For many people, feeling tired all the time has become the new norm. You wake up tired, push through the day fuelled with caffeine, face a mid-day crash, and sleep tired to start the cycle all over. A lot of people chalk this up to age and the downsides of modern life. But what you don’t realise is that this constant tiredness could also be a sign of nutrient deficiencies.
To fix that, more and more people these days are signing up for IV therapies designed to boost their energy levels. But can an IV therapy really deliver on its promises, or is it just a fad making rounds on social media? Keeping this question in mind, let us go over how IV therapies support our energy level and how they really work their magic.
How IV therapies work
IV therapy, short for intravenous therapy, is a procedure that delivers fluids, minerals, and other nutrients directly into your bloodstream through a small injection placed in your vein. By entering the bloodstream directly, the nutrients enter circulation almost immediately, which is why many people report feeling different right after the therapy. While this therapy was originally reserved for the sterile rooms of hospitals, it has since found its way into the heart of modern wellness, where it is now considered one of the best ways to address many health issues.
Why do we feel fatigued in the first place?
That constant sense of tiredness you feel? It’s you being fatigued – a persistent lack of energy that fails to improve with just rest. Now, fatigue can stem from many sources, and most of the time, these causes occur simultaneously, completely tiring you out.
Low levels of vitamin B12, iron, vitamin D, or magnesium can all significantly impact how your cells produce energy. Our mitochondria rely on them heavily to function properly. So when you’re bereft of these nutrients, your body simply cannot keep up – run short on even one, and everything slows down. Dehydration is another culprit you need to investigate, as even a bit of it can reduce the volume of blood in our body, making our heart work harder while leaving us feeling sluggish and foggy.
You obviously cannot talk about fatigue without mentioning chronic stress. When our bodies are constantly under stress, cortisol levels remain high, which, over time, can affect our sleep, blood sugar balance, and hormonal regulation. Each of these things can chip away at our energy throughout the day, making us feel tired all the time.
The point of stress also extends into how you live your life in general. If it’s one with stress, poor sleep, irregular eating patterns, constant overexertion, and no recovery time, then your energy reserves are bound to feel depleted at all times.
What ingredients go in an IV drip for energy?
To address your constant fatigue, an energy-focused IV drip delivers nutrients specifically chosen to support your energy production. The most common of the bunch is Vitamin B complex, specifically B12 and B6. These vitamins are needed to convert carbs into glucose, which our bodies can then use as fuel to function well.
Magnesium is another pretty common ingredient in IV drips. Considering how it plays a role in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, it’s a no-brainer why we need good levels of it to maintain muscle function and ATP production – the molecule our cells use for energy.
Vitamin C is also included in the mix, not only to support our immunity but also to support adrenal function and reduce oxidative stress. It’s particularly helpful if your body is constantly fighting inflammation or stress.
Apart from these, a few formulations also include amino acids such as taurine or carnitine, which help our bodies transport fatty acids into cells, allowing them to be burned for energy. Not only these, but electrolytes are also added if your case is one of dehydration.
Speaking of which, the exact formulation you take should always be tailored to your needs, identified only after a thorough consultation and tests. Never go for clinics or drip bards that offer only standardised drips, as that can very easily lead to issues like vitamin toxicity. Remember, not everyone will benefit from the same blend.
Should you boost your energy levels with IV therapy or oral supplements?
This is a question many people ask, and the answer always comes down to absorption and speed. The thing with oral supplements is that they must survive our digestive system – from stomach acid, digestive enzymes, to everything that goes on in our intestines. This already compromises much of the goodness in these supplements. If you have any form of digestive imbalance, like IBS, or struggle with immune problems, this gets even worse.
But as mentioned before, IV therapy easily bypasses this entire pathway. When you get the nutrients directly into your blood, your cells can access them without any delay. Not only that, IV therapy allows us to deliver our bodies exactly the nutrition they need, without fail. This extends to a concept known as bioavailability: when you take nutrients in pill form, some of it is left behind, resulting in only partial bioavailability. But with IV therapy, you can achieve 100% bioavailability.
This may or may not apply to you, but another factor in your decision should be compliance. For a lot of people, it can get tough to take oral supplements every day without fail. If not that, they may find themselves taking inconsistent doses, which, with the partial bioavailability problem, proves unhelpful for our energy reserves. Contrary to that, IV therapy provides us with a controlled, measured amount of nutrients in one session right away, side-stepping the problem yet again.
What should you do to maximise your IV therapy gains?
You must note that getting nutrients through an IV is not the same as living life – this therapy cannot replace a good lifestyle, and should only be considered a valuable tool within it.
So, how do you work on your lifestyle? First, fix your sleep, as no amount of vitamins can override chronic sleep deprivation. Aim for consistent sleep and wake times while limiting screen time before bed. Not only that, but create a dark and cool sleeping environment to ensure you can achieve a deep and restful slumber.
Second, work on your hydration habits – if you drink adequate water daily, you ensure that your blood is well-equipped to deliver nutrients throughout your body. Third, prioritise whole foods and balance your carb intake with proteins. Meals that are rich in protein, fibre, and healthy fats will stabilise your energy through the day – no more of those sharp spikes and mid-day crashes.
You should also focus on getting some movement and exercise throughout the day. Not that you need to engage in some intense training – that will only exhaust you – just give some moderate exercise a try. This will improve your mitochondrial efficiency and oxygen delivery – boosting your stamina and energy levels over time. Last but not least, manage your stress deliberately. From techniques like breathwork and meditation to engaging in activities you enjoy, do everything you can to improve your resilience against cortisol and lower its levels.
Boosting your energy levels the right way
At the end of the day, IV therapy can indeed support your energy levels, especially if deficiencies or dehydration are present. You are bound to feel rejuvenated and more like yourself after undergoing it. But please remember that, in the long run, it will only show its magic when used as part of a broader strategy to take better care of yourself – one that is aimed at restoring your energy reserves rather than masking the exhaustion temporarily.
With that out of the way, if you’re considering IV therapy, speak to a qualified healthcare professional to know if it’s the right fit for you. Run appropriate blood tests, start making lifestyle changes, and approach the process thoughtfully. With each step you take from here on out, you will surely see your energetic and more youthful self brought back to life.