IV Therapy - Sage Naturopathic Clinic

How Does IV Therapy Work?
When you are suffering from chronic illness, digestive concerns or stress, the body is not always able to produce the energy required to heal itself. Taking oral supplements are not enough at this point since your stomach and intestines can’t absorb nutrients at a high enough concentration to allow your body to absorb them without significant effort. This is when IV treatments help.

With IV treatments, nutrients are delivered directly into the bloodstream. This creates a concentration gradient that allows nutrients to be delivered to the cells passively, with little or no effort from the body. Eventually, as your body heals and gains back its strength, your cells regain their ability to actively absorb vitamins and minerals and IV treatments are no longer necessary.

Naturopathic IV treatments can support a variety of conditions including:

Fatigue
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic stress/Burnout
Fibromyalgia
Sleep Disorders
Headaches/Migraines
Decreased Immune Function
Frequent Infections

Digestive Concerns
Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn’s Disease
Detoxification
Dehydration
Athletic/Muscle Recovery
Cancer

Please note that IV therapy is not a stand alone treatment for any illness or disease. It is an adjunctive part of a complete treatment protocol.

FAQ

What is IV therapy?

IV, or intravenous therapy is putting a solution directly into your blood, in this case vitamins and minerals.

Who should take vitamins and minerals IV?

The answer is simple: anyone. IV vitamins and minerals give your cells a boost to start working better instantly. People with chronic disease and long-term symptoms have the most to gain, as their cells need the most help to move towards healing.

How does it work?

For our bodies to be healthy, our cells need to be healthy too. Your cells normally absorb vitamins and minerals from your food in your intestines. However, when your cells are unhealthy, they do not do this effectively. With IV therapy, we are helping the cell get the nutrients it needs for optimal health.

Why not just take vitamins by mouth?

The cells of the stomach and intestine have a fixed capacity for absorbing vitamins and minerals. IV therapy bypasses the stomach and allows for a large increase in concentration in the blood. These nutrients are then presented to every cell in the body, instantly. IVs give us a way to boost the healing process much more quickly than with oral supplements.

Does IV therapy hurt?

In our office we use a “needle-less” or catheter system. A very small needle is used to start the IV and then it’s removed, leaving a soft, flexible tube in its place. Our patients get to sit and relax for 20-60 minutes as they receive the solution safely and painlessly.

What does a treatment protocol look like?

For best results, IV treatments should be completed 1x/week for 4-6 weeks. After completing your initial series of treatments, you will follow-up with your naturopathic doctor to discuss your ideal maintenance proctocol based on your response and your health goals. Typical maintenance protocols are 1x/month or 4x/year.

How much does it cost?

IVs are charged in 2 parts: a naturopathic consultation and IV nutrients/supplies. If you have health insurance for naturopathic doctors, the naturopathic consultation portion would be covered. We do offer direct billing for most insurance providers, otherwise you can submit yourself for reimbursement. The average IV costs $150 total, with about $95 subject to reimbursement.