Benefits of Intravenous Vitamin Therapy
In recent years there has been a surge of interest in nutritional IV therapy, raising questions about the role of intravenous vitamin therapy in health and wellness and if there is any additional benefit to taking the same nutrients orally.
There are advantages to IV administration of nutrients.
- It bypasses issues of poor GI tolerance of oral supplements which plague many that would like to take vitamins, but find that they cause gastrointestinal distress. For example, very high doses of vitamin C can be delivered via IV without causing diarrhea; it is not only tolerated better, but is far more effective.
- IV vitamins enter the bloodstream directly, eliminating diminished efficacy due to poor digestion or inadequate absorption in the gut.
- The actual effects of mega-dose IV vitamins sometimes differ from the effects of modest, orally attainable levels, as effects are correlated with the concentration of the IV solution and the number of hours the treatment lasts.
The most commonly administered IVs are:
The Myers Cocktail: At the heart of this treatment is five grams of vitamin C, usually with some B complex and magnesium. It is delivered in less than an hour and is most appropriately used as quick pick-me-up or health tonic. It is not well suited for situations where symptoms are significant or chronic.
High-Dose Vitamin C: This includes delivery of up to 50 to75 grams of vitamin C over a period of two or more hours. Known for its immune-enhancing properties, this therapy is useful in supporting those with exhausted adrenals, autoimmune disease or immunological compromise.
Modest-to-High-Dose Magnesium IV: This is used to open the bronchial tubes in asthma or to dilate the blood vessels to reduce hypertension.
The Cathcart Method: Repeated high-dose Vitamin C drips used one after another literally “break” a cold or virus. Delivery is continued until a patient experiences symptom relief that day in the office.
Glutathione Via IV Push: Added to nearly-emptied IV C bag , it is used to enhance the antioxidant power of the C drip and to open breathing passages and dissolve airway-blocking mucous. Oral glutathione simply does not create this effect.
Hydrogen Peroxide IV: Vitamin C works not only as an antioxidant, but it causes our own cells to produce hydrogen peroxide. An additional peroxide bag added after the C drip boosts this natural healing process directly.
There are numerous other elements that can be added to an IV bag to achieve other healing or anti-aging effects. Two things must be emphasized. First, prior to doing an IV of any kind, basic testing should be done to make sure that the kidney is ready to handle this process; failure to do so can result in severe medical problems.
Secondly, IV therapies do not replace the consistent use of a carefully designed daily protocol of oral supplements and diet, but used in the context of solid daily nutrition, IV therapies can better enable individuals to achieve their health goals effectively, and sometimes can produce dramatic results.
Robin Ellen Leder, M.D., was mentored by Robert Atkins, M.D., author of The Atkins Diet, and has been practicing integrative/alternative medicine for more than 30 years at A Better Alternative Medical Center, in Hackensack.
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