Benefits of IV Therapy
Although it may seem intimidating at first, IV therapy is a great adjunctive treatment to whatever your health goals and concerns are. IVs can be custom made to suit your needs, which can range from dehydration to medical emergencies. They can also alleviate symptoms of the common cold and flu, morning sickness, and hangovers. Let’s take a look at how IVs are performed and how they can benefit you.
What is IV Therapy?
Intravenous (IV) therapy is a delivery method for fluids and medications through the veins. When injecting such things through the veins, the time it takes for them to get absorbed by the body is far quicker than when medications are taken orally or sub-dermal, making IVs a very efficient delivery method in the medical setting.
What Fluids & Nutrients Are In My IV Bag?
IV bags typically contain a number of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants, which are meant to support your body systems and increase nutrition status to your tissues. The specific nutrients that are in your IV bag is usually decided by your healthcare provider and is dependent on your health concerns and what kind of therapy you are undergoing. Some common components of IV bags include:
Saline: this is the base/liquid of most IV bags. It is made of water and sodium chloride (NaCl) and mainly serves as the delivery system for the other nutrients that are placed in your bag. Saline is also a great way to hydrate the body.
Lactated Ringer: just like saline, this is another option to be the base of the IV bag. It contains water, calcium chloride (CaCl), potassium chloride (KCl), sodium chloride (NaCl), and sodium lactate. Lactated ringers are commonly used during surgery and to treat dehydration.
Dextrose: sugar may be placed in your bag to help normalize low levels of blood sugar, if that’s a concern you are having. Dextrose is converted into energy in the body, which makes it a great IV addition if you are low on energy or an athlete who just completed a workout and needs to be replenished,
B complex: this is basically all the B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12) collectively placed into one vial so it’s easy to include the all in the bag. B vitamins serve vital functions in our body, such as maintaining healthy metabolism, cognition, and nerve function, making them a necessity to consume in the diet. B complex is given to people intravenously when they have difficulty absorbing these vitamins, such as in cases of Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis, or IBS.
Vitamin C: a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C is super important for maintaining healthy immune function. If you feel you are getting sick, or you are currently sick, getting an IV bag with vitamin C can be a beneficial ingredient in your IV therapy. Studies have also shown that high dose vitamin C therapy can enhance cancer immunotherapy by delaying cancer cell growth. Some cancer patients are found to have very low vitamin C levels, and exhibiting signs of scurvy, so vitamin C IV therapy is beneficial simply to diminish these symptoms as well.
Calcium: calcium is a mineral that we need to build strong bones and teeth, aid in neurotransmission, and keep our heart pumping. It can be given in medical emergencies in cases of hypocalcemia, to reduce symptoms which can include paresthesias, muscle cramps, tetany, seizures, and heart failure.
Magnesium: plays an important role in metabolic function. It has many health benefits, including reducing inflammation, alleviating constipation, combating muscle cramping (especially useful in pregnant women), and helps to prevent migraines.
Iron: iron is especially useful to include in IV bags with patients who are iron deficient or have a vegetarian/plant-based diet. I get one myself on occasion when I’m feeling tired and the oral iron supplements just aren’t doing the trick.
Antioxidants: Glutathione and vitamins A, C & E are the primary antioxidants given through IV therapy. They help the body fight oxidative stress, protect our cells, and prevent the development of various diseases.
Antibiotics: In the case of infection, antibiotics can be given through IV as a quick delivery method to help fight off the bacteria.
Common Uses of IV Therapy
The benefits of IVs are truly endless. I will forever rave about them and definitely will include them in my future practice. Although IVs are super popular in hospital settings for hydration purposes and giving nutrients to patients who are critically ill, here are some examples of how IV benefits “healthy” patients in a private clinical setting:
Immune System support: Especially useful during cold and flu season in the fall and winter, IVs do a great job at supporting the immune system and fighting off various bacteria and viruses that can make us sick. Combining B complex and powerful antioxidants will ensure that your immune system is functioning at optimal strength.
Cold and Flu relief: Similarly, if you do find yourself sick, IVs are also good at fighting off the inflammation and uncomfortable symptoms associated with being sick. Combining vitamins A, C, and D with zinc will provide your body with excellent antioxidants and nutrients to fight off the infection. Getting IV therapy while you’re sick has shown to reduce the duration and severity of symptoms.
Migraine/Headache relief: Headaches are most often caused by stress, diet, environment, and sometimes even medications that you are using. Headache IV therapy helps to fight off inflammation and mitigate any painful symptoms that you’re experiencing. If migraines are a common occurrence for you, studies have shown that regular IV therapy, which includes antioxidants, electrolytes, and hydrating fluids, may decrease the frequency and severity of them.
Athletic recovery: Plenty of professional athletes use IV therapy as a quick way to replenish their electrolytes, vitamins, and hydation status. Antioxidants and various amino acids can also be added to decrease post-exercise inflammation and repair tissue damage that occurred.
Hydration: As you probably know, most Americans don’t drink enough water on a daily basis. Being dehydrated can cause us to be cranky, moody, tired, and constipated. Hydration IVs are basic bags with saline and added electrolytes and vitamins to keep the average person hydrated and energized during the busiest of times.
Hangover relief: Drink too much the night before? IVs can be made with various vitamins, such as B complex, B12, and glutathione, as well as added medications like anti-nausea and anti-inflammatory headache relief, depending on what your symptoms are. The great thing about this is there are now so many mobile IVs, so you can easily have someone come to your house and have this done.
Pregnancy relief: Morning sickness can be a debilitating part of pregnancy in the first trimester, but getting IVs done on a weekly or monthly basis can completely alleviate symptoms. Typically, B complex, and B12 are added to a saline bag in combination with anti-nausea medication to give you quick relief.
Cancer: along with their oncology team, a lot of cancer patients love having a naturopathic doctor on their team as well to help them combat their chemotherapy and radiation symptoms. High dose vitamin C IVs are a very popular treatment option to help alleviate any pain and also increase patients’ mood and energy.
As always, this is meant to be an educational platform, but if you are considering trying a form of IV therapy, talk to your naturopathic doctor or other health professional about which combination would benefit you the most!