The Pros and Cons of Vitamin IV Therapy
If you’re researching IV therapy, it’s important to compare and contrast all the details of getting a drip. But instead of you having to search far and wide for answers on some not-so-reputable sites, we want to lay the pros and cons all out on the table.
No sugarcoating. No embellishing. We will give you the facts so you can determine if vitamin IV therapy is right for you. We can also help you determine which ingredients align with your specific wellness goals.
The 9 Pros of IV Therapy
The acronym “IV” stands for intravenous therapy, “intra-” meaning within or inside, and “venous” relating to the veins. IV therapy, then, is a method of administering fluids to the body by way of the blood vessels. So, when we talk about the benefits of IV therapy, we’re referring to both the IV method itself and the ingredients found within your chosen drip.
1. It’s the fastest way possible to get essential nutrients in your body
With traditional oral supplements, nutrients must first enter your digestive system and be processed for absorption before entering the bloodstream. IV therapy cuts digestion out of the equation. Supplements delivered intravenously are immediately available for your body. There is no breakdown of nutrients, and there’s no wait time. Your body will absorb everything it needs, and anything it doesn’t is filtered out and expelled.
2. Can help treat certain conditions
IV therapy is best known for its ability to hydrate your body and make you feel your best. It can also improve certain conditions that affect the digestive tract, including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, and cystic fibrosis. Since those ailments may inhibit the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, IV therapy can help deliver those same nutrients without upsetting the digestive tract.
Check out our nutritional drips page for more information.
3. Promotes better cardiovascular health
Depending on the ingredients of your drip bag, IV therapy can have a profound effect on your cardiovascular health. Certain amino acids like arginine ornithine help relax your blood vessels, which in turn may lower your blood pressure. Minerals, such as magnesium and calcium, can also help regulate the contracting and dilating of your blood vessels.
If you’re interested in the cardiovascular benefits of IV therapy, we recommend the following supplements:
- Calcium
- Arginine
- Magnesium sulfate
- Tri Amino
4. Provides your body with natural energy
Skip the sugary sodas and sketchy energy drinks and instead opt for a more natural solution: vitamins! The secret lies in the energy-producing properties of B vitamins and amino acids, the building blocks of protein in the body.
Both B vitamins and amino acids are considered essential nutrients your body needs to survive. An influx of those via an IV infusion can help boost your body’s natural energy levels and could help you curb your cravings for unhealthy foods and beverages.
If you’re looking for a quick boost of energy, ask the registered nurse administering your IV about the following:
- Alpha-lipoic acid
- B-Complex (all eight essential B vitamins)
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B9
5. An effective way to get immune-boosting antioxidants
Free radicals are naturally occurring molecules that can cause oxidative stress which is thought to contribute to a whole host of diseases, ranging from depression to heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants like vitamin C are substances that protect your body from those free radicals. Moreover, certain antioxidants like vitamin C—and even some minerals like zinc—help protect the body against infection by strengthening the immune system
Enhance your drip and give your immunity a boost:
6. Helps maintain a healthy weight
Weight loss can seem difficult at times, no matter how much you exercise or eat your greens. IV supplements can help boost your weight loss journey by converting fat into pure fuel on a cellular level.
While every IV clinic has its own formulas, Bounce Hydration uses carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) to burn fat into energy you can use. Both carnitine, an amino acid, and ALA, a known antioxidant, works with your mitochondria to boost your metabolism and break down fat.
7. One of the best ways to alleviate a hangover
As a known diuretic, alcohol causes your body to lose water and dehydrate you. While you may think it’s hydrating because you’re drinking a liquid and there’s ice in the cup, alcohol actually does the opposite. That dehydration is one of the main contributing factors to your hangover symptoms.
An IV infusion replenishes that lost water and “cures” your hangover in mere minutes. It also contains electrolytes, most commonly in the form of sodium chloride, which helps to relieve symptoms of dehydration, including fatigue, dizziness, and thirst. Some drip spas even add anti-nausea and anti-inflammatories to help counteract the additional side effects of drinking.
8. Helps Accelerate the Wound Healing Process
IV therapy may also accelerate the wound healing process. Depending on the specific nutrient-rich cocktail you choose, vitamin infusions can help heal wounds and repair damaged cells. It can also improve the health of your skin—your body’s first line of defense against disease and infection.
Here’s what we recommend for your drip:
9. Lessens the signs of aging
Known as the ruler of all antioxidants, glutathione is a workhorse nutrient that benefits your body in a whole host of ways—chief among them being its anti-aging effects.
- Repair damaged cells
- Detox the liver
- Boost your immune system
- Help manage autoimmune disease symptoms
- Assist in the metabolism (breaking down) of toxins
- Protect you against free radicals
The 3 Cons of IV Therapy
As with most things in life, there’s usually always a flip side to good news. However, with IV therapy, we believe the pros far outweigh the cons, which can all be mitigated with the right licensed healthcare professionals. Nevertheless, we will share them with you and explain how we mitigate against them.
1. A small risk of infection
Like with any shot or injectable, you always face the possibility of an infection. Any time you puncture the skin, whether it’s a papercut or cardiothoracic surgery, you’re opening up the body to outside pathogens. IV hydration is no exception.
At Bounce Hydration, we only employ registered nurses and certified healthcare professionals who have been trained in a university and healthcare setting to administer your IV drip. We have the highest safety measures in place to ensure there is almost no risk of infection.
2. Bruising, redness or itching around the injection site can occur
Sometimes, those veins are slippery little buggers, so it can take a few tries to pin them down. But even if we do get it on the first try, some slight bruising, redness, or inflammation around the injection site can occur.
This is normal and is a good sign that your immune system is in check. Redness and inflammation are signs that your body recognizes that something is wrong (i.e. a catheter tube is in your vein). Luckily, any discomfort typically only lasts for a few minutes and rarely up to several days.
3. It can hurt a little
If you’re afraid of shots, we totally get it. Some of us are too! But with an IV drip, you don’t actually have a needle inside you the entire time. Our nurses use a needle to puncture the skin and then insert the catheter. This is a plastic tube that will deliver your drip. Once the catheter’s in, we remove the needle, and you don’t have to worry about a thing.
If you’re worried about the initial poke, we’ve got you covered. We use a lidocaine spray to numb the area beforehand so you just feel a slight nudge instead of a sting. Read our article on getting over the fear of needles to learn more.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…
We’ve laid it all out—now what? If you’re ready to receive the benefits of IV vitamin therapy for yourself, schedule your drip and choose the ingredients you want. We have a preselected menu of signature drips our nurses put together to target most wellness goals. But don’t let that stop you—feel free to build your own custom drip!
If you’re still not quite sure, we understand. If you want to talk to one of our team members , we are glad to speak with you and address your concerns.
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