intravenous injections of chelating agent and synthetic amino acid, EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid). EDTA binds to heavy metals and both move to kidneys to be removed through urine. Chelation therapy has been known to treat Alzheimer’s disease, peripheral vascular disease, Lou Gherig’s disease, autism, and to detox the body overall.
Now, you know about all the benefits of IV nutritional therapy and the many forms, try it out for yourself so you will miss out on these life-saving benefits! (7,8)
Nutritional Therapy vs Supplements
Did you know that the details of vitamins and minerals on a supplement label are likely inaccurate? It gets even more startling. Supplements, are not regulated by the FDA so no inspection (unless proved to be hazardous) is in place to see if you are receiving the recommended amount! From protein powders to capsules, you do not truly know what you are actually getting, or how well these are working. That’s not all! Majority of vitamins and minerals in a supplement bottle are destroyed by cooking, heat, light, and oxygen. On top of being destroyed by environmental insults, other factors that prevent your body’s ability to absorb contents in supplements are malabsorption diseases, dietary beliefs, coffee, alcohol, medications, and even certain foods. As a result of consuming supplements, you are getting less than half of the amount of intended dose for you to absorb so your body can perform many functions to keep it going. Fortunately, IV nutritional therapy is a way to get the exact vitamins your cells need for to staying healthy. Vitamins and nutrients are infused directly into your veins and bypass the chewing and swallowing process and the gut. As a result, you are absorbing 100% of this nutritious concoction without you worrying about missing out on the benefits (9).
IV nutritional therapy, can provide quick improvement and relief from a large array of medical conditions. While supplements can be effective, there is the possibility of certain vitamins and minerals (B vitamins, vitamin C, glutathione, etc.) are being absorbed poorly in the gastrointestinal tract. Results after intravenous therapy can be seen almost rapidly whereas supplements may take while for you to notice changes (9).
Safety
The question that’s pondering everyone’s mind is “Is IV nutritional therapy safe?”. IV nutritional therapy is very effective and generally safe when administered by a trained practitioner.
Majority of patients, can tolerate most IV nutritional therapies. However, there certain medical conditions were IV nutritional therapy is contraindicated. An individual may have an allergy to a nutrient and therefore should not receive infusions containing that nutrient. In addition, kidney or heart disease or high blood pressure may prevent the use of some of the nutrients. Lastly, those diagnosed with G6PD deficiency can’t receive IV Vitamin C (11,12).
References:
1. Austin, P. D., & Stroud, M. (2007). Prescribing adult intravenous nutrition. Pharmaceutical Press.
2. Anderson, P. S., & Anderson, P. S. (2015). IV Vitamin C: Uses in An*-‐Oxidant and Pro-‐Oxidant IV Therapy.
3. Calder, P. C., Waitzberg, D. L., & Koletzko, B. (Eds.). (2015). Intravenous lipid emulsions. Karger.
4. Pichard, C., & Kudsk, K. A. (Eds.). (2002). From nutrition support to pharmacologic nutrition in the ICU. Springer Science & Business Media.
5. Payne-James, J., Grimble, G. K., & Silk, D. B. (2012). Artificial nutrition and support in clinical practice. Cambridge University Press.
6. Qian, L., Wang, W., Zhou, Y., & Ma, J. (2017). Effects of reduced glutathione therapy on chronic hepatitis B. Central-European journal of immunology, 42(1), 97..
7. Aaseth, J., Crisponi, G., & Anderson, O. (2016). Chelation therapy in the treatment of metal intoxication. Academic Press.
8. Cao, Y., Skaug, M. A., Andersen, O., & Aaseth, J. (2015). Chelation therapy in intoxications with mercury, lead and copper. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 31, 188-192.
9. Rakel, D (2012). Integrative Medicine. Library of Congress
10. Wardle, J., & Sarris, J. (2014). Clinical naturopathy: an evidence-based guide to practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
11. Lipman, T. O. (1990). Efficacy and safety of total parenteral nutrition. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 6(4), 319-329.
12. Stargrove, M. B., Treasure, J., & McKee, D. L. (2008). Herb, nutrient, and drug interactions: clinical implications and therapeutic strategies. Elsevier Health Sciences.