Think vitamin drips are, well, kind of hippy and not really you? Before you decide, we chatted to a local wellness expert as well as CEO of REVIV (SA’s first drip bar), Sayed Muhiuddin Mia, to get the lowdown on the latest health trend.
There’s a new wellness trend creating a buzz in celebville – vitamin drips. Singer LeAnne Dlamini; radio personality, DJ Fresh; actress and presenter, Dineo Moeketsi; Diski Diva’s Blue Mbombo, and actress and presenter Mbali Nkosi have all been spotted at vitamin drip bars.
Why choose vitamin drips over supplements?
With more and more people suffering from daily fatigue, stress, dehydration and immune deficiencies, doctors are looking for more effective ways to make positive, lasting effects on the body.
One way to do this, is to administer whatever vitamins and nutrients the body is lacking intravenously says medical technologist and founder of the Body Revival Institute in Johannesburg, Colleen Falconbridge.
When a vitamin, mineral or antioxidant is taken orally, you lose around 50-60%, when it passes through your digestive tract. Also, so many vitamins on the market these days are filled with buffers and unnecessary chemicals which are useless to the body.
However, when you take something intravenously through an IV, your body absorbs the full 100% of the vitamin or mineral, which enters the bloodstream instantly.
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How many times can I go for a vitamin drip?
Vitamin drips or booster shots such as vitamin B12 aren’t meant to replace supplementation altogether, warns Colleen. They’re not designed to cure any chronic illness or to be administered continuously, for more than 6-8 weeks without careful monitoring, she says.
One major reason is that the venous system is very delicate – and having constant IV’s could cause long-term damage to the veins.
Also, doctors only recommend having a vitamin drip to speed up recovery from an illness or stressful time. This may include periods of travel or endless work functions where you drink more alcohol and sleep less than usual, says Colleen.
The drip will temporarily restore hydration levels as well as replace lost vitamins and minerals to help you feel refreshed and revitalised.
Are there any nasty side-effects?
Besides the initial pain of the jab which might cause some redness or bruising, side-effects are minimal. “As most of our vitamin drips (IV’s) at REVIV are made up of entirely natural ingredients that the body recognises, absorbs and excretes effectively, it’s highly unlikely that you would experience any negative side-effects,” says Sayed.
“We also do a full medical screening on our clients before they start with any treatment, where we look at lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking habits and other lifestyle choices, plus we take precautions. If someone has a chronic illness or is on any chronic medication, has an existing heart problem or kidney problem, we simply won’t treat them as to avoid any risk,” he explains.
How will I feel after a few sessions?
It’s not unusual to feel a little under the weather, or experience some classic detox symptoms (such as headache, fatigue or nausea) after a few vitamin C drips, for instance, says Colleen.
This is because vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which literally “mops up” any free-radicals floating around. The body can also absorb five times more vitamin C through an IV than through oral supplementation, which is why Colleen insists that clients be monitored at all times.
“At our clinic, we sometimes have patients reporting that they feel amazing after the first IV treatment, but then start to feel a little flat or unwell after session two or three,” she says.
This can mean that the body has absorbed what it needs from the IV and no more treatment is required.
Other negative side-effects of IV’s could be linked to:
- An underlying infection or disease
- Immune suppression
- A lack of minerals such as zinc, magnesium and selenium
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Which are the most popular vitamin drips?
“To date, we’ve had incredible feedback from clients who’ve experienced the Vitaglow Anti-Ageing Infusion,” says REVIV’s Sayed.
“The combination of vitamins and minerals we use is much more effective at slowing ageing than expensive skincare products which only treat the skin topically. Plus, you only need a few sessions to see visible results.”
This treatment helps to rejuvenate the skin and restore its youthfulness with high doses of the antioxidant glutathione, plus vitamin C. It also helps to;
- Restore hydration and plump the skin
- Prevent and reverse free-radical damage
- Rejuvenate the skin
- Cleanse vital organs safely and naturally.
Cost: From R1 999 per session
The Ultraviv Recovery Infusion is also very popular for those who lead busy, stressful lifestyles. It’s an ideal treatment to help replenish the body after bouts of sleep deprivation, excessive workload, dehydration or one too many glasses of wine! It contains a powerful cocktail of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to speed up recovery. It also helps to:
- Restore lost hydration
- Decrease Inflammation
- Relieve pain and nausea
- Deliver an instant energy boost
Cost: From R1 499 per session
Featured Image: @revivmesa