IV therapy: what the sources say, and what to ask

MedSpaGrades editorial teamUpdated 22 Oct 20263 sources checkedHow we write

IV therapy, sometimes called IV drips or IV hydration, means giving fluids, vitamins or minerals through a vein. Some med spas and "wellness" clinics offer it. This page is deliberately short and careful. The sources we could open say little about drips sold for general wellness, and what they say is cautious. It does not say whether you should have it, and it gives no doses or mixes.

What the sources say

A 2023 review in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, a UK journal published by BMJ, says the body needs small daily quantities of vitamins and minerals, usually from food. It says intravenous vitamins are used for a few serious medical conditions, for example malabsorption syndromes with severe vitamin depletion, Wernicke's encephalopathy or critical illness. It says drips containing high doses of various vitamins and minerals, such as the so-called Myers cocktail, have been promoted in popular culture to reduce stress, increase energy or boost immunity, with the claim that the intravenous route allows faster absorption. This page reads only the abstract of that review, not the full text.

The review concludes that there is a lack of high-quality evidence that high-dose vitamin infusions are necessary or offer any health benefit in the absence of a specific vitamin deficiency or medical condition. It says there may be harms from taking high, non-physiological quantities of some vitamins and minerals.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), a society of plastic surgeons, lists IV therapy among the additional services some med spas offer, with hormone replacement, weight loss treatments, sexual wellness treatments and functional medicine. It advises making sure that all procedures at a med spa are properly supervised by a physician, in accordance with your state's laws.

If the mixture is compounded

The FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, which means the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they reach patients. It says it has investigated many cases of serious patient injury linked to poor-quality compounded drugs, and that in 2012 contaminated drugs compounded by a Massachusetts pharmacy led to more than 750 cases of infection and more than 60 deaths in 20 states. We do not know whether any particular clinic's IV bag is compounded, and we do not say that IV therapy is unsafe. If it is compounded, you can ask who made it and under which kind of facility.

What we did not find

We did not find an FDA or other US government page about IV vitamin or hydration therapy offered at med spas. We did not find a source on how often complications occur, or what a clinic should do to prevent infection or respond to a reaction. A medical reviewer may know of better US sources.

Who gives it

Which licensed professionals may start an IV, prescribe the contents and supervise, depends on the state. See our guide to who may inject. Our guide to questions to ask before you book applies here too.

What it costs

We do not give prices on this page.