IV drip therapy: A celeb-approved method to boost health and wellness quickly

The Kardashian-Jenner Sisters have popularised getting IV drips to supercharge their health and have made it an integral part of their wellness routine. From entrepreneur Kylie Jenner and model Kendal Jenner spending a night in watching reality TV to Kendal and friend, model Hailey Bieber’s ‘IV drip party’ in Miami, this not-so-secret procedure is thought to give your body an added boost on days when you aren’t feeling 100%.
Actor Gwyneth Paltrow has touted the benefits of IV therapy and proclaimed, “I love iV” on her podcast. She has admitted to getting a Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) IV, which is said to stimulate cell regeneration within the body. In 2012, singer Rihanna created quite a stir when she posted a picture wearing a black plunging neckline dress and clutching an IV bag in one hand with a needle sticking out in the other. We can safely assume this procedure has been around for a while. Closer home, actors Soha Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor have also posted about their therapies on social media.

We have also been seeing several wellness and IV lounges popping up around the country. More people are also opting for and talking about this medical procedure. So we get experts to breakdown this seemingly cosmetic procedure.
A long-standing practice in the field of health and wellness, Intravenous Drip Therapy or IV drip therapy “offers a fast and direct method of delivering medication or essential nutrients into the body by injecting them directly into the bloodstream,” explains Dr Rashmi Shetty, Cosmetic Dermatologist, Ra Skin & Aesthetics, Hyderabad. It is a quick fix for modern problems, shares Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, Aesthetic physician and founder of ISAAC Luxe, Mumbai, as it not only boost your immune system, but it also alleviates hangovers and helps reduce the signs of ageing. She adds, “With the cocktail of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, IV Drip therapy has emerged as a popular choice among millennials and GenZ.”
Taking IV drip therapy can have several benefits including quicker and direct transmission of essential nutrients into the body, Hydration and an Instant boost of energy. Dr Shrea Kapoor, MD Dermatology, Elixir Wellness, Mumbai, says, “Efficiency is one of the many benefits. The IV drips help increase immunity, assist in recovery from fatigue, jetlag, workouts, or even health conditions like dengue and malaria, and also provide an energy boost, or better and more lustrous skin and hair and stubborn weight being able to shed extra pounds and see an improvement in their BMI – all through IV therapy.
 
With IV drips, the important factor, according to Dr Rashmi Shetty, is that it can be “personalised” to what a person’s needs are. “The drips can include essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, such as vitamin C and glutathione, which can help promote healthy skin. These nutrients can improve skin tone, reduce signs of ageing and give a nice glow,” adds Dr Shetty.
This procedure should be done under the guidance of a trained professional. Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, cautions of a mild discomfort at the injection site, bruising from the IV drip, a feeling of fullness in the stomach. “Things can get serious if not done by a trained skincare expert,” she adds. Dr Shrea Kapoor also assures people that “IV therapy focuses on vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and not medication, so there are no side effects.” Stay hydrated and monitor the site of injection for a few days to see if there is any inflammation or bruising, which Dr Rashmi Shetty says can be treated simply with an ice pack.
This expensive treatment can boost a person’s energy and has several benefits. Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, says, “The frequency of IV drip therapy depends on individual needs and treatment goals.” There is no fixed number of sessions one needs to sit through to see visible benefits, however, depending on the situation or reason for which one is seeking it, it may be once a month.

There are three categories – 1. Wellness, 2. Recovery, 3. Beauty
Glutathione can help with the liver and is known to have multisystem benefits. It is not easily absorbed through the gut and the best way to have glutathione is via IV. Collagen, vitamin C, B complex, zinc and magnesium are some other commonly used ingredients.
Some IV drips can have a cocktail of ingredients which can use to strengthen immunity, increased blood circulation, better mood and energy levels, more restful sleep, and nerve and bone health. They can also help with hangover, hydration, antioxidation, etc.
Dr Rashmi Shetty advises, “If you are investing in IV Therapy, you must combine it with oral supplements to truly sustain the benefits of the changes it has kick-started in your body.”
With different types of IVs available, Dr Shrea Kapoor says some will give you an instant results for example, the hydration, energy and hangover IVs will give you a result in one session. “The beauty elixirs do work on the basis of a cumulative effect so it does take a few sessions to see a lasting result,” she adds.
If you are worried that getting an IV drip will mess with the natural nutrient and vitamin levels in the body, Dr Shrea Kapoor says, “All the vitamins used in these drips are water soluble so the body doesn’t accumulate any excess. Anything that isn’t absorbed, is excreted out. We also keep a check on a client’s drips and make sure that we are changing up the vitamins based on their needs at the moment. We also monitor with blood tests if someone has taken several sessions. Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta adds, “However, overuse of iv drips is not recommended and should be done only by the protocol given by the doctor because the liver has to play a very important role in detoxifying so we should not overload the system with any multivitamins.”