IV hydration therapy should not be one of those curious 21st-century trends heavily promoted on social media, but that seems to be the case in 2022. Recreational intravenous drips were made popular by “pop-up clinics” that emerged near nightlife districts in Miami more than a decade ago; they were initially hyped as effective hangover cures that improved upon the experience provided by “chill lounges” at nightclubs and concerts, but they eventually turned into permanent IV bars located in trendy cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
On social networks such as Instagram, entrepreneurs and influencers have been promoting hydration packets as convenient alternatives to IV hydration therapy. These packets are powdered substances that you are expected to mix with water; they contain electrolytes as well as other nutrients and IV therapy vitamins to improve the hydration experience. The problem with these packets is they are one-size-fits-all and aren’t customized to what your body really needs.
Hydration packets can be more accurately described as oral rehydration solutions; they are invariably flavored, and many of them actually taste better than Gatorade, which is a pioneering brand in this regard. Thousands of powdered Gatorade packets were shipped to Americans fighting the first Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s; the idea was to provide added minerals, vitamins, glucose, and other ingredients that soldiers quickly depleted under brutal desert climate conditions.
Long before IV bars and IV therapy vitamins started trending on Instagram, IV hydration therapy was developed by a Baltimore physician in the early 1980s. Dr. John Myers administered intravenous formulas infused with vitamins and minerals to patients who suffered from conditions that ranged from migraines to chronic fatigue syndrome and from seasonal allergies to asthma. If there was a clinical determination that a vitamin or mineral deficiency needed to be addressed, IV rehydration therapy was recommended in some cases.
Members of the American College of Sports Medicine highly recommend hydration as a form to replenish fluids lost through active perspiration during exercise. This can be accomplished with plain water. A hydration packet or a sports drink would also work in this regard, and a similar approach can be taken to alleviate hangovers after a night of drinking and partying; a visit to an IV bar is not necessary.
When properly administered under therapeutic conditions, IV treatments can help with more than just rehydration. Boosting the immune system, alleviating allergies, reducing inflammation, and the effective delivery of nutrients, as well as medications, are at the heart of IV therapy. IV hydration therapy rehydrates, all while supplying the body with important vitamins and minerals, based on your unique needs. JoyDeVie offers several IV hydration therapy services designed to meet a variety of needs.
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Contact JoyDeVie today to learn more about IV hydration therapy, and schedule an appointment to start combating whatever symptoms of dehydration you may be feeling.