Injectable nutrients: More ways to feel better fast

Injecting health-boosting nutrients is fast becoming popular — most likely because it can make you feel better fast…

You can now find medical spas and wellness centers that specialize solely in this method of rapid nutrition for the nutrient-depleted, jet-lagged and fatigued in most major cities.

One example is Reviv, which has locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, New York City, as well as 22 other locations globally. They offer IV vitamin cocktail drips and shots of B12, Glutathione, and amino acids. Their stated goal is to “help people remain healthy and well in this day in age where time is of the essence, creating a more productive society.”

They point to “many studies” that demonstrate the efficacy of injected Vitamin B12 and other vitamins to alleviate sleep-wake disturbances caused by overworking, multi-time zone travel, and jet lag. If you think you’d like to give it a try, just search online for “IV nutrient therapy near me” and you might find an “IV lounge” location near you.

In a recent post I shared information about other injectable nutrients, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which is naturally converted in your body from Vitamin B3 (niacin). But there are more that have a history or rapid and helpful effects I’d like to share today…

The IV Myer’s cocktail

The concept of injectable nutrients seems to have started in the 1960s with Dr. John Myers at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. It is said that when Myers died in 1984, nobody really knew his exact IV cocktail recipe. Not long after, Alan Gaby, M.D., who taught for many years at Bastyr University School of Naturopathic Medicine, uncovered a matching formula, calling it the “Myer’s Cocktail,” and gave an estimated 15,000 such IV treatments over 10 years. His report is published in Alternative Medicine Review 2002, Volume 7(5).

Ingredients of the Myer’s cocktail are pretty simple. It includes magnesium chloride, calcium gluconate, Vitamins B 5, B 6, B 12, B complex, and vitamin C.

Expanding on the Myer’s cocktail

Since 2002, the scientific research also suggests the use of antioxidants in the management of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Specifically, glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, and others although I have not found clinical trials using these nutrients as injections.

Here are other injectable nutrients being used for rapid symptom reversal and rejuvenation…

• Multivitamin mineral IV: Various minerals can be added to calcium and magnesium of the Myer’s cocktail.
• Vitamin B-12 (Methylcobalamin): Boosts energy and metabolic rate; helps burn stored body fat; aids in liver detoxification; and helps regulate sleep, mood, and appetite. It is also reported to play a major role in DNA replication, nervous system function, and red blood cell formation. Although you can eat foods with vitamin B 12 (eggs, dairy products, fish, and meat), an injection of vitamin B 12 promotes energy and weight loss.
• Vitamin D: For bone health and many other conditions: heart health, blood pressure, muscle weakness, obesity, lung conditions, and skin tissue healing. It also is known to boost the immune system. For example, high dose Vitamin D2 at 100,000-200,000 IU daily for 3 days has been proven to be a potent promoter of innate immune function. In fact, vitamin D triggers the release of your body’s own natural antimicrobial peptides against infectious agents including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.  In 1948 researchers reported near miraculous effects on influenza and viral pneumonia. Mega doses, even up to of 500,000 IU of vitamin D3 once a month in the elderly have been shown to be safe.
• L-Carnitine helps breakdown fat and generate energy. L-Carnitine supplementation decreases fat, preserves muscle during exercise, and decreases muscle fatigue. When administered by injection, L-Carnitine is completely absorbed by the body.
• Methionine: This essential amino acid assists in the breakdown of fats within your liver, helps to reduce fatigue, and can reduce histamine release. Although foods contain methionine such as cheese, eggs, fish, meats, potatoes, spinach, Brazil nuts, and sesame seeds, methionine by injection mobilizes fats much more effectively. Methionine is also reported to produce creatine which can improve skin elasticity, and build muscle. Some have reported it helps with depression and Parkinson’s disease. Animal research authors wrote, “Triglyceride content of the liver was found to decrease in a dose-dependent manner with increasing methionine ingestion.”
• Inositol: This B-vitamin promotes healthy cell structures, serotonin transmission (an important mood and appetite neurotransmitter), and fat metabolism.  It also has been reported to help treat depression, panic disorder, and fatty liver.
• Choline is an essential nutrient for liver health and liver detoxification as well as fat metabolism. Research authors wrote, “Choline supplementation normalized cholesterol metabolism…” and, “Our data suggest that choline can promote liver health by maintaining cholesterol homeostasis.” Choline also aids with memory as you age.
• L-Arginine has so many health benefits: it quickens wound healing, and is a precursor molecule to the vasodilator called nitric oxide (to enhance blood flow to the heart and muscles).
• L-Taurine has numerous health benefits: restores insulin sensitivity (to reduce diabetes), helps protects from heart disease, reduces fatty liver disease, helps reduce obesity and helps lower bad cholesterol.
• MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane, aka DMSO) is an amino acid largely for pain relief
• Glutathione is an anti-oxidant that treats fatigue, depression, and other chronic symptoms
• Sodium bicarbonate detoxifies, buffers acidosis, and decreases inflammation
• Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a powerful antioxidant with multiple health benefits, from heart health to immune health.

Injectable nutrients may seem trendy, but the benefits they provide may hopefully bring them more into the mainstream to help with conditions such as mood disorders (anxiety, depression), fatigue, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), Parkinson’s disease, acute viral or bacterial respiratory infections (sinusitis, bronchitis, flu), acute viral hepatitis, muscle fatigue (athletes), arthritis, obesity, and even indications for cancers.

To feeling good as you age,

Michael Cutler, M.D.