All About IV Therapy

I will be the first to admit that I NEVER thought I would voluntarily get an IV placed in my vein unless I was in the hospital and absolutely had to. Becoming a registered nurse definitely changed that for me, especially after learning how awesome IV infusions are!  I also learned that getting an IV really is not painful- it is a quick pinch and most of my patients tell me they did not even feel it! 

So why would someone want to come in to receive an IV infusion? There are numerous benefits, and here are just a few of them:

• HYDRATION!
• Treating nutrient deficiencies 
• Cleansing the body of toxins 
• Increasing energy levels
• Easing anxiety & promoting relaxation
• Immune support
• Curing hangovers 

Nutrient Deficiencies

When you receive vitamins and minerals through an IV, it is 100% bioavailable and absorbable to the body as it is going directly into the bloodstream and not all the way through the digestive tract. This provides a higher concentration of the vitamin or mineral, and is especially helpful if you are deficient in a vitamin, like B12 for instance. Being a functional medicine office, we recognize the importance of oral supplements and almost all of our patients are on oral supplements, but sometimes it is still necessary to get intravenous vitamins to help boost the immune system, energy levels, and to help fight nutrient deficiencies.

Removing Toxins & Hydration

Removing toxins from the body and hydration go hand in hand together when receiving IV therapy. If you are dehydrated, you will not be eliminating toxins as well as you should be. Dehydration also leads to constipation, and regularly using the bathroom ensures that the toxins being excreted through your stool do not get reabsorbed into the body due to constipation. Receiving saline intravenously aids the liver and kidneys to work more efficiently and to flush out anything we do not want in the body. A common IV ingredient we use, glutathione, is the body’s natural detox hormone, and aids the liver in removing toxins. Supplementing with glutathione intravenously is a great way to support your detox process. Also, when you receive 1 liter of intravenous saline, it is equivalent to drinking about 2.5 gallons of water!!! (1) A huge win for those who have trouble hydrating orally.

Increasing Energy Levels & Boosting Immunity 

Several of our IV ingredients aid in energy production. Receiving B-Complex (which is Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6 combined), B12, B5, and Vitamin C can have an amazing effect on one’s energy levels, especially if you are hungover or suffering from Lyme disease or chronic fatigue, to just name two diagnoses I often see in the office. These vitamins also help to work together to boost the immune system, especially high doses of vitamin C. When you are starting to feel under the weather, or have had a stubborn cold for a few days without relief, we always recommend coming in for an IV infusion to hydrate and boost up your body.

Easing Anxiety & Promoting Relaxation

One of my favorite IV ingredients is magnesium. Intravenous magnesium aids in magnesium deficiency, which affects around 50% of the population. A common cause of migraines is also being low in magnesium, so receiving magnesium during migraines and headaches can help ease symptoms. It also has a calming effect on the body, and patients tend to feel relaxed and calm during these infusions. It can help you sleep better at night, heal muscles faster, and aid in constipation. There is also a sense of peace and self-care when receiving an IV, allowing your body to decompress and relax in the ever-busy world we live in today. Our beautiful IV room has a gorgeous view that cannot be beat! 

Hangovers

While we do not recommend the overuse of alcohol, we understand that a lot of patients may experience a killer hangover from time to time. We’ve all been there…. The nausea, horrendous headache, and wanting to stay in bed all day. I have seen patients crawling into the office after a wild night out, and end up leaving revived and ready to tackle the day, instead of spending it in bed recuperating. Here at Five Journeys we have a custom hangover IV that includes the medications Toradol (NSAID, like Ibuprofen) and Zofran (for nausea), and a mix of vitamins and minerals to give you an energy boost to feel better fast.

Medical IV’s

For our patients who see a doctor in office, we also have a line of medical-grade IV’s for high dose vitamin C of 35G, Alpha Lipoic Acid, NAD+, oncology vitamin C IV’s up to 100G, and Heavy Metal Detox IV’s. Working with our dedicated providers, we will help formulate the best IV treatment plan for you depending on your medical history and needs. If you are not a medical patient here in the office, you are still able to enjoy all of our Wellness IV’s listed on our website.

Give us a call at 617-934-6400 to learn more, or to schedule a medical IV today! 

Happy Dripping!