Intravenous therapy (IV) is a wonderful tool that your naturopathic doctor can use to better your health.
Dr. McGuire recently received her certification for IV therapy and is excited to be able to provide this treatment to her patients at Core Link Wellness Centre and Kiani Naturopathic Clinic.
IVs have a wide range of clinical applications and can be used to treat a variety of conditions. Most notably they are extremely helpful to deliver vitamins and minerals directly to your cells! Think of it this way… when you take vitamin C orally, your gastrointestinal absorption gets in the way of delivering the full dose you took to your blood stream and ultimately your cells. You may think increasing the dose would give better effect but it usually results in higher urinary excretion (peeing it out) and perhaps diarrhea. By giving nutrients directly to the blood stream you by-pass the gastrointestinal tract and exponentially increase the availability of the nutrients for your cells to use. Plus you can avoid some of the side effects of high doses taken orally, such as diarrhea.
The common formula given is tailored to the individual but usually contains some combination of Magnesium, Calcium, B12, B6, B5, Bcomplex and vitamin C. Sometimes other nutrients are added or taken away depending on the individual and what they need treatment for. These nutrients are essential for your body to perform its normal functions!
Common indications for IV therapy:
- Athletic performance
- Muscle spasms and fatigue
- Asthma
- Migraines and other headaches
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Depression
- Digestive issues
- Drug withdrawal
- Cardiovascular disease
- Infections in general
- Allergies and sinusitis
An initial assessment is necessary before treatments can begin. Laboratory screening tests may be necessary depending on your age and general level of health. Naturopathic health care has many tools to offer its patients and of course diet and lifestyle are primary changes as part of a complete treatment plan.