Injecting Vitamins And Minerals: Is It Safe?

Intravenous or IV nutrition is a type of therapy that has become very popular in recent times. This type of nutrition is a method in which vitamins and minerals are injected directly into the bloodstream so that there is a better absorption of these and they can reach other organs of the body.

Normally, the main vitamins that are administered are those of the B complex, vitamin C and minerals such as magnesium (called the Myers ‘cocktail or Myers’ cocktail, in English), although many more could be administered, such as vitamins A and D.

Intravenous nutrition as an alternative treatment

This therapy has been used as an alternative treatment in various diseases such as cancer, fibromyalgia, lung diseases, hypertension, asthma, depression, diabetes, hepatitis, among many others.

This is done in order to provide vitamins and minerals that could be lacking or deficient in these different diseases, to give energy to the body so that it can recover more quickly and effectively.

People who do not have diseases also come to be treated with this therapy to improve energy levels, relieve stress and sleep problems. A therapy for everyone regardless of your health condition … but is it useful?

The advantages of injecting vitamins and minerals

Intravenous nutrition really seems extremely simple and harmless; it is like taking a vitamin supplement, but much more effective. However, you have to know well what the true effects of this therapy are.

Certainly, when you inject vitamins and minerals, they are absorbed better because they do not have to be digested and, therefore, they do not have to compete with other substances for absorption nor are there problems in case of leaky gut or some other condition digestive.

Another benefit of vitamins being administered intravenously is that high doses of vitamins can be administered without causing an upset stomach.

Most clinics that use intravenous nutrition usually make a specialized vitamin formula according to the patient and their disease, although today they already have names for different mixtures of vitamins and minerals that have good results in specific conditions – such as Myers’ cocktail , which we mentioned earlier–, and which is especially good for cardiovascular diseases and asthma, among others.

But … is it all positive?

However, even if everything seems positive, it is worth mentioning the possible cons of IV nutrition. Being a fairly good therapy, the scientific evidence is still scarce and the one that exists today does not seem to have as effective results as those that are discussed.

We already know that vitamins and minerals are essential to have good health, avoid the development of diseases and recover more quickly when they occur. What we also know is that these vitamins and minerals are much more effective when consumed through whole foods (vegetables and fruits of various colors, grains, seeds, nuts, legumes.)

In fact, when you eat well and in a varied way, it is usually not necessary to use vitamin supplements either orally or intravenously.

You might think “a shot of vitamins and minerals to ensure good nutrition does not hurt”, but there are many aspects to consider …

Some disadvantages

Number one, this therapy is not cheap at all, as a session can cost between € 80-150 depending on the place where it is administered. It should be a safe place and managed by healthcare personnel, as they could make mistakes when injecting, which would cause more problems than health benefits.

Another important aspect to consider is that an excess of vitamins and minerals is not safe. It is well known that excess vitamins and minerals can be toxic to health.

In particular, greater care must be taken with fat- soluble vitamins (soluble in fats) such as A, D, E and K, since these vitamins cannot be excreted through the urine as those that are soluble in water and could cause problems in health such as swelling of the optic disc, lack of appetite, growth retardation, less abundant or frequent menstrual periods, fatigue, dizziness, irritability, liver and gastric problems, among many others.

In addition, excess minerals cause toxicity in the body and can be very dangerous, so they should only be administered when there is a significant lack of these.

Are there scientific studies to support it?

The few existing studies question its differentiating effectiveness, as in one conducted in 2009 by researchers at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health, the effects of Myers’ were evaluated. cocktail to treat fibromyalgia and did not find significant results; that is, there were no major differences in the symptoms of the patients who received intravenous nutrition therapy and those who did.

Although few scientific studies have been done in this regard, most of those that have been done have not found results as wonderful as those promised in the clinics that administer this therapy and the testimonies of many patients. More studies and research will have to be done in different diseases to verify its effectiveness in treatment.

References

• Ali A, Njike VY, Northrup V, Sabina AB, Williams AL, Liberti LS, Perlman A, Adelson H, Katz DL. Intravenous Micronutrient Therapy (Myers’ Cocktail) for Fibromyalgia: A Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Mar; 15 (3): 247–257.
• Intravenous vitamin therapy. British Nutrition Foundation. 2014 Dec.