So-called “IV vitamin therapy,” one of the latest celebrity health fads, has little scientific evidence to support its use and benefits.
For patients with medical conditions that keep them from absorbing vitamins properly during regular digestion, IV (intravenous) vitamin therapy is necessary and life-saving. But for healthy people, the risks outweigh any benefit.
IV vitamin therapy’s risks include bruising, inflammation and infection. And since “treatments” are commonly available outside healthcare facilities, they could be subject to poor quality control—which means uncertainty about what the infusion contains. Furthermore, excess doses of some vitamins are toxic.
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Celebrities may report feeling energized after IV vitamin therapy, but I attribute that to a placebo effect (that is, the recipients feel better because they expect it).
Feel Refreshed Without Vitamin TherapyIf you feel unusually tired or weak for a long time, see your physician. Other than that, there are simple ways to feel refreshed that don’t require a trip to the spa:
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- get enough sleep (at least eight hours)
- drink plenty of water (eight glasses a day)
- eat plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains for sufficient vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
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