Author: Oluwatosin I., Biomedical Scientist and Medical Writer
Reviewed by: Dr. Jeoff Drobot
In November 2019, Ariana Grande posted a devasting video canceling her Sweetener Tour show in Lexington, Kentucky, due to her worsening health. One thing caught some attention in her story; she was advised to take a potent vitamin C drink to battle a quick recovery, but she has reportedly put herself afterward up to a vitamin IV drip instead.
The big question was: Did she opt for IV nutrient therapy as the best and fastest remedy to get better and back on tour, or was it simply because she couldn’t swallow, as she said?
Read more to explore what IV nutrient therapy is for and if IV is a reliable option for athletes and individuals struggling with fatigue.
#Drdrobot #IV #IV_therapy #biohacking #fitness
IV Nutrient Therapy and Meyer’s Cocktail
“Better than both the blue and the red pill.”
More than sixty years ago, an internist from Jоhnѕ Hорkіnѕ Hospital in Bаltіmоrе was about to run an obscure experiment with a mixture of selected vitamins and minerals.
He believed that our natural digestive systems never absorb vitamins and minerals we take through pills or food ideally and that we only get a tiny fraction into our bloodstream.
That belief led him to propose an intravenous infusion of nutrients to flood our cells in a much more intensive and fast pathway. A few years after, and after running successful trials on lab animals, he was about to taste his own mixtures, a cocktail that, decades after his death, people would name after him, the Myers-Cocktail [1].
The invention of Dr. John Meyers is one of the most common forms of IV nutrient therapy. The modified version of the cocktail contains magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, and vitamin C. Thousands of physicians worldwide administrate Myer’s cocktails to treat multiple cardiovascular disorders, including symptoms like chronic fatigue, acute asthma attacks, fibromyalgia, and migraines [1].
What Exactly Is IV Nutrient Therapy?
As the term implies, IV nutrient therapy is the intravenous injection of nutrients directly into the bloodstream. Introducing substances through this route into the body is as old as the 1400s: it gained popularity in the 20th century after research had given medical practitioners more confidence in the process. Now, methods like blood transfusion, blood products, electrolytes, normal saline, and nutrient transfusions have become regular medical practices.
IV nutrient therapy has been credited for a number of things, ranging from curing hangovers to providing disease immunity and detoxifying the body. But how does all this work?
Here’s The Science Behind It
IV nutrient therapy leverages the biological fact that blood is the primary transporter of nutrients to the body’s different cells. By introducing substances directly into the bloodstream, metabolism in the liver and absorption in the stomach are bypassed, thereby delivering 100% of the bioavailable substance without losing any potency [2].
This powerful delivery method enables vitamins to optimally perform at mopping up free radicals in various cells and reducing oxidative stress. Hence, the cell damage process is significantly mitigated, and the antioxidant effects of such nutrients also help boost immunity.
Does IV Therapy Work?
The IV Nutrient therapy has been used for decades in multiple health applications. For example, people use it for quick hangover recovery, improving skin health, or rehydration after an intense sports activity. In addition, studies have shown that it has been positively efficient in treating asthma, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, pain, muscle spasm, and allergies [3] [4].
On the critical side of things, some scientists believe that IV Nutrient therapies are as efficient as oral administrations. There is no sufficient evidence of a statistically significant advantage of intravenous infusion in treating the claimed symptoms. This kind of research debate is prevalent in the supplements and biohacking universe, and no one has the ring of truth. Only people who tried the IV drips, like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Adele, and Ariana Grande, can testify of its efficiency in their case.
Those who will benefit the most from IV therapy would typically have absorption issues that could lead to nutrient deficiencies. Their medical condition can decide the type of therapy needed, whether the B vitamins, C, amino acids, minerals like magnesium, or antioxidants. Yet, determining whether this therapy is something you need depends on expert advice from a medical doctor.
Health Benefits of IV Nutrients
As with all medical interventions, the idea is that the benefits should outweigh the risks.
Direct bloodstream infusion in IV nutrient therapy provides many benefits due to more optimal quantities of nutrients reaching the body faster than through digestion. Some of these include
Despite these amazing benefits, they do not rule out a few risks, some of which are:
Limiting these risks is possible by relying on professional clinics and having expert medical supervision.
In A Nutshell
For thousands of years, humans turned to nature to provide them with nutrients and medicine. We have definitely moved on from that stage; we have enough evidence to trust thousands of pharmaceuticals and interventions to treat our ailments, improve our health, and boost our physical performance. So in that sense, we are not to treat IV Nutrients therapy differently.
It was an ambitious leap taken decades ago by Dr. Meyers, and physicians worldwide are helping their patients to biohack physical recovery and heal their cardiovascular disorders.
People who have chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, muscle pain, dehydration, and migraines can benefit from the IV therapy if being administered by experts. The therapy is known to help healthy people recover from extreme sports events or extensive alcohol consumption.
Evidence shows that IV nutrient therapy is promising, but inconclusive research limits its adoption as a gold standard. While proponents of its use would attest to its benefits, the best approach would be to discuss any medical decision with a medical doctor to determine if it is the best option for you.
