There is so much controversy on whether or not IV vitamin therapy is a good thing. I underwent IV therapy regularly for about a year for Adrenal Fatigue and leaky-gut syndrome. You may wonder exactly what IV vitamin therapy is. It is a cocktail of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are administered intravenously. A popular mix is called the Meyer’s Cocktail, which contains calcium, b vitamins, vitamin c, magnesium, selenium, and other nutrients.
The reason naturopaths administer these nutrients intravenously is to bypass the gut. This allows for better absorption especially for people with certain health conditions. Reasons why one may undergo IV vitamin therapy? The list may include: fibromyalgia, leaky-gut syndrome, adrenal fatigue and many other ailments – especially where individuals suffer from fatigue or absorption issues. What is the desired outcome? To fully absorb nutrients within the body – this in turn is supposed to provide you with renewed energy.
The controversy comes in when people ask – does it really work, or is it simply the placebo effect? So far, it hasn’t been proven to work, but it did work for me – kind of. I definitely feel more energetic, but on paper, my cortisol still hasn’t reached a normal level (with Adrenal Fatigue, cortisol levels are very low, which is why much of the day I felt as though I was barely alive). Once you suffer with consistently low cortisol levels, the boost of IV vitamin therapy should help with the exhaustion, however, it can take up to two years to see a difference of cortisol levels in saliva tests.
More controversy arises when the subject of how it’s administered comes up. Is it really necessary to inject fluid directly into your vein? Some say this can be a risky procedure depending on who is administering it. You can encounter bruising, and even worse, infection. For some (I am included in this), it can be a painful procedure as you sit there for anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes until the drip is complete. The reason for the pain is the liquid is cooler than your own blood, and as it’s injected into the vein, the temperature change is what causes the pain. I always insisted on a hot water bottle on my arm to warm the liquid as it entered my body. It helped me. Not all people are this sensitive and not all have this type of pain.
So in the end, my personal advice is to proceed with caution. First, investigate if there are any other options for your condition before undergoing IV vitamin therapy. If not, ensure your doctor is qualified to administer IV therapy, and has practiced on many patients prior to you.
Sandy leads a busy life in Toronto and realized the importance of a healthy diet after surviving cancer.
