Intravenous Vitamin Therapy For Health
Vitamins and minerals are the raw materials that allow our cells to function properly. Without them cells would not be able to produce enough energy for normal processes, repair damage and replicate DNA. Ideally we can get these essential nutrients through our diet but often, despite our best efforts we often don’t get adequate levels absorbed and delivered to our cells. Sometimes even a great diet may not translate to proper nutrition at the cellular level. There can be many causes of this, which may include: poor digestion, food sensitivities, chronic inflammation, poor immune function, chronic stress, toxicity or any disease or sickness. A vicious cycle ensues – our cells are not healthy and they need nutrients to heal but can’t get them delivered because of poor absorption. However, the nutrients are not available because our cells are too weak to transport the vitamins and minerals to where they are needed. This scenario describes a typical situation in which intravenous vitamin (I.V.) therapy would be indicated. I.V. therapy involves the administration of nutrients in high concentrations to rapidly aid cellular healing. The advantage of intravenous administration is that the nutrients bypass the stomach and intestines and get directly to the bloodstream where they are needed. This will allow the cells to rapidly repair and regain strength. Once this happens, the cells will be able to function normally again and begin to repair the disease process.
I.V. therapy can be effective in many situations. Typically it is used in situations were, as discussed, digestive function is compromised and/or there is urgent need to “kick-start” the healing process that would otherwise take much longer though diet and other supplementation or ultra high doses of vitamins are required to combat a certain disease process. A very common and effective use of I.V. therapy is using high doses of vitamin C in integrated cancer care. This has been shown to be preferentially cytotoxic to tumour cells, maximize tissue healing and minimize the side effects of chemotherapy. Such high doses can only be achieved through I.V. therapy that is supervised by a qualified Naturopathic doctor (ND).
A knowledgeable ND can tailor the I.V. protocol by varying the type and amounts of nutrients. When this is done, IV therapy can also be beneficial for: migraines, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, detoxification, allergies, asthma, Parkinson’s disease, macular degeneration, depression, chronic diseases, and malnutrition. It can even be used periodically in healthy people to enhance overall well-being, prepare for surgery (to enhance recovery and healing) or as an extremely effective therapy to combat colds and flus.
I.V. vitamin therapy has been used for over 25 years to help people boost or regain health. It is an aggressive treatment, so the patient must be informed of all treatment details before commencing such a protocol. Nevertheless, when done by knowledgeable practitioner, I.V. therapy can provide very safe and effective results that may not be found in other therapies. When our cells are given the nutrients they need, they will be able to function properly and thus allow the restoration of our body’s inherent healing mechanisms.
Written by: Dr. Paul Hrkal, Naturopathy