6 Benefits of IV Therapy

Modern intravenous (IV) therapy is less than a century old, but the basic idea of injecting fluids into the body through veins has been around since the 1660s, when we have the first recorded attempt at a blood transfusion. 

The devastating impact of the two world wars in the 20th century ushered in the era of modern IV therapy. However, the greatest advance in equipment, medication, and technique has occurred in the past 25 years.

Board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Aleksander J. Bodnar offers many types of IV therapy to his patients at Viva Health in Clifton and Linden, New Jersey. From basic hydration to an energy boost to restoring libido, he improves their overall health and well-being.

Do you know all the benefits of IV therapy? Keep reading to learn about six major ones.

Basic IV fluid infusion

At their most basic, IV infusions treat or prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

The human body is about 60% water, making water an essential nutrient. You can become seriously dehydrated when you:

• Vomit
• Have diarrhea
• Exercise too much without hydrating
• Spend a lot of time in the sun without hydrating
• Have a serious injury or suffer burns

Doctors use IVs to deliver hydration quickly and effectively. There are two types of basic intravenous infusions:

1. Crystalloid solutions

The most common type of IV solution, crystalloids contain small, dissolved molecules that pass easily from the bloodstream into the body’s tissues. These include normal saline, which is salt in water, and D5W, which is the sugar dextrose in water. 

Lactated Ringer’s contains sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and lactate for aggressive fluid replacement.

2. Colloids

These solutions contain large molecules that can’t easily pass through cell membranes, such as albumin and hetastarch.

Development of the Myers’ cocktail

In the 1960s, Baltimore physician Dr. John Myers pioneered the use of IV vitamins and minerals as part of a patient’s overall treatment. Another Baltimore physician, Dr. Alan R. Gaby documented and published Myers’ treatment in 2002, calling it the Myers’ cocktail. 

Both doctors used it to treat a wide variety of conditions, including migraine, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, upper respiratory tract infections, depression, seasonal allergic rhinitis, acute muscle spasm, and cardiovascular disease.

The modified Myers’ cocktail in use today consists of magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, and vitamin C. Providers add to Myers’ recipe to target their patients’ specific problems. 

The value of an IV infusion is that it bypasses the digestive tract, which slows down absorption and breaks down many substances before they can be put to therapeutic use by the body.

6 benefits of IV therapy

There are many benefits of IV therapy, but here are six to get you started.

1. Can treat a wide range of conditions
2. Is a quick way to give your body a boost of energy
3. Is fast and easy, only 20-60 minutes per treatment
4. Requires no downtime
5. Can be tailored to your individual needs
6. Can be done as often as you need it

And a big bonus, as far as Dr. Bodnar is concerned, is that IV therapy can help boost your libido and improve your sex life.

IV therapy and your sex life

IV therapy can boost libido impacted by aging and stress; it enhances your performance on a cellular level. The antioxidants, B vitamins, vitamin C, and amino acids are all proven to improve your sexual health. 

B complex vitamins improve blood flow, important for achieving an erection and heightened sensation. They also boost energy and decrease stress. Vitamin C helps you manufacture sex hormones, including androgen, estrogen, and progesterone.

For men, Dr. Bodnar adds carnitine, which can improve blood flow and increase sperm production. And taurine may help increase testosterone levels and boost overall mood.

Are you feeling down and draggy? Has your libido or performance taken a nosedive? IV therapy may be just the thing you need. Call Viva Health at either of our locations to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Bodnar, or book your appointment online.