Ever since your last doctor’s visit, you’ve made an effort to improve yourself. No more drive-thru fast food, trips to the deli, or late night ice cream. No more candy in the desk drawer, or soda in the fridge.
You eat a healthy diet – mostly organic, and plant-based with the occasional treat like dark chocolate. You’re only human.
You have a long line of supplement bottles in your bathroom cabinet – and you take them every day.
You drink plenty of water.
You’re doing everything right – so why do you still feel so lousy?
Could you be struggling with poor nutrient uptake?
What Causes Poor Nutrient Absorption?
When your body works optimally, your digestive system handles the majority of your nutrient intake efficiently. Your gastrointestinal tract breaks down food into specific nutrients so they can be absorbed through the lining of the gut and into your bloodstream. Your blood then takes the nutrients to where they are most needed to maintain the smooth running of your body and all of its functions.
While eating junk food and throwing back soda is obviously going to reduce the quantity and quality of the nutrients your gut absorbs, even when you eat as healthily as possible, issues with nutrient uptake can occur thanks to malabsorption.
Malabsorption can occur when you:
- Have celiac disease: if your gut is inflamed by gluten and/or other foods you may experience a loss of nutrient uptake.
- Have less than optimal stomach acid, digestive enzymes or bile acids–they all help break down your food so nutrients can be properly absorbed.
- Undergo radiation therapy or take certain medications that can thin or inflame the gut lining.
- Have an existing bowel inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis: any form of inflammation in the gut can prevent a healthy uptake of nutrients – even low-grade inflammation.
- Gut infections — acute or chronic.
- Take antibiotics for a long time: this can alter your gut microbiome, which has an effect on your nutrient uptake.
- Surgery such as gastric bypass or other gastric or intestinal surgery.
- Are diagnosed with a systemic autoimmune disease: such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and others.
Nutrient deficiencies from malabsorption can lead to a host of health issues and can cause further complications if you already have an autoimmune disease diagnosis or a gastrointestinal issue already.
Fortunately, there’s an effective way around a misbehaving gut – intravenous nutritional therapy.
What Can IV Nutritional Therapy Help With?
Intravenous nutritional therapy is a fantastic way to get the nutrients your body needs directly into your bloodstream – bypassing your gut – and is, therefore, more effective than taking pills. Maybe you take so many supplements each morning that you worry you’re going to rattle as you walk – but you still don’t feel any better! IV nutritional therapy may make the positive change you’ve been looking for.
Do you struggle with:
- Fibromyalgia?
- Migraine or chronic headaches?
- Chronic fatigue syndrome?
- Chronic pain?
- Slow recovery from the flu or food poisoning?
- High stress?
- Low energy?
- Toxin build-up?
- Immune disorders?
- Hypothyroidism?
- Difficulty losing weight?
If you answered yes to one or more of these, IV nutritional therapy could be beneficial for your health. Ensuring you have labs done beforehand allows your practitioner to see the big picture, pinpointing which nutrients you’re lacking, and whether you require hydration IV therapy at the same time.
IV nutritional therapy is the best way to improve your nutrient uptake. Of course, intravenous nutritional therapy is not a substitute for eating right and a healthy lifestyle– but it can be a powerful part of your treatment plan, while you work on making those changes to improve digestion and overall health.
How Does Intravenous Nutritional Therapy Work?
Once your medical history and lab tests are reviewed by your functional medicine practitioner, your IV treatment is chosen based on your specific needs. Nutritional IVs are administered in the same way they are used in other areas of medicine, such as hospitals and emergency rooms. The first step in getting an IV nutritional treatment is insertion of an IV catheter into a suitable vein. Your infusion can take 30-60 minutes or more, depending on the ingredients and amount of hydration needed.
What is IV hydration therapy?
Intravenous hydration therapy can be offered alongside IV nutritional therapy to help with symptoms due to lack of adequate hydration inside your cells, such as headaches and fatigue. Hydration is as important to your body as certain key nutrients, and it’s crucial to ensure you’re hydrated during your course of treatment.
Your infusion may include:
- Isotonic crystalloid – a mix of fluid and electrolytes used to alleviate dehydration.
- B12 – vital for the good health of your brain and nerves as well as red blood cell production. Also aids your metabolism and energy levels.
- B Complex – made up of B vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenate. Responsible for good sleep, and better metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.
- B6 – crucial for metabolism, blood production, and adrenal health, but also plays a part in mood and sleep.
- B5 – needed for red blood cell production, but also important to the creation of adrenal and sex hormones.
- Magnesium – an essential mineral which creates energy on a cellular level and helps balance the levels of other minerals and nutrients. An excellent tool in fighting inflammation, muscle pain, bowel problems, cardiovascular issues and much more.
- Glutathione – a powerful antioxidant, needed for good immune function and detoxification.
- CoQ10 – an antioxidant that aids cell energy production and good cardiovascular health.
- Vitamin C – antioxidant and nutrient required for optimal immune system support. Also required for tissue repair and collagen production.
- Zinc – can help mend the lining of your gut, while boosting your immune system and cellular energy levels.
- Calcium – important for healthy bones and muscles, as well as nerve and cardiac conduction.
- Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) – aids tissue repair and blood sugar regulation. Great for recovering from exercise.
IV nutritional therapy is a safe and easy way to gain fast relief from troubling symptoms – and at Arizona Wellness Medicine, we do the treatments within a functional medicine framework to help you feel your best. If you’ve hit a plateau, want more energy, want to optimize your health and have more time to do the things you enjoy, consider trying out an IV nutritional treatment.
If you’re interested in trying IV nutritional therapy in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arizona area, call to book an appointment at 602 892-4727 or fill out our contact form.