IV THERAPY
IV Therapy involves delivering fluids, medications, or nutrients directly into a patient’s bloodstream through a vein. IVs can be customized to meet an individual’s specific needs, allowing for personalized treatment plans.
Who is it for?
What are the benefits of IV therapy?
Rapid and direct delivery of fluids, medications, and nutrients, consistent absorption, hydration and electrolyte balance, immune support, and symptom relief.
What should I expect from IV therapy?
Consultation with our Naturopathic Medical Doctor for a customized IV therapy treatment plan, IV placement and administration, monitoring, and follow up.
IV Formulas
Nourish
The Nourish IV is an update to the classic Meyer’s cocktail. The Nourish IV is formulated to support your overall health and wellness with optimal vitamins and minerals. It includes Vitamin C, B Vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and amino acids. The Nourish IV is great for boosting general health, addressing nutrient deficiencies and dehydration, mitigating hangovers, and assisting with many other health conditions
Immunity
The Immunity IV includes our Nourish IV with additional Vitamin C and magnesium to boost your body’s immune system. The Immunity IV is formulated for patients who want to prevent getting sick, are preparing for travel, or are sick and would like to recover faster. It also helps with general immune support.
Detox
Our Detox IV builds on our Nourish IV, and includes extra vitamins and minerals to support your body’s detox pathway. The Detox IV includes a glutathione push that is our master antioxidant in our body. The Detox IV is formulated for patients who want to optimize their detox pathways, either for general detoxification, or as part of a detox protocol.
NAD+
FAQs about IV therapy
- We deliver fluids (and sometimes vitamins/minerals/medications) directly into a vein to support hydration or specific clinical goals. It’s a common medical technique, but the “wellness drip” version depends heavily on screening and formulation.
- We usually plan for 20–60 minutes of infusion time, depending on the volume and vein access, plus intake, vitals, and a short observation period.
- We may feel changes quickly when the goal is rehydration, but “energy/immune” effects are less predictable. We set expectations around hydration and symptom response—not instant transformation.
- We typically mean a blend of nutrients often including vitamin C, B vitamins, and minerals like magnesium and calcium—the exact recipe varies by clinic and clinician.
- We should assume evidence is limited for meaningful benefit when we already eat well and have normal levels. Major medical sources note the claimed effects often aren’t confirmed and recommend caution.
- We most commonly see bruising, soreness, vein irritation (phlebitis), lightheadedness, or nausea. Most issues are mild, but they signal we should slow the rate, stop, or reassess the contents.
- We watch for infection, blood clots (thrombosis), infiltration/extravasation, and allergic reactions. These are uncommon in trained hands, but the risk rises when sterile technique, dosing, or screening is sloppy.
- We get medical clearance first if we’re pregnant/breastfeeding, have significant heart/kidney disease, uncontrolled blood pressure issues, or a history of severe allergic reactions—because safety depends on our situation and the formula.
- We generally do better when we’re not fasting and we’ve had water/electrolytes—this can reduce dizziness and improve tolerance. We also disclose caffeine/alcohol use because dehydration changes how we feel.
- We don’t set a “one size fits all” schedule. We base frequency on the goal (rehydration vs deficiency vs symptom support), our labs/medical history, and how we respond—then we reassess rather than staying on autopilot.
- We should treat “immune boost” as marketing language unless there’s a diagnosed deficiency. We can support hydration and nutrient repletion, but we shouldn’t expect an IV to reliably prevent infections.
- We’re talking about injecting glutathione through the IV line. We should be cautious with sourcing and compounding quality—FDA has warned about serious adverse events linked to compounded injectable glutathione from specific sources.
- We’re infusing a molecule involved in cellular energy pathways. The popularity is real, but strong clinical evidence for broad claims is limited, and reputable reporting highlights concern about overmarketing and unclear long-term outcomes.
- We treat dehydration by replacing fluids and electrolytes; IV fluids are helpful when dehydration is significant or oral intake isn’t enough. For mild dehydration, oral rehydration is often appropriate and safer/cheaper.
- At ActiveMed Integrative Health Center, we can book IV options that include Nourish/Myers-style blends, Immunity, Detox (with glutathione push), and NAD+ options, with locations serving Encinitas, Poway, and San Diego