Sometime last fall I queried these lists to see if anyone had information about IV vitamin therapy now available in outpatient clinics, spas, other retail outlets. Even as their popularity increased there seems to be a dearth of information. So, I wanted to alert you to a paper that has just been published in Nutrition Today, I co-authored with a Brody School of Medicine student. Attached is the From the Editor (Dr. Johanna Dwyer's comments and the table of contents). Also attached is a brief newspaper article we wrote early on. And below you will find the citation and the abstract. We welcome any thoughts, questions or any updates you may have seen in the last few months.
Consumer Intravenous Vitamin Therapy: Wellness Boost or Toxicity Threat?, has been published in Nutrition Today in Vol. 56, No. 5, September/October 2021.
Abstract
Intravenous vitamin therapy (IVVT) has become increasingly
popular in recent years promising to cure or improve a variety
of health problems or infuse "wellness." Patients and
consumers have intravenous vitamins or other nutrients
and fluids infused into their arms outside the hospital setting
in medical spas, hydration rooms, integrative medicine, and
concierge primary care practices. The IVVT "menu" options
include but are not limited to mixes containing vitamins C
and B12, glutathione, electrolytes, and saline. In the United
States, the intravenous administration of nutrients is considered
drug or parenteral nutrition. In this article, we describe
what we learned while trying to answer a question
of a patient contemplating an IVVT treatment at a retail
store. Discussion of the regulatory issues and pharmacokinetics
associated with IVVT is complex and beyond the
scope of this article. There is insufficient evidence to conclude
there is benefit from these expensive services provided often
without the knowledge of the person's primary care physician
but there is a possibility of harm. Nutr Today.
2021;56(5):234-238
Thanks
Kathy
Kathryn Kolasa PhD, RDN, LDN
Professor Emerita and Affiliate Faculty
Brody School of Medicine, Family Medicine
3080 Dartmouth Drive, Greenville 27858
252-917-1290 kolasaka(a)ecu.edu<mailto:kolasaka@ecu.edu>
From: Kolasa, Kathryn
Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2021 7:58 AM
To: retiredKK3 <kolasaka(a)gmail.com<mailto:kolasaka@gmail.com>>; 'kkracht1010(a)gmail.com' <kkracht1010(a)gmail.com<mailto:kkracht1010@gmail.com>>; Leigh Guth <leigh_guth(a)ncsu.edu<mailto:leigh_guth@ncsu.edu>>; Robin High (robin.tant(a)pittcountync.gov<mailto:robin.tant@pittcountync.gov>) <robin.tant(a)pittcountync.gov<mailto:robin.tant@pittcountync.gov>>
Subject: our newest article in Nutrition Today about IV therapy; plus a great article from Dr. Johanna Dwyer Cam You Trust Dr. Google for Health and Nutrition Information
Might be of interest. The IV therapy question was based on questions we were being asked in Pitt County. Feel free to share