Question 291 of 433
Are IV vitamin drips worth it?
The short answer
No. If your gut works, you absorb vitamins by eating. An IV adds cost, a needle, and a small risk of infection, with no proven benefit for healthy people.
The standard recipe, called a Myers cocktail, contains magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, and vitamin C. The only placebo-controlled trial, a small one in fibromyalgia, found it no better than the dummy infusion. The lift people feel afterward is mostly a liter of salt water and an hour of sitting still.
The risks are small but real. Regulators have reported serious infections traced to infusions prepared in unsanitary conditions. These drips cost $150 to $400 each.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
NOT DEMONSTRATED — Nutrient-replete adults: routine IV-vitamin wellness drips; infusion risks remain.Evidence grade (draft mapping)FNot demonstrated / insufficientPart 20, Q291 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.