Some people rely on these treatments when they’re in a pinch — say, when they’re feeling under the weather, battling jet lag, or fighting off illness. Others frequent IV clinics as part of their wellness routine, and choose options purportedly designed to combat aging, boost brainpower, control stress, or even treat medical conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and chronic pain. Landis tried the IV drip as a last-ditch effort to bounce back from the flu. She visited an integrative ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist, and received a Myers’ cocktail, which is a mix of water-soluble vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, B vitamins, and magnesium. It did the trick. “Literally I was fine the next day,” Landis says. “It was unbelievable how much it shifted what was going on in my body.” She sent her then 16-year-old son to receive a treatment a few weeks later, and he felt good enough to return to school the next day. RELATED: 7 Ways to Keep Your Immune System Healthy
What Is IV Nutritional Therapy? And Why Is It Trendy Now?
These IV treatments aren’t exactly new — they’ve traditionally been used in hospitals to help patients rehydrate or restore nutrient deficiencies — but they’re popular now because they’re a quick fix that’s been made available to the masses. Companies have set up brick-and-mortar clinics in many cities, and others offer concierge-style services where they bring needles and infusions straight to a client’s home or office. IV drips have also seen a boost in popularity thanks to a celebrity following. Chrissy Teigen posted a shot of herself receiving a drip on Instagram, Ariana Grande cited them as part of her treatment plan when she had to cancel a concert in November 2019, and Adele reportedly receives a $220 concoction meant to keep her vocal chords healthy. Other celebrities who’ve also reportedly jumped on the trend include Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, John Legend, Jane Fonda, Cindy Crawford, Simon Cowell, and Real Housewife Lisa Rinna.
The Proposed Benefits of Nutritional IV Therapy
These celebs and others who swear by IV therapy turn to it as a way to deliver nutrients to the body. Natalya Fazylova, a New York–based holistic health and wellness specialist at ReBalance NYC, has been administering IV treatments since 2014. She says that when we take vitamins orally, they travel to the stomach and intestines, but they don’t get absorbed entirely. With IV drips, on the other hand, Fazylova says, the vitamins go directly to the bloodstream, leading to “better results.” Most IV sessions cost between $150 and $400 and take about 20 minutes to complete, though some of the more intensive ones can take up to three hours, Fazylova says. Some popular options include vitamin C, B12, and, increasingly, vitamin D, with Onus iV in the Denver area, Vive IV Therapy in Dubuque, Iowa, and IV Vitamin Therapy in Los Angeles among those offering vitamin D3 drips. Vitamin D, sometimes called the “sunshine vitamin” because it can be obtained through sun exposure, helps the body absorb calcium, according to the National Institutes of Health. Some people may be turning to drips of the vitamin because they aren’t getting their share of sunshine this time of year and because COVID-19 lockdowns have people spending more time indoors than usual. “It’s an essential vitamin we’ve always needed, and it’s grown in popularity since it’s been linked to helping to build a strong immune system,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in New York City and author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You From Label to Table. There’s even some preliminary research that shows having adequate levels of vitamin D may help people who’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19. According to an article published January 2021 in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the research so far is mixed — with one study linking a vitamin D deficiency with a greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19 and others finding no connection at all. More studies are needed. Vitamin D3 is the version to go for since the body absorbs it better than vitamin D2, Taub-Dix says. But she advises against getting your vitamin D from an IV and instead shop for an oral supplement, since it’s readily available on pharmacy and grocery store shelves and is easy to take by mouth. It’s safe to take at dosages of up to 4,000 international units (IU). RELATED: 11 Vitamin D Myths and Facts
Does Getting Nutrients Through an IV Drip Work?
Taub-Dix warns this isn’t the best way to get your nutrient fix. “If someone is looking to get nutrients or make the most out of what they can put into their body, if I have a choice, I always prefer using my mouth rather than my veins,” she says. “[IV drips] represent a dramatic, costly, risky means of obtaining vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants we can otherwise obtain from safer sources.” The oral route may be safer because the body contains filters that work as a sort of safety net to keep it from absorbing too much of a particular vitamin, according to Cedars Sinai. Current research also doesn’t support the purported benefits of IV therapy. One study examined the effect of two months of weekly infusions to treat fibromyalgia syndrome. The researchers found both those who received the IV treatment and those who received a placebo felt better over the course of the study, but there weren’t statistically significant differences between the two groups. That study suggests there’s a placebo effect at work. After all, if you shell out $250 for a treatment, you may be more willing to believe you’re feeling better so you don’t feel like it was a waste of money. Or the reason you feel better could be because your hydration levels have been restored, according to Cedars Sinai. Keep that in mind to manage your expectations, and don’t expect IV therapies to be cure-alls. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2018 charged a business selling IV therapy for making misleading claims that its “cocktails” could treat diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and congestive heart failure. The FTC found the business did not have sufficient scientific evidence to back up those claims. RELATED: What to Know Before You Try a Detox Cleanse
The Risks Associated With Nutritional IV Therapy
There are also a few risks to be aware of. For one, these clinics aren’t regulated, so there may be differences in quality and cleanliness from clinic to clinic. There’s also the possibility that you’ll be given vitamins and nutrients in too-high concentrations, which can be dangerous. Compared with oral vitamins, this can happen more easily with IV drips, as none of the vitamins are lost during the absorption process or excreted through urine. It’s difficult to predict how your body will respond. Supermodel Kendall Jenner was hospitalized in 2018 after having a bad reaction to an IV drip (though no word on why her body reacted that way). Taking in too much vitamin C, for instance, can lead to stomach issues, including cramps and diarrhea, according to the Mayo Clinic. And a previous study found taking in high doses of certain supplements may increase your risk for certain types of cancer. (Interestingly, on the flip side, high doses of vitamin C are also used as a treatment for certain types of cancer in complementary medicine, according to the National Cancer Institute.) Vitamin D toxicity, though rare, could lead to a buildup of calcium in your blood, which may bring on nausea, weakness, and increased urination, according to the Mayo Clinic. Fazylova says people with allergies should be careful and need to know all the ingredients before the IV is administered. She also advises people with heart conditions to be extra cautious because taking in too many extra electrolytes can lead to heart arrhythmias. (The Mayo Clinic points out similar evidence.) If you are managing kidney disease, ask your doctor before trying IV nutritional therapy, as you may need to monitor intake of minerals, including sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. Make sure that whatever is in the IV solution won’t interact negatively with any medication you’re taking, Taub-Dix recommends. “If you have medical conditions or are on other vitamin supplements or medications, then you really need to check with your healthcare provider to be sure you’re not going to get anything that will interact with something you’re already taking,” she says. There’s also a risk of infection simply from having a needle inserted into your body. “Anytime you make a hole in your skin, you’re leaving yourself open to infection,” Taub-Dix says. It could become infected, or, though uncommon, the vein could be inflamed or a blood clot could develop, according to Harvard Health Publishing. RELATED: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency?
A Final Word on Nutrient IV Drips and What to Know Before Trying Them
A Cedars Sinai article says the main outcome of IV drips is “expensive urine,” but they’re not likely to cause harm. “If it’s a one-shot deal and that works for you, great, but I wouldn’t have it be something you rely on,” Taub-Dix says. She says a better plan would be to adjust your diet or consider oral supplements that can help you feel better long term. Risks and lack of evidence surrounding IV drips aside, Landis is still a fan. “I know that I felt one way the day before and another way the next day,” she says. “I trust myself to know how I feel and decide for myself whether or not something works. I know for myself and I have spoken to many others, and I know that this works.”
