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Health See other Health Articles Title: Vitamin I.V. Infusions Gain In Popularity Coffee drinkers often joke about mainlining caffeine into their systems when in need of a pick-me-up. It seems celebrities have adopted this long used witticism and are injecting a cocktail of vitamins directly into their veins, rather then taking them orally. When vitamins are delivered intravenously, they reach the blood faster than when taken orally, allowing for instant gratification. And if celebrities are doing it, regular Americans are too. ABC’s Good Morning America reports, exhausted people are heading to private clinics and getting hooked up to a vitamin I.V. for an energy-boosting infusion. Fueled by a photo tweeted from pop star Rihanna of her arm hooked up to an intravenous drip, the craze has become known as the “party-girl drip" after rumors the singer was hospitalized after a night of excess partying. But not everyone is hooked up for a little hangover help. Other celebrities including Simon Cowell, Cindy Crawford and Madonna have all been known to tap in for the energy boost and healthy feeling it brings. The Daily Mail reports Simon Cowell admitted last year he, “enjoys a weekly IV drip of B12, magnesium, vitamin C and, he says, ‘something for your liver’ — a procedure recommended to him by Dannii Minogue. "When you have it done, it’s an incredibly warm feeling," he said. "You feel all the vitamins going through you. It’s calming and gives you energy for a good few days." DailyMail.IVdrip However beneficial the effects may be, the infusions are not cheap. Sessions can run $175 to $275. While some, like Cowell, praise the positive effects a vitamin I.V. drip can have, many disagree with its casual use. Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine told MyHealthNews that such drips can be beneficial for people with certain conditions, such as those who have trouble absorbing nutrients through their gastrointestinal tract, but they should not be used routinely by people who are looking for a quick-fix for their health. "We are 'designed' to get nutrients through our GI tract; and absent a clear and compelling reason to do otherwise, that is how we should get them," said Katz. He went on to add, that any I.V. treatment carries the risk of bruising, infection and vein inflammation. And while unlikely, there is also a risk that the wrong dose of a nutrient will be infused, which could lead to sudden cardiac death. Dr. Kevin Fiscella, a professor of family medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, warns if the treatment is done outside a hospital, the content of the infusion may not be properly controlled. Therefore users cannot be sure what's in their I.V. bags. "We know that for many herbal and vitamin supplements, the control and purity varies enormously," said Fiscella. "It's really 'buyer beware.'" There is one thing all the experts seem to agree on, the best way to get vitamins and nutrients is through a healthy, well-balanced diet. +3 Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
I've had this done two or three times. It's good for infections.
I sense a disturbance in the farce. Much gnashing will ensue.
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