You may have wondered the need to pursue an IV therapy for vitamin administration while you can have them orally. Although IV therapy is quite an expensive process, it has benefits that you’ll not find in oral therapy. In IV therapy, a physician or other medical personnel administers fluids containing medication, vitamins, or other nutrients into a person’s veins directly using a catheter. A catheter is simply a tiny tube that’s physicians use for this sole purpose. Differences exist between using an IV therapy for administering vitamins instead of orally taking them. For the IV method, doctors use an infusion catheter, inserting it into a vein. The catheter enables them to direct an entire vitamin, in fluid form, to the blood stream. A patient is afforded the luxury of resting anywhere while the physician administers the fluids to their blood stream.
While using this method, you’ll notice that there’s no absorption taking place; your gut is freed to continue absorbing other nutrients that the body needs elsewhere. It’s different from orally taking them where you’re expected to swallow pills. Catheter infusion eliminates any struggles you may experience swallowing pills, considering that some vitamins come in large sizes. If you choose to take them orally, the direct opposite happens. It involves a lot from the moment you ingest the vitamins through your mouth, down through the gastrointestinal tract, into the stomach. This system is quite lengthy, and it consumes more time before vitamins are absorbed into the bloodstream. It’s also not as efficient as the IV therapy method, considering that some vitamins are water-soluble. Additionally, taking vitamins orally leads to some side effects. Since oral vitamins are in various forms, such as capsules, tablets, and syrups, their side effects vary.
However, the process of going through the entire digestive system results in irritations. You may experience irritations in the mouth after taking oral tablets. In some cases, capsules and syrups result in stomach upsets. You’re sure of not getting such side effects with the IV therapy method since vitamins directly enter the blood stream. When vitamins are taken using the oral method, absorption into the bloodstream happens in the small intestines. For it to occur successfully, you’ll need to have a healthy intestinal tract. Some factors inhibit proper absorption, like in the case of drunkards. Alcoholism leads to inflammation of the intestine and stomach walls, damaging the active cells used in the absorption process.
Such issues make oral administration ineffective compared to the IV therapy method that negates the need for absorption. Besides alcohol, you might experience ineffective results after orally taking vitamins for different reasons, including:
- Damage of the intestinal tract due to smoking.
- Effects of certain drugs, such as aspirin.
- Other conditions that cause stomach and intestine walls to be inflamed.
Why Choose the IV Therapy over Oral Administration
You might still question whether the IV method is the best choice over taking vitamins orally. However, you’re getting specific benefits while using this method, which is unachievable with the oral system. IV therapy entails customized therapies, which are different according to various nutritional requirements. When you visit a health facility, your nutritionist evaluates your condition, noticing any body deficiencies. The next step is recommending vitamin supplements that help correct any deficiencies. However, some deficiencies require a combination of therapies whose administration can only be achieved by inserting catheters and directing the supplements direct into your blood stream. For instance, physicians prescribe combinations of vitamins, medications, and other nutrients, depending on your body’s requirements.
Besides, physicians have ascertained that IV therapy leads to better body hydration. While people are used to drinking water to achieve better hydration, vitamins and other nutritional supplements added to the body help maintain better hydration. In some cases, you’ll find a person losing lots of water due to inadequate body hydration. Regardless of the amounts of water that such a person drinks, it’s almost impossible for them to maintain proper hydration.
Physicians use this therapy in such cases to direct supplements where they are needed, helping to improve the body’s salt balance and subsequent hydration. Are you interested in getting an IV therapy for your vitamin administration? We’re ready to help you with this; contact us at 205-352-9141. You can also visit us at our various locations, expecting to receive upfront recommendations regarding your body’s vitamin requirements. If we need to devise a customized plan, we’ll be ready to walk you through the journey.