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How to choose key nutrients for your drip: An IV therapy Toronto guide

POSTED BY TORONTO FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE CENTRE

Are you considering IV therapy from our Toronto clinic? If so, please book a session to discuss which key nutrients should be part of your IV drip. But don’t worry – our health care team can educate you on the natural ingredients involved!

Intravenous infusion therapies may be provided as additional support tools; when they’re merged with lifestyle recommendations and other functional medicine treatments, they could contribute to optimal functioning. 

Why customize IV therapy? 

Some patients opt for tailoring this treatment to avoid unwanted side effects from oral supplementation; or they struggle with a low absorption rate of nutrients. Other people may choose IV therapy drips to rehydrate from physical exertion. 

Here’s what happens when you get IV therapy administered: your vein is connected to an IV tube, and this tube delivers nutritious liquids into your blood stream. This liquid is freshly compounded to provide your body with nutrients for immediate use, such as ascorbic acid, vitamin A, folic acid, L-glutamic acid, or a powerful combination of amino acids. Via the IV route, you’re assured a full absorption of nutrients without the digestive tract filtering out nutrients. 

Because individuals have different needs, custom IV therapy may offer unique beneficial effects. This is because therapeutic doses are calculated for your personal biology. Some of these healthy benefits might include: 

  • An energy boost for athletic performance
  • Mental clarity
  • An improvement to immune health
  • Rehydration from fluid loss (i.e. from the flu)
  • An enhancement to cognitive function (i.e. memory)
  • A reduction in chronic stress
  • Lowered pain levels

So, which nutrients should you have in your IV drip? To find out, consult with a functional medicine provider or IV therapist, such as one from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre’s IV Lounge. This type of health provider can scrutinize your health concerns, medical history, genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors, as well as conduct lab testing. Once these core components are sorted, your IV drip therapy can be personalized to help maximize your potential. 

Recommended Reading: Why Take Post-Workout Vitamins? A Quick Fact Sheet from our IV Therapy Toronto Lounge

About key vitamins and nutrients for IV therapy

If you want to get a head start on understanding IV nutrients, no problem! We’ve listed some essential vitamins and nutrients, and how they may be advantageous for IV drip treatments.  

Nutrients

Potential health benefits

B vitamins

Also known as B complex vitamins, this group of nutrients contributes to: the functioning of nerves, DNA production, red blood cell production, cellular functioning, brain function, and hormonal health. You may be deficient if you’re on proton pump inhibitors or consuming a vegetarian/vegan diet. 

Vitamin C

This is a powerful antioxidant that can offer protection against cellular damage, help strengthen immune health, and contribute to the healthy growth of bones, skin cells, teeth, and collagen for skin vitality. It can also fight oxidative stress, which are harmful compounds that are formed by environmental toxins

Vitamin D

According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Except during the summer months, the skin makes little if any vitamin D from the sun at latitudes above 37 degrees north…or below 37 degrees south of the equator.” So, there’s a chance that North Americans are already deficient in this nutrient! Vitamin D supports the maintenance of strength, mental health, blood pressure regulation, cell synthesis, and it regulates the health of bones. 

Magnesium

When you lack this mineral, it could lead to weak bones, high blood pressure and heart health concerns. The mineral is needed for building protein, for supporting muscles and nerves, and regulating blood sugar levels. If you have malabsorption due to celiac disease or Crohn’s, you may be at risk of a magnesium deficiency. 

Amino acids

As protein building blocks, these play a role in muscle repair, building hormones and neurotransmitters, and regulating sleep. They may be suitable if you’re preparing for a physical performance. It’s been shown that, “…increasing amino acid availability…increases muscle protein synthesis in the young at rest, following resistance exercise, and in the elderly at rest,” explains a manuscript from The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. 

Major antioxidants

Nutrients with antioxidant properties, such as vitamin E, glutathione and n– acetylcysteine, can help with strengthening cellular health; they contribute to fighting free radicals and may reduce the risks for chronic health conditions (i.e. heart disease). Antioxidants can also assist with healthy ageing, liver detoxification and boosting immune function. 

Do you want to pursue IV therapy for your health goals? Our IV Lounge supports new and existing treatment plans with intravenous infusion drips and booster shots. Learn how our private downtown clinic works in the next section. 

Meet our health care team at the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre

IV nutrient therapy is a personalized service offered in our IV Lounge. In here, our functional medicine providers compound doses of nutrients for your personal health goals. Rest assured intravenous therapy sessions are monitored by one of our team members, which includes a medical doctor, naturopathic doctor and nurse practitioner. 

The Toronto Functional Medicine Centre adheres to integrative functional medicine for customizing vitamin IV therapy. This means we keep your unique biology, diet/lifestyle and surroundings in mind as we dose vitamin drips for your wellness. 

Customization may be key to tackling chief health concerns, such as much-needed energy, chronic fatigue syndrome, immune function, hair and nail growth, infertility, glucose metabolism, mineral deficiencies, chronic stress, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic inflammation, and other health concerns. Our team addresses the root cause of your health issues, so lab testing may be suggested to quantify a nutritional deficiency, hormonal imbalance or insulin levels. Once we determine the key components of your health, we can customize your treatment plan accordingly.

Ask us how to recover from fluid loss!
 
Did you know that optimal hydration can impact overall functioning in the human body? Our IV therapy drips are designed to replenish your level of hydration immediately, especially after a workout! Contact us to learn about our clinic’s Max Hydration Drip, a type of infusion used for rehydration.

Let’s be your guiding light toward optimal health! Our IV therapy Toronto lounge is accepting new patients who reside in or around the surrounding area. Contact us to request your initial consultation. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

 

References 

Rasmussen BB, Wolfe RR, Volpi E. Oral and intravenously administered amino acids produce similar effects on muscle protein synthesis in the elderly. J Nutr Health Aging. 2002;6(6):358-62. PMID: 12459885; PMCID: PMC3192451.

Sundström Rehal M, Liebau F, Tjäder I, Norberg Å, Rooyackers O, Wernerman J. A supplemental intravenous amino acid infusion sustains a positive protein balance for 24 hours in critically ill patients. Crit Care. 2017 Dec 6;21(1):298. doi: 10.1186/s13054-017-1892-x. PMID: 29212550; PMCID: PMC5719794.

Time for more vitamin D” from Harvard Health Publishing, posted September 1, 2008, viewed on May 25, 2023. 

Tomford, J Walton M.D.; Hershey, Charles Owen. The I.V. Therapy Team: Impact on Patient Care and Costs of Hospitalization. NITA: Journal of the National Intravenous Therapy Association 8(5):p 387-389, September 1985.

Waitt C, Waitt P, Pirmohamed M. Intravenous therapy. Postgrad Med J. 2004 Jan;80(939):1-6. doi: 10.1136/pmj.2003.010421. PMID: 14760169; PMCID: PMC1757963.

Why Is Vitamin B Complex Important, and Where Do I Get It?” Medically reviewed by Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, by Emily Cronkleton, updated on April 29, 2022, viewed on May 25, 2023.

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