Let’s get right to the point: Does IV Therapy work or is it a trend spurred on by celebrities and anecdotes? Some studies show that healthy people who eat balanced diets will not see direct results after receiving treatments. We’re here to clear up confusion. IV vitamin and hydration therapy benefits everyone. It does work, especially if done regularly.
While healthy people can ingest the correct amount of vitamins and nutrients and are able to stay hydrated throughout the day, everyone falls off this habit from time to time. Because the vitamins and nutrients are delivered intravenously, the vitamins are released over a slower period of time. A regularly scheduled IV vitamin therapy treatment can make up for those days when your diet isn’t where you want it to be.
This isn’t snake oil and mysticism: The human body can absorb anywhere between 10% to 90% of nutrients in food before your meal is broken down and excreted. The foods you eat decide how much nutrients your body gets. Foods with healthy fats, such as avocados or olive oil, can enhance absorption rates, while phytic acid in grains and legumes reduce it.
To compare, an IV has a consistently higher rate of absorption at 90%. Depending on what treatment you choose, the vitamins can be released slowly into your system through your bloodstream over a longer period of time than through ingestion. Water soluble vitamins, such as B-complex and B12, do not stay in your system for long, though there is a slower release through IVs than in your digestive tract.
Even if you’re healthy, participating in regular IV sessions can help your body absorb the nutrients it missed through your diet.
Let’s break down exactly who can benefit from IV vitamin therapy sessions.
Those With Dietary Restrictions
While most people can eat and drink enough to get the vitamins they need, many cannot due to dietary restrictions. These vitamins are not produced by humans and must be consumed.
Vegans and vegetarians often are deficient in vitamin B12, which is found naturally in animal products, such as fish, meat and eggs. It is not generally present in vegetation.
The human body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells, nerves, DNA and carry out crucial bodily functions. Without it, people can experience numbness and tingling in their hands, legs or feet, have difficulty walking, anemia (a lack of oxygen in the blood), a swollen tongue, impacted cognitive ability, weakness and fatigue, according to Harvard Medical School.
While vegans and vegetarians are at a higher risk for being vitamin B12 deficient, a lack of it is common in adults over the age of 50 as well. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimated that 3.2% of adults, aged 50+, have a seriously low B12 levels and 20% may be borderline deficient.
Gastrointestinal Conditions
Conditions such as Crohn’s and celiac disease often lead to vitamin and nutrient deficiencies as well.
Those with celiac disease cannot eat gluten. Those with the disease are commonly deficient in fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, folate, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, as well as in calories and protein.
Many supplements contain gluten as an inactive ingredient, so it can be difficult for those with the disease to get the nutrition they need. The IV injections and supplements at IV Revival are all gluten free.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that inhibits the small intestine for absorbing nutrients properly. This can lead to severe pain in your stomach and abdomen, diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. Those with this disease are often deficient in iron, vitamins A, B12, D, E, and K, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and zinc.
Many people with Crohn’s have to cut out certain foods from their diet to reduce their symptoms as well.
Vitamin Supplements for Athletes
Hydration and muscle health is key for athletic performance and reduces the risk of injury. Athletes bodies have different nutritional needs. Healthline notes that athletes may need to increase their magnesium intake by 10-20% when exercising, especially if focused on weight-controlled activities such as wrestling and gymnastics.
Medical News Now found that female athletes are at risk for having a B12 deficiency.
Vitamin C, zinc and glutathione are essential to support immune symptoms to prevent and fight off illnesses quicker, which can heavily impact athletic performance.
Hydration is vital to optimize an athlete’s health. Pre-hydration occurs hours before the event and helps loosen muscles to reduce the risk of cramping and ensures your body is at its peak ability to move, cool you off and sweat without the risk of dehydration.
Don’t take our word for it either — 24 out of 32 National Football League Teams utilize IV infusions for prehydration.
Ill or Fatigued
In these “as needed” cases to treat an illness, dehydration or hangovers, most clients experience the relief they are looking for.
For a full breakdown on how IV therapy can reduce your symptoms, shorten your illness, help food poisoning, or get you out of a fatigued funk, check out our past blogs.
IV Revival’s Menu
IV Revival’s menu is scientifically designed to optimize your health and fill holes in your nutrition. A full breakdown of our menu can be found here. A few key treatments and additions we offer are listed below.
Magnesium
Magnesium has muscle relaxant properties used to treat pain, migraines, muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, menstrual cramps and more. It is essential in energy creation, protein formation, gene maintenance, muscle movements and nervous system regulation.
Up to 75% of Americans are not meeting the recommended intake of magnesium, which can lead to lower metabolic functions and depression.
Vitamin B-Complex and B12
Our B12 is five times more potent than most. B vitamins help fight energy and fatigue, promote a healthy metabolism, reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease, and improve memory, mood, blood, DNA and immune function.
Zinc
Zinc facilitates healing by maintaining cell growth and skin hydration. It is proven to shorten the duration of a cold and flu, help with skin disorders, hair loss, inflammatory diseases, and more.
Revive
Our Revive treatment is one liter of pH balanced fluid, electrolytes, B-complex and B12. It is designed to help reenergize, improve mood, sleep and brain function, reduce anxiety and depression, and detoxify the body. We highly recommend this for athletic preparation and recovery.
Replenish
If you need quick hydration that feels like it lasts all day, try our Replenish treatment. It consists of one liter of pH balanced fluid and electrolytes. It is great for before or after an intense workout, if you have a stomach bug, or are hungover.
Conclusion
Reviving through an IV is more than just the fad of the decade, it’s the future of health. It’s not new science, either. IV vitamin therapy was developed in the 1940s by Dr. John Myers to treat a multitude of diseases and has been proven safe and effective.
You’ll feel the effects faster than you would if you were drinking, eating or taking supplements too. The main benefit of IV therapy is efficient and quick absorption.
It is completely safe too. All of IV Revival’s sessions are administered by an experienced registered nurse and take 40-60 minutes. If you’re nervous about an IV, we also offer quick shooters, which are vitamin shots that increase your energy. Don’t worry about the pain either. The needle is very small and you will hardly feel anything.
If you’re still not convinced that it works, request an appointment with us today to experience your optimal level of health.