Is your IV drip worth the trip?

By Amornrat Sidhu

Intravenous therapy has become increasingly popular and normalised in the last few years, but much more accessible to Thai-Indians in recent times. When aunties and eligible ladies (and lads) grace their skin laser appointments, they can now simultaneously needle in a session of intravenous vitamin therapy too (at some clinics). Let’s pinpoint the pros and cons of IV vitamin therapies and explore what Thai-Indians might gain from this ripe hype.

THE HISTORY AND THE HYPE

In the 1960s, John Myers was the first to patent vitamin infusions for treatment of fibromyalgi and other conditions. More recently, celebrity siblings, Arjan and Janhvi Kapoor, have been photographed with IV catheters in their arms and smiles on their faces, glorifying intravenous hydration and vitamin therapy. Not to mention, many Netflix shows, such as Selling Sunset, casually show celebrities receiving drips as part of their recovery routine for a wild night out. Why waste time on nursing a hangover, when you can hydrate in under an hour while reading your favourite book or chatting with your favourite person?

DRIPS OVER SIPS: THE PROS

1. Inject Direct
With intravenous drips, the infusion is injected directly into the bloodstream, circumventing the digestive system. This means:
· A faster absorption – feel the effects quicker
· A fuller absorption – the potency of the concoction/medication reduces when it bypasses the digestive system due to gastrointestinal processes and the time-lapse.
Thus, there are claims that desired results are immediate and significant.

2. Personalised Treatment

Technically, one must reveal your allergies, any conditions, and medical history for a personalised plan on the desired outcome. Are you looking to rejuvenate your skin or boost your immunity? Furthermore, if you want to opt for someone to come home for the therapy, that is possible as well. Over the session, there should be someone to monitor your blood pressure and other vitals throughout.

3. Under One Hour
Should you need to hydrate from a hangover, why not feel better in under an hour compared to consciously downing mineral water and Panadol over the course of a day—feeling grumpy all the while? All treatments can be completed between 30-60 minutes, so there are “quick fixes” for many problems that would take more time to show significant results.

RISKS OF DRIPS: THE CONS

There are a few dangers one should be aware of when and if undergoing this therapy:

1. This therapy, particularly if opted for at an independent clinic, will not be covered by insurance. Thus, if there are side effects, you will pay for it, literally
2. Allergies to the vitamins are possible. Allergies to the preservatives in the cocktails are possible. The most life-threatening reaction is anaphylactic shock which can be fatal.
3. Many studies have shown that these therapies are actually futile.
They emphasise that:
· Our bodies can only absorb a small amount of minerals and vitamins. Excess Vitamin C and Vitamin D, for example, will be excreted through urine. However, doctors have highlighted how excess vitamins can increase the likelihood of stones in the urethra. It all depends on how our “filtration system” works from person to person.

· Getting the ‘wrong’ amount of vitamins or ‘too many’ minerals in a short amount of time can be poisonous or cause imbalances which can lead to heart or kidney impairment.
4. Pain at the site during the procedure is a con.

Advice from Medical Professionals:

1. Only get vitamin infusions after doing a blood test at a hospital. Infusions will only be useful if they are used to replenish the deficiencies you do have. Guesswork on what deficiencies you may have been a complete no-no
2. Get any infusion only from medical professionals, every single time. There have been cases of anaphylactic shock during these procedures and having an ER team on standby is of most importance. Furthermore, your vitamin infusion is checked and approved..
3. Keep in mind how the placebo effect might affect your experience, for research on the efficiency of infusions is murky. Thus, go only for infusions that work directly according to the deficiencies you have based on a blood test

A couple of community members chime in:

JASNAM SACHDEV
Program Manager

I was not so exposed to the world of IV drips to boost health before. I met a doctor of naturopathy a few months ago, and she has been taking care of my overall well-being. I used to always get sick and have a constant sore throat, but after she suggested I do an IV drip to boost my Vitamin C and D levels, I have been feeling great!

I definitely see the value in doing intravenous infusions if the body is lacking in some manner. Sometimes, we try to orally take vitamins and it just doesn’t seem to work!

I was definitely very hesitant at first, but after realising that I was indeed catching every cold that seemed to be lurking around, I thought I’d give it a try. As parents, we, too, are susceptible to illness because we are overworked and overtired—and also exposed to all the germs that our kids bring home from school! It has been a few months since I underwent the infusion, and I hope it will continue to keep me strong!

INDERPAL SINGH SIDHU
Self-employed

My immediate opinion is that vitamin infusions are a sham, although I don’t know much about them, to be honest. I think that it is much easier to take specific vitamins orally and if recommended by a doctor. Regarding general immunity and hydration, I would much rather drink water and have a general multivitamin in the comfort of my own home, or on-the-go at work, than go specifically for an hour-long injection.