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WHAT IS VITAMIN IV THERAPY? IV lounges and drip bars have popped up in cities across the country, promising intravenous vitamin infusions that can boost your hydration, give you energy,
support immunity and fight the signs of aging. Unlike an IV drip administered at a hospital, this new trend claims to help alleviate symptoms associated with hangovers, fatigue, flu, jet lag
and dehydration. You can even receive one of these vitamin intravenous vitamin cocktails at your home or office. DOES IV HYDRATION WORK? An IV can be lifesaving for a patient who is
severely dehydrated, nutrient deficient or suffering from a massive infection. But many experts say there’s no reason to get what is essentially an invasive treatment unless a doctor
recommends it. “IV hydration is a great thing for people who really need it,” says Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., senior faculty editor of Harvard Health Publishing, who has researched IV
therapy. “When it comes to these IVs on demand, the short answer is, ‘Buyer beware.’ They are expensive and not clearly helpful in any scientific, proven way.” While it’s true that an IV
can hydrate you faster than drinking fluids, Shmerling says, “that doesn’t necessarily translate into any kind of health benefit.” If you’re too sick or elderly to keep up with your body’s
need for fluids by drinking, then you should be in a medical facility, he adds. WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A VITAMIN IV DRIP? Proponents say IV therapy is effective because it
bypasses the digestive system to deliver hydration, nutrients and minerals directly into your bloodstream. Celebrities including Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Adele, Chrissy Teigen and John
Legend have used IV therapy as part of their wellness routines. The claims for IV therapy go beyond simple hydration, however. At most clinics, you can choose from a selection of
concoctions, depending on your goal. There are different cocktails to cure a hangover, boost the immune system, improve energy, help with workout recovery, treat jet lag, improve skin,
remove toxins and reverse the signs of aging. Yet, little evidence backs any of these benefits.