What is Used for IV Therapy?

IV Therapy also known as an IV drip, translated as “intravenous” vitamin therapy is the process of delivering a cocktail of vitamins directly into your bloodstream through an injection. The treatment is a popular treatment that is used daily in the medical and cosmetic industries where many people are carrying out IV therapy to consume the necessary supplements. It is a fast way to relieve dehydration and balance out any electrolyte issues.

Those who undergo IV therapy treatments will reap the benefits for up to 3 weeks as the drip will offer many nutrients and antioxidants for cells and tissues in the body. Before going ahead with an IV therapy treatment, it may be worth knowing what fluids are offered and how they are beneficial for your lifestyle needs.

Benefits of IV Therapy

Although IV therapy is not a new treatment, it has become more popular in the everyday lives of average people who feel they are lacking the vital nutrients. With celebrity and medical professional endorsements, many individuals including athletes and hospital patients are using IV drip as a form of treatment for fast recovery from injury or sickness, boosting of immune system and even hangovers.

IV therapy is used for many reasons including:

• Dehydration
• Hangover
• Flu & cold
• Viral illnesses
• Chronic infections
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Skin health
• Immune boost
• Depression
• Sleeping issues
• Chronic pain
• Performance
• Weight Loss
• Detoxification
• Athletic performance
• Inflammation
• Beauty & hair
• And more

Read more information on the benefits of IV Therapy.

Types of IV Fluid

Fluids solutions are either Crystalloids or Colloids:

• Crystalloid Solutions

Crystalloid solutions are the most common type of IV drip treatment as they contain smaller, dissolved molecules that can easily pass through the bloodstream into cells and tissue. The purpose of crystalloid solutions is to increase fluid volume for hydration. The solution includes normal saline water (salt water) and DSW, also known as dextrose which is essentially sugar in water. Crystalloid solutions also include lactated ringer’s which include sodium, chloride, calcium, potassium and lactate for aggressive fluid resuscitation. Lactate is what we find in milk!

• Colloids

Colloids are large molecules that cannot pass easily through the bloodstream, these include albumin and hetastarch, which is used as plasma expanders usually used to treat low blood volume. This type of solution should be carefully administered as it can cause blood clotting and cardiac failure if excessively ingested.

IV Therapy Cocktail Solutions:

• Isotonic

An isotonic solution is used to increase bodily fluid as it holds the same concentration of solutes of salt, carbohydrate and water that is found in blood cells where the cells will neither shrink or expand. These solutions take a little longer to enter the bloodstream but provide more energy and electrolytes than a hypotonic solution.

What can be found in your isotonic solution:

o   Normal saline 9% NaCL

o   5% dextrose in water (DW5)

o   Lactated ringer’s solution

• Hypotonic

A hypotonic solution is designed to bring fluid from the bloodstream into cells and tissue where water will immediately rush into the cell and expand to replace any fluids that have been lost. Hypotonic drinks have a lesser concentration of salt and carbohydrates as it focuses on rehydration which also helps with the excretion of body waste.

What can be found in your hypotonic solution:

o   45% Normal saline

o   225% Normal saline

o   2.5% Dextrose

• Hypertonic

A hypertonic solution will carry a higher concentration of solutes than any other which makes them great for quick recovery. The solution is used to shift fluids into the bloodstream to dilute electrolytes through the consumption of dextrose, sugar made from corn. Patients must be monitored throughout this process.

What can be found in your hypertonic solution:

o   1 Saline solution 9% NaCl

o   2 Dextrose solutions 10%

o   3 Dextrose 5% in 9% normal saline

o   4 dextrose 5% in 45% normal saline

o   5 dextrose 5% in Lactate Ringers

Fluids in The IV Drip

• Normal Saline

Normal saline (salt in water) is also known as 9% saline NS or 0.9NaCl. This isotonic solution is a crystalloid fluid that is easily passed through the cell, making it the most used fluid type as it remains effective for all conditions. This fluid is designed for dehydration and helps to maintain daily fluid levels.

• Half Normal Saline

The half normal saline is also a very popular treatment, also known as 45% normal saline or 0.45NaCl. This treatment is hypotonic fluid carried out in a crystalloid solution of sodium chloride dissolved in sterile water. The half normal saline solution contains half the amount of chloride concentration as normal saline yet still good for maintaining daily fluid levels.

• Lactated Ringers

The lactated ringer remains highly common in fluid resuscitation as it is an isotonic solution that is most like the body’s natural plasma. The solution includes sodium, chloride, calcium, potassium and lactate – which is found in milk. Essentially, lactated ringer’s are a normal saline solution with electrolytes and lactate.

• Dextrose (D5W)

Dextrose is a type of simple sugar made from corn that is chemically identical to glucose, also known as sugar. This solution is used for the body to quickly create energy for better functioning. There are 3 main types of Dextrose where all are used as a carrier to make sugar readily available for cells.

• Dextrose in Water

This is a crystalloid solution as it is isotonic when entering the body but becomes hypotonic once properly absorbed. This solution is not used for fluid volume but rather to raise the overall fluid volume as it is absorbed readily. The solution is a great way to treat diabetic patients but should not be used to replace daily calorie intake as it is simply not sufficient.

• Dextrose in Saline

Dextrose in saline is simply dextrose in salt and water which is isotonic as it enters the body but becomes hypertonic once absorbed. This specialized fluid may only be used in specific cases.

• Dextrose in Lactated Ringer’s

Dextrose in lactated ringer’s is an isotonic fluid until absorbed where it becomes hypotonic once metabolized. This solution is used for fluid and electrolyte replenishment with the same purpose of the lactated ringer.

2 Main Types of IV Therapy

• IV Push

An IV push treatment is slowly administered into a vein through a needle full of vitamins which may take 15 to 20 mins. An average of 30-60ml of fluids is slowly pressed into the vein where a specialist must be supervising throughout the treatment due to the quick process.

• IV Drip

An IV drip treatment consists of a small plastic tube or catheter being inserted into a vein using a needle to inject the necessary supplements. The entire process is completed in around 45 – 60 mins where 250-1000ml of fluid is injected through the vein. This treatment allows patients to relax as the treatment will take time and even depends on gravity!

Our Popular IV Therapy Cocktails

• Myers
  • Everybody’s favorite
  • Great for your bones, mood, vascular system
  • Can help with allergies

• Allergy Relief / Immune Booster
  • Helps with seasonal allergies
  • Enhances immune system

• Beauty Drip
  • Helps with acne
  • Collagen production, reduction of small fine lines and wrinkles
  • Anti-aging effect
  • Boosts your immune system
  • Reduces hair loss, improves hair growth

• Metabolism Booster / Weight Management
  • Improves your metabolism
  • Improves blood sugar levels
  • Improves cardiovascular system functioning

• Cold / Flu Fighter
  • Helps the body recover faster, lessen the symptoms
  • Improves your energy levels

You can find more of our popular IV Vitamin cocktails here.

To book your next IV Therapy treatment, contact us today to book your consultation!