Health
IV therapy craze has Americans pumping vitamins into their veins: Results are ‘pretty dramatic’
While IV drip therapy has gained popularity as a trendy hangover cure and health trend, the practice of fueling the body with essential vitamins faster than an ingestible can has been around for decades.
IV clinic owners Dr. Pauline Jose (PH Drip Lab in California) and Dr. Christopher Neary (Prime IV, which has franchises around the country) shared with Fox News Digital the types of vitamin cocktails they’ve been serving up of late.
Dr. Jose, based in California, revealed that about 50% of the national population is deficient in some type of vitamin, which means there’s been a major demand in the supplement industry.
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But traditional oral supplements don’t always do the trick, said the allopathic primary care physician.
“When you take something orally, it’s not always absorbed 100%,” she said. “When you do it either intramuscularly or intravenously, through the vein, it’s absorbed almost 100%.”
Nearly 50% of the U.S. population is vitamin deficient, according to Dr. Jose. (iStock)
This method can be “very important” for those who are vitamin-deficient, Jose said, which is “the reason why it has become so big.”
It’s not just people with medical conditions who are seeking out IV treatments.
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Some patients come in for “just a boost” in vitamins to strengthen their immune system before traveling, or to prevent infections such as COVID-19 and the flu, according to Jose.
“Even those who are about to get sick or are feeling under the weather — they go for a drip,” she said.
Dr. Jose’s regulars keep “coming back” for IV drips, which “really helps to make them feel better,” she said. (iStock)
Neary, who is based in Bend, Oregon, added that he believes COVID-19 served as a “catalyst” for the IV therapy craze.
“What we’re doing is allowing high, targeted levels of nutrients to be delivered into the cells of the body without interference or issues with the digestive system,” he said.
“There’s no question that the GI tract may not be absorbing properly.”
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Many of Jose’s regular patients want to add essential vitamins, such as vitamins C and B, to their drips.
“It really helps to make them feel better,” she said.
Jose mentioned that one of PH Drip Lab’s most popular concoctions is called the Myers Cocktail.
The mix, which includes magnesium, calcium, vitamin C and vitamin B, is named after Dr. John Myers of Baltimore, Maryland, who first curated the cocktail in the 1960s, Jose said.
The vitamin drips are individualized to each patient based on their specific needs, Dr. Neary said. (iStock)
Myers used the cocktail to treat multiple conditions, including anemia, depression, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.
“This is really an old thing, and it’s just coming about because of the onset of functional medicine,” Jose said. When people are deficient in vitamins, they don’t feel well, she explained, and they have found that the IV infusions make them feel better.
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PH Drip Lab, in its own twist on the Myers Cocktail, adds glutathione, which is an antioxidant that helps boost immunity and promotes anti-aging.
Specific vitamins such as magnesium and potassium can help reduce blood pressure, Jose noted — while vitamin Bs can work as an anti-depressant.
B vitamins can help improve physical and mental health, experts say. (iStock)
“Many studies have shown that … vitamin Bs, for example, B6, B9 and even B12, can help with depression,” she went on. “Many psychiatrists recommend Bs to their patients who have depression or anxiety or conditions like that.”
Neary, who owns Prime IV in Bend, Oregon, as well as a private practice, also advocated for the benefits of B vitamins on both physical and mental health.
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The naturopathic doctor listed the benefits of B vitamins, including hormone regulation, cellular function, energy restoration and mood improvement.
“If we can support just basic biology and chemistry with nutrients, that’s always beneficial,” he said.
Neary’s clinic offers different formulas, including mixes that support energy, sleep, mood, detoxification and specific benefits like skin health.
Some patients come in for “just a boost” in vitamins to strengthen their immune system before traveling, or to prevent infections like COVID-19 and the flu, according to Dr. Jose. (iStock)
“We’ve even stepped more into post-surgical type drips, and bariatric drips to replenish nutrients that are difficult to get after those procedures,” he said.
“We have some for athletic performance recovery and some for chronic disease,” Neary explained. “And, of course, there’s the hangover drip.”
While it might seem that the hangover drip would be the most popular treatment at Prime IV, Neary revealed that the clinic’s “Glow” drip is actually the one that clients seek most.
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This cocktail leans on B vitamins to detox the liver and promote healthier-looking skin.
At its core, Prime IV offers drips for enhanced hydration and electrolyte intake for people who are recovering from an event or who experience chronic dehydration from caffeine or other substances.
While IV therapy is not covered by insurance, Jose shared her hope for coverage in the future, she said — even though “it’s a stretch.” (iStock)
Many Prime IV patients have sought out drip therapy to overcome addiction using supplements like NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), Neary said.
Originally developed for opiate and alcohol addiction, NAD can help enable different biochemical processes, like energy production, sleep, detoxification and nerve function, Neary explained.
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The doctor added that “results across the board are pretty dramatic,” as the quality of nutrients is “far superior to what it used to be” in terms of access and compound complexity.
“Everything is individualized, and we can customize just about anything,” Neary said. “There are reasons to add things and remove things. It just depends on what each person needs.”
Best to talk with a health care provider
Before starting IV hydration treatments, it’s best to talk with a health care provider about possible risks and complications — and anyone with an existing medical condition should do so for sure, states WebMD.
While vitamins are inherently beneficial for most people, having too many vitamins injected into the bloodstream at once can lead to toxicity, per the same site.
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Overly frequent sessions can also cause nutritional imbalances in the body or even overhydration — which can lead to headaches and nausea.
Other potential side effects include swelling, redness or infection at the injection site.
“There are reasons not to do it, and we want to make sure we’re being safe,” said one doctor about IV hydration sessions. “But with proper training, it is very safe.” (iStock)
While IV therapy is not covered by insurance, Jose shared her hope for coverage in the future, even though “it’s a stretch.”
“Even vital treatments these days are not getting covered,” she said. “But that’s my wish.”
Neary was more skeptical about future coverage for IV therapy, but he still encourages interested patients to try it out.
“There are reasons not to do it, and we want to make sure we’re being safe,” he said. “But with proper training, it is very safe.”
Since the age of 13, Joseph Kowalsky has harbored a fascination with life after death, pondering ways to extend his existence indefinitely.
Today, Kowalsky, now 59, is among some 2,000 individuals who have signed up with the Cryonics Institute in Clinton Township, Michigan, betting on a future where death is not the end.
Chilling prospect of immortality
Cryonics, the process at the heart of Kowalsky’s hopes, involves preserving human bodies at ultra-low temperatures in the anticipation that future science will one day revive them.
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Shortly after a person dies, organizations like the Cryonics Institute use a heart-lung resuscitator, circulate a medical-grade antifreeze in the blood and suspend the body in aluminum pods filled with liquid nitrogen.
Dennis Kowalski, current president of the Cryonics Institute (and no relation to Joseph Kowalsky), told Fox News that over 250 individuals are currently in “suspension” at the Michigan facility.
Cryonics involves preserving human bodies at ultra-low temperatures in the anticipation that future science will one day revive them. (Cryonics Institute)
Could defying death be affordable?
The Cryonics Institute is just one player in a burgeoning industry.
Alcor, the world’s oldest cryonics company, which is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, boasts a state-of-the-art facility where more than 200 individuals are preserved.
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For those opting for whole-body preservation, the price tag is $200,000, while brain-only preservation costs $80,000.
Alcor CEO James Arrowood dispels the notion that cryonics is solely for the wealthy, highlighting that many clients use life insurance policies to cover costs.
Over 250 individuals are currently in “suspension” at the Michigan facility, the president of the Cryonics Institute told Fox News. (Cryonics Institute)
“About 80% of people who sign up are middle-class,” Arrowood told Fox News.
He pointed out that the clientele includes notable figures such as baseball legend Ted Williams, whose head and body were cryopreserved separately.
Skeptics cast doubt
Critics dismiss cryonics as speculative and unproven, labeling it an “iceberg scheme” lacking scientific backing.
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“It’s a sad case of people being beguiled by a very understandable dream of resurrection,” Clive Coen of King’s College London told Fox News.
The neuroscience professor raised concerns over the damage inflicted during the preservation and revival process, warning that “there will be billions of mini-strokes in every millimeter of brain tissue” due to the inability of antifreeze to traverse the brain’s complex landscape.
Hope springs eternal for death defiers
There is currently no scientific evidence or successful case of a human being revived from a cryonically preserved state.
For those opting for whole-body preservation, the price tag is $200,000, while brain-only preservation costs $80,000. (Cryonics Institute)
Despite the skepticism, Joseph Kowalsky, who formerly worked with the Cryonics Institute, remains undeterred.
“Worst-case scenario, I’m still dead … And the upside? It could be a potentially life-saving medical technique,” he said.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health
As science and ethics continue to grapple with the implications of cryonics, individuals like Kowalsky illustrate a deep-seated hope for defying mortality, one frozen body at a time.
Andres del Aguila and Griff Jenkins contributed to this report.
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Most of the 38 million people living with diabetes in the U.S. use daily injections or insulin pumps to keep glucose at safe levels — but new research suggests that a third option could be just as effective.
In a study led by Dr. Irl B. Hirsch, M.D., medical director of the Diabetes Care Center of the University of Washington Medical Center, an inhaled form of insulin — similar to an asthma inhaler — worked just as well as injections or pumps to control type 1 diabetes.
The research was presented last week at the American Diabetes Association (ADA)’s 84th Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida.
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The clinical trial tested a product called Afrezza, an inhaled insulin made by MannKind Corporation in California.
Afrezza, the only inhaled insulin on the market, has been available since getting FDA approval in June 2014.
An inhaled form of insulin worked just as well as injections or pumps to control type 1 diabetes in a recent study. (iStock/MannKind)
Benefits of a third option
“In those with type 1 diabetes, insulin is required for survival,” Hirsch told Fox News Digital in an interview.
“With continuous glucose sensing, glucose control has been dramatically improved — but not everyone reaches the target with multiple injections or pumps, and there are many pros and cons with each therapy,” he said.
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With pumps, people must wear the device, which can lead to skin problems.
They also have to purchase extra accessories.
Blood glucose levels can also drop with exercise, Hirsch warned, which can be problematic.
Afrezza, an inhaled insulin pictured here, is made by MannKind Corporation in California. (MannKind)
“Injections overall can be more convenient for some, but they don’t do as well as pump patients,” he said.
With Afrezza, the product is inhaled into the lungs before meals, and the fast-acting insulin minimizes the glucose spike often seen after eating, Hirsch noted.
“Patients with type 1 diabetes should consider this as another option for their mealtime insulin, and talk to their doctor about this choice.”
During the 17-week study, researchers evaluated the results of 141 adults who were assigned to either use the Afrezza inhaler or continue with traditional methods of injection or pump delivery.
At the 17-week mark, all participants switched to the inhaler for another 13 weeks.
Dr. Irl B. Hirsch, M.D., medical director of the Diabetes Care Center of the University of Washington Medical Center, led the new study. (MannKind)
All groups were assessed with continuous glucose monitoring at the start of the study, at 17 weeks and again at 30 weeks.
Among the inhaled insulin group, 30% of participants reached their target glucose levels (less than 7% blood sugar) compared to 17% of the people using injections and pumps.
There was no difference in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) between the groups.
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“In general, there was no difference in our primary endpoint, HbA1c, a reflection of average blood sugar,” Hirsch said.
“But that alone is misleading — many patients did better with their glucose control, while others did worse.”
With Afrezza, the product is inhaled into the lungs before meals, and the fast-acting insulin minimizes the glucose spike often seen after eating, a doctor said. (MannKind)
“The point is, inhaling insulin isn’t for everyone, but some did better than they did on their pumps.”
The people who saw the best results inhaled insulin between meals and at bedtime, Hirsch added.
At the end of the study, more than half of the participants said they would opt to stay on the inhaled insulin therapy.
“The biggest takeaway is that patients with type 1 diabetes should consider this as another option for their mealtime insulin, and talk to their doctor about this choice,” he recommended.
‘Adds value’
The American Diabetes Association acknowledged the promise of the study findings in an email to Fox News Digital.
“We look forward to our Scientific Sessions every year to see data like the INHALE-3 study’s findings, which have the potential to expand diabetes care,” Raveendhara Bannuru, M.D., PhD, the ADA’s vice president of medical affairs and quality improvement outcomes in Boston, Massachusetts, told Fox News Digital via email.
“With continuous glucose sensing, glucose control has been dramatically improved,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“We are hopeful for the continuous development of alternative insulin delivery methods that could offer options for people living with diabetes,” the group also said in the statement.
“The INHALE-3 trial demonstrated that inhaled insulin, combined with insulin degludec, effectively reduces A1c levels without increasing hypoglycemia or weight gain in people with type 1 diabetes. This adds value to the options in insulin therapy.”
Potential risks and limitations
While more people met their glycemic targets with Afrezza, some subjects saw worse readings when switching from usual methods to inhaled insulin — “potentially due to missing doses of inhaled insulin during the day and/or underdosing going into bedtime,” the researchers wrote.
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“We didn’t see any concerns,” Hirsch said when asked about side effects.
“As expected, a few people coughed immediately when dosing their insulin, but no major concerns were seen and everyone continued on their inhaled insulin.”
“Not everyone reaches the target with multiple injections or pumps, and there are many pros and cons with each therapy,” a doctor said. (iStock)
The most common side effects noted in the study were hypoglycemia, cough and throat pain or irritation.
Afrezza has been linked to a risk of acute bronchospasm in patients with chronic lung disease, such as asthma or COPD, according to the manufacturer.
“Inhaling insulin isn’t for everyone, but some did better than they did on their pumps.”
Before starting Afrezza, patients should see a doctor for a physical examination and testing to measure lung function.
Patients who smoke or who recently quit smoking should not take the inhaled medication.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health
Fox News Digital reached out to MannKind requesting additional comment.
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