Intravenous Nutrient Therapy wellness locations are rapidly popping up all over the country. These centers offer the most direct way to introduce vitamins and minerals into the bloodstream. Since the digestive tract is being avoided the absorption is much more efficient and there is no gastric stress. Their offerings tend to focus around these five categories:

1. Athletic Recovery
2. Illness – cold, flu, PMS
3. Hangover – preventative and recovery
4. Reduce the effects of age and stress
5. Travel Fatigue

The Process

A typical treatment will cost between $100 – $150 and take up between 15 – 90 minutes to drain the IV bag. Those who are squeamish around needles might want to just skip this altogether as the needle gauges tend to be rather large. There is usually an option for a smaller gauge needle and topical numbing cream which can be implied to the IV site area before the vein is tapped. Treatments are usually capped at one session per a week. It is a pretty fun alternative group spa experience to go out and get a bag in the arm. This is starting to trend for ladies night out and bachelor parties.

Ingredients

While B vitamins are at the core of most of the IVNT treatments there are several antioxidants, inflammation reducers, immune boosters, energy promoters, heavy metal reducers and anti-nausea properties included in the different IVNT offerings. One popular therapy that has been around for nearly 70 years is the “Myers Cocktail” which is sort of a general purpose treatment for many ailments:

• B12
• B-Complex
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Vit-C
• Zinc

The Claims

IVNT companies are careful not to make health claims as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has charged one company iV Cocktails with ‘deceptive and unsupported health claims’. One small study of looked into trying to treat Fibromyalgia symptoms with IVNT. Only seven people were participated, but all of them had dramatic improvements in symptom management during the weeks they were on IV therapy.

“All participants reported decreased pain levels, decreased fatigue, and increased activities of daily living. Participants noted increased energy levels within 24-48 hours of the initial infusion. At the end of the study, all participants reported increased energy and activities of daily living as well as a 60% reduction in pain (P=.005) and an 80% decrease in fatigue (P=-.005). No participants, however, reported complete or lasting resolution of pain or fatigue. “