IV therapy: train harder, recover quicker

September 17, 2017

You might be familiar with intravenous therapy, aka IV therapy, from its use in hospitals. But what you probably don’t know is that IV therapy can improve your life even when you’re not due for a hospital visit.

What is IV therapy?

IV therapy is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein. Considering that your blood does a round trip through your heart every minute, it’s the fastest and most efficient way to deliver fluids and medications throughout the body.

How can IV therapy help with your workouts and athletic performance?

Micronutrients are essential to performance

During physical activity your body sheds water, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes—collectively we call these micronutrients. Micronutrients play an essential role as coenzymes in all biochemical pathways in the human body.

Good after activity for recovery

When we exercise frequently, for long durations, or at high intensity, we lose a lot of these micronutrients, resulting in fatigue, aches, reduced concentration, and slower functioning. This is one of the reasons why performance peaks and then trails off. It’s important to replenish micronutrients to repair, build, and recover from physical activity.

Good before activity for enhanced performance

Increasing the amount of micronutrients before your activity can improve your performance by giving your cells a larger reserve to burn.*

Better than drinking water or sports drinks

Drinking plenty of water is critical, and IV therapy will not replace the need to stay hydrated with oral fluids. IV therapy is used in addition to get your body more needed fluids and micronutrients faster and more efficiently. IV therapy restores all the micronutrients lost in sweat.* It delivers micronutrients directly at the cellular level into the bloodstream, completely bypassing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the enzyme systems in the liver, which both reduce the amount of vitamins and nutrients that enter cells.* We absorb 15% to 20% of vitamins taken orally, but with IV infusions, it’s closer to 100%. Therefore, IV administration of micronutrients is more immediate and more effective than oral supplementation.*

Professional athletes, soldiers, and tired medical students all over the world have been taking advantage of IV therapy for decades. Find out how IV therapy might help you maximize energy levels, optimize peak performance, enhance strength, fight fatigue, hydrate your body, accelerate recovery times, and help you reach your goals.*

Common supplements used in IV therapy

Micronutrient	What is it?	Benefit*
vitamin C	ascorbic acid, a water-soluble nutrient, antioxidant	protects cells from damage caused by free radicals
vitamin B₁₂ (hydroxycobalamin)	cobalamin	vital for function of the brain and nervous systems, building block for blood count in anemic people
vitamin B complex	eight B vitamins — B₁, B₂, B₃, B₅, B₆, B₇, B₉, B₁₂	converts food into fuel and enables energy, supports adrenal function
magnesium sulfate	an inorganic salt related to Epsom salt	involved in muscle strength and lower blood pressure
calcium gluconate	a mineral supplement and medication	vital for bone health and muscle strength
glutathione (GSH)	an antioxidant	prevents and repairs cellular damage
ondansetron	5-HT₃ receptor antagonists	prevents nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery
famotidine	H₂ blockers	relieves symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn
ketorolac	nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)	reduces hormones that cause inflammation and pain
thiamine	vitamin B₁	help the body turn carbohydrates into energy called glucose metabolism
folic acid	B vitamins	help the body produce and maintain new cells
multivitamins	combination of many different vitamins	treat vitamin deficiencies (lack of vitamins) caused by illness, pregnancy, poor nutrition, digestive disorders, and many other conditions.
NS IV bolus fluid	normal saline or isotonic solution. NaCl. 0.9%	helps to restore balanced body fluids
LR IV bolus fluid	small amounts of sodium ion, chloride, lactate, potassium, calcium	helps to restore balanced body fluids
dextrose IV bolus fluid	sugar	helps to restore balanced body fluids

Not sure what you want? Your physician can help you choose the therapy that’s right for you.

Contact us

Are you in the San Francisco Bay Area? Book an appointment with one of our skilled physicians to learn more and develop a treatment plan that is right for your goals, budget, and timeframe. You can book online or call us at 415-409-3456.