Walk around any trendy Los Angeles neighborhood and you’ll probably find the usual suspects: a Pilates studio, Erewhon, Lululemon, and a wellness destination complete with cryotherapy, red light therapy, an infrared sauna and intravenous therapy. I’m attracted to all of the above: I’m a wellness girl through and through. But it wasn’t until recently that I underwent an IV therapy session after months of window shopping, doing my homework, and reading about celebrities who swear by it (read: HaileyBieber, Kendall Jenner and Chrissy Teigen).
While not new to the wellness scene, IV therapy has caught on this year thanks to a rise in concierge IV therapy and A-listers wanting to partake in the treatment’s touted benefits (more on that below). ). Read on for the lowdown on all things IV therapy and what happened when I tried it for myself.
What is intravenous therapy?
Whether you’ve seen it on Grey’s Anatomy or experienced it yourself, you’re probably already familiar with intravenous therapy in a hospital setting: a nurse connects you to a bag of fluids through a needle to administer saline or medication. IV therapy in the recreational wellness sense is not much different. It is a method of infusing vitamins and minerals into the bloodstream to increase hydration, energy, immunity or anti-aging. The wave of IV therapy as we know it today is a coveted service delivered in health centers and is best described as a high-end spa meets modern doctor’s office.
Do you feel exhausted? A trickle of vitamin B complex (also known as B12) might be just what you need. Have a hangover? There is a solution (literally) to rehydrate your body and reduce symptoms. Most clinics that offer IV drip services allow you to choose from a menu of individual drip ingredients and formulated drip mixes to customize your IV to your needs, much like ordering a la carte or prefix at a restaurant. The most common infusions? Vitamin B complex (increased energy), vitamin C (immune defense), glutathione (the “it” antioxidant), and NAD+ (energy and repair enhancer, aka Hailey and Kendall).
Whichever “cocktail” of nutrients you choose, fans of IV therapy say it speeds up your body’s performance. Let’s just say it’s the last must-have wellness routine, along with a lymphatic massage Y daily. But it comes with a hefty price tag: A drip session can cost you anywhere from more than $100 to more than $1,000, depending on your location and the type of vitamins you receive.
What are the benefits?
Said to counteract fatigue, reduce signs of aging, and reduce inflammation, it’s no wonder wellness girls are drinking Kool-Aid IV. Other purported benefits of relatively quick, though expensive, infusions include boosting your body’s natural defenses, giving your skin a youthful glow, increasing mental clarity, minimize hangoversand combat jet lag.
The difference between receiving vitamins through intravenous therapy and oral supplements is the amount of nutrients you absorb. “A vitamin taken orally is broken down in the stomach and digestive tract and the amount that can be absorbed is limited (50%)” Dena Westphalen, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist, told Healthline. “If the vitamin is administered intravenously, a much higher percentage (90%) is absorbed.” In other words, you are absorbing more nutrients through IV therapy, and absorbing them in less time, than if you were taking an oral supplement. “Intravenous therapy is a more efficient way to resolve nutrient, fluid, or electrolyte deficiencies than oral supplementation,” he explained. Andrea Pablo, M.D.physician and medical advisor to Illuminate Labs. “It can take days to resolve an electrolyte imbalance through oral supplementation, but the condition can normalize in an hour or less with intravenous drip therapy.”
Are there risks?
While the pros make IV therapy sound like a magic bullet, take it with a grain of salt and do your research. Check with your PCP about whether the service is right for you. And if you keep a healthy and balanced diet and follow your doctor’s instructions, you’re likely to get all the nutrients you need, without needles or fancy treatments.
There is no strong evidence to show the benefits of IV therapy and it is not FDA approved, so it is especially important to get clearance from your doctor and proceed with caution if you get the green light. “The risks of intravenous drip therapy are not particularly high, but choosing the right provider is important,” Dr. Paul advised. “It’s important to make sure the company or individual administering IV drip therapy is medically credentialed because there are risks to this type of therapy (i.e., possible nerve damage due to improper IV administration) “.
There is also a risk of more serious side effects depending on the nutrients used. “For example, magnesium is an electrolyte that is directly related to heart function,” Dr. Paul cautioned. “If too much magnesium were given intravenously, a patient could experience heart palpitations or cardiac arrest.” Also, if you have kidney or heart problems or venous insufficiencyDr. Paul said you might be advised to avoid IV therapy.
My experience
As someone who cringes at the sight of needles (I have to look away every time I get blood drawn), I never thought I’d be willingly stuck with one. But what can I say? I’ll try pretty much anything in the name of wellness. Visited Restore Hyper Wellness to put on the IV drip and see what all the fuss was about. After completing some paperwork about my medical history, I met with her nurse intern, who took my vitals and went over the menu of vitamin infusions.
After meeting virtually with her nurse practitioner to review my medical history, I was given the go-ahead to begin my IV therapy experience. I chose “The Defender,” which included glutathione, trace minerals, vitamin D, lysine, vitamin C, and vitamin B complex. After a quick (and almost painless) shot, I was on my way to immunity bliss. Twenty minutes into my treatment, I noticed a deep relaxation from head to toe (the comfortable setup, complete with pillows and compression boots for my legs, didn’t hurt). After an hour, my IV drip was complete.
final verdict
I was on the verge of a cold when I received “The Defender”. While I didn’t notice a difference right after the session, I woke up the next day feeling refreshed and energized. The brain fog and fatigue I felt less than 24 hours ago from the bug I caught? Completely Gone While I can’t say for sure that it was the drip that took away the unwanted symptoms, I would do it all over again to speed up the recovery process, placebo or no.
As for whether it’s worth a constant spot in my wellness routine? For now, I will get my dose of vitamins from food sources. I will prioritize keeping my body healthy with nutrients from food rather than relying on IV therapy. But what if I was a celebrity with all the treatments and money at my disposal? I bet she would get daily treatments, a la Hailey or Kendall. For the sake of well-being, of course.
Consult a doctor or mental health professional before beginning any treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.
