My wife and I were in the car the other day. She was driving, so I had the opportunity to really pay attention to things during the 30-minute journey. I was surprised by the number of hydration vitamin therapy clinics we passed along the way. Even though I knew the therapy was pretty popular, I guess I didn’t realize just how popular it is.
Also known as intravenous nutrient therapy (INT) and IV vitamin therapy, hydration vitamin therapy combines the principles of hydration and better health through vitamins and minerals. A cocktail of vitamins, minerals, and saline are injected directly into the bloodstream through an IV.
The big question is this: does it work? And if so, what does it do? Opinions about IV vitamin therapy differ among medical professionals. No doubt that the celebrity crowd loves INT to death. But the rich and famous spending a lot of money to be infused with vitamins and minerals doesn’t make the practice worthwhile.
INT As a Pain Treatment
Lone Star Pain Medicine in Weatherford, TX sometimes recommends INT as a pain treatment. To be fair, they do not promise that IV vitamin therapy will alleviate any kind of pain a patient might be experiencing. Rather, Lone Star only recommends the procedure to people experiencing migraines, muscle pain, chronic headaches, and fibromyalgia.
The thinking is that INT can both boost immune support and provide larger volumes of vitamins and minerals that the body can use to relieve pain on its own. For example, muscle cramps due to a lack of hydration could be effectively relieved with INT.
Lone Star doctors say that IV vitamin therapy doesn’t effectively reduce pain for every patient who tries it. Yet the same could be said about any pain treatment, ranging from prescription medications to medial branch nerve blocks. The fact that it does not work for everyone is not sufficient justification to dismiss it entirely.
A Cocktail for Everyone
Unfortunately, much of the skepticism surrounding hydration vitamin therapy is the result of practitioners who seem to have a cocktail for everything. Lone Star’s INT solution is based on the well-known Myers cocktail. It offers vitamin C, vitamin B12, vitamin B complex, zinc, magnesium, and more. The Myers cocktail has been in use since INT was first developed decades ago.
You can search online and find a variety of cocktails on offer. There are IV vitamin therapy clinics claiming to have vitamin and mineral cocktails guaranteed to regrow your hair. You can find cocktails designed to relieve hangovers, improve your complexion, give you more energy, and on and on. Some of the claims made by IV vitamin therapy clinics border on the absurd.
IV vitamin therapy is considered safe when administered properly. It does not require specific FDA approval, either. For that reason, it is quite possible that there is a scam treatment for every legitimate treatment out there. Consumers need to do their homework in order to make an informed decision about it.
Decades of History Behind It
Hydration vitamin therapy has decades of history behind it. It has even been used to help people withdraw from drug addiction more safely. Its use as a treatment for pain, hangovers, chronic headaches, etc. is fairly new, and some of its modern uses are questionable.
It is nonetheless a safe treatment plenty of people swear by. If it is something you have been considering, learn all you can about it before making a decision. You might even talk to your doctor about it. If it’s right for you, IV vitamin therapy might represent money well spent.