IV vitamin therapy
One trial in 141 office workers found a 10 g vitamin C drip lowered fatigue for a day more than saline. A Myers' cocktail did not differ from a saline-type drip in fibromyalgia. Hangover and immunity claims are untested as drips, and IV fluids did not consistently beat drinking in exercise trials. Infections and hemolysis appear in case reports.
- Status
- In the US, IV hydration spas are overseen state by state. A 2024 review found 32 states had issued some guidance, and only 4 addressed governance, prescriber credentials, dispensing and compounding. In a secret shopper study of 87 spas, 27.6% required a consultation with a licensed professional before treatment and 24.4% described risks [1]. For athletes under anti-doping rules, IV infusions of more than 100 mL in 12 hours are prohibited outside hospital, urgent, surgical or diagnostic care [2].
- Also called
- IV vitamin drip, IV drip, vitamin drip, IV hydration, IV hydration therapy, hydration drip, IV therapy, Myers' cocktail, Myers cocktail, intravenous micronutrient therapy, IVMT, banana bag, hangover IV, hangover drip, immunity drip, IV vitamin C, high-dose vitamin C infusion, drip bar, IV lounge, IV spa
- Used for
- fatigue, energy, immunity, colds, hangover, dehydration, hydration, athletic recovery, exercise performance, fibromyalgia, wellness, detox, jet lag
Strong several reviews agree · Moderate one review or consistent trials · Limited one or a few small studies · Untested no study in people, listed with what it rests on
Shown to help1
Reported risks4
- LimitedOne trial found itching or pain at the injection site in about 1 in 8 people, as often as with saline, and dry mouth more often after vitamin C.Very common
- LimitedCase reports: previously healthy women developed bloodstream infections with environmental bacteria after IV vitamin infusions given outside hospitals, one of them nearly fatal.How often is not known
- LimitedCase reports: kidney failure attributed to oxalate after IV vitamin C, mostly in people with cancer, sepsis, burns or existing kidney disease.How often is not known
- LimitedCase reports: red blood cells broke down after high-dose IV vitamin C, and every reported patient with G6PD deficiency developed hemolysis.How often is not known
What it is used for, and what was found
Shown to help1
Fatigue in healthy adults, high-dose vitamin C drip
One trial of 141 office workers found a 10 g vitamin C drip lowered current fatigue for a day more than saline, and usual fatigue did not differ.
Compared with an infusion of normal saline only [3]
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- Fatigue right now, on a 0 to 10 scale, fell from 5.64 to 5.10 at 2 hours and 4.97 at 1 day with vitamin C, and went from 5.54 to 5.31 and 5.66 with saline (p = 0.004). Usual fatigue (p = 0.870) and worst fatigue (p = 0.202) over the previous 24 hours did not differ. The effect appeared in people with low baseline vitamin C levels (p = 0.004) and not in those with high levels (p = 0.206) [3].
- Population
- 141 healthy office workers aged 20 to 49 in Korea, 70 given vitamin C and 71 saline, followed for one day [3].
- Sources
- [3]
- Caveats
- One trial measuring one day. At one day the two groups' changes differed by about 0.8 points on the 10-point scale. Hospital trials of intravenous vitamin C in sepsis and other critical illness are covered on the vitamin C page.
Mixed results1
Exercise performance, IV fluids against drinking
Small crossover trials disagreed: one found IV rehydration sped a 40 km cycling time trial by 3.5% against drinking, and another found drinking gave a faster time trial.
Compared with drinking fluids, sports drink and water [5]; drinking water [6]
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- After dehydration by 4% of body weight, rehydrating half with IV saline cut 40 km time trial time by 3.5% against oral rehydration, and oral glycerol by 3.7%. Combining IV fluid with oral glycerol restored the most plasma volume and did not improve performance over either alone [5]. During 90 minutes of cycling in 35°C heat, 25 mL of saline infused every 5 minutes left people thirstier and hotter, with a slower 12 km time trial (19.6 minutes) than drinking 25 mL of water every 5 minutes (17.7 minutes, P = 0.05) [6].
- Population
- 9 endurance-trained men [5]. Recreationally active men, mean age 29, number not given in the abstract [6].
- Sources
- [5], [6]
- Caveats
- Two small crossover trials with different designs. Neither tested recovery on the following days.
Not shown to help2
Fibromyalgia, Myers' cocktail
One small trial found weekly Myers' cocktail drips did not differ from a saline-type drip on any fibromyalgia measure at 8 or 16 weeks.
Compared with weekly infusions of lactated Ringer's solution [4]
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- No outcome differed between groups at 8 or 16 weeks: tender points, global pain, physical function, depression or quality of life. Both groups improved from baseline. The Myers' cocktail group improved in tender points, pain, depression and quality of life, and the placebo group in tender points only. One minor adverse event occurred in the treatment group [4].
- Population
- 34 adults with fibromyalgia in Connecticut, treated weekly for 8 weeks [4].
- Sources
- [4]
- Caveats
- A pilot study. The authors note a high placebo response and a sample too small to show a difference [4].
Clearing alcohol from the blood
One small study found a liter of IV saline did not change how fast alcohol cleared from the blood.
Compared with the same volunteers given the same dose of alcohol without IV fluid [7]
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- Breath alcohol clearance did not differ with or without a liter of IV saline given rapidly after drinking. Clearance in both conditions was 15 mg/dL per hour (95% CI 12 to 18) [7].
- Population
- Volunteers given a set dose of alcohol on two occasions, number not given in the abstract [7].
- Sources
- [7]
- Caveats
- One small study measuring alcohol clearance, not hangover symptoms.
Claimed, not studied in people2
Hangover
Not studied in people as an IV drip. Drips are offered on the idea that hangover is dehydration, and studies of drinkers find the two occur together but independently.
No study in people. This rests on how it acts in the body.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- No trial located gave IV fluids or vitamins for hangover. A review of drinkers found hangover severity and thirst rose with the water people drank, that dehydration was mild and short-lived while hangovers lasted longer, and that water drunk during a hangover was not related to changes in its severity [8]. In a 2024 secret shopper study, 86.2% of IV spas suggested specific drips for headache and cold symptoms, and 2 of 255 spa websites cited a source for any health claim [1].
- Population
- No study population for IV drips. Survey and naturalistic data on drinkers [8].
- Sources
- [8], [1]
- Caveats
- Findings on drinking water do not test an IV drip. No study located measured hangover symptoms after an IV drip.
Immunity in healthy people
Not studied in people as a drip. In experimental sepsis, high-dose IV vitamin C acted on immune signaling, which no trial in healthy people has tested.
No study in people. This rests on how it acts in the body.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- A systematic review describes proposed antioxidant and immune-modulating actions of high-dose IV vitamin C, including down-regulation of inflammatory STAT1 and PD-L1 pathways in experimental sepsis. Its clinical evidence came from sepsis and cancer care [9]. No trial located tested a drip for preventing infections in healthy people.
- Population
- No study population. A review of mechanistic and clinical studies [9].
- Sources
- [9]
- Caveats
- Mechanisms seen in experimental sepsis do not show what a drip does for a healthy immune system.
Protocols studied
The fatigue trial gave a single infusion of 10 g of vitamin C in normal saline, against saline alone [3]. The fibromyalgia trial gave weekly Myers' cocktail infusions for 8 weeks, against lactated Ringer's solution [4]. The exercise trials replaced fluid lost by dehydration with half as IV normal saline [5], or infused 25 mL of isotonic saline every 5 minutes during exercise [6]. The alcohol study gave a liter of IV saline right after drinking [7]. Among 255 US IV spa websites, all offered hydration drips, most often with added magnesium (57.3%) or glutathione (53.7%), and 63.5% offered vitamin injections [1].
Risks
Reported risks4
Pain at the injection site and dry mouth
One trial found itching or pain at the injection site in about 1 in 8 people, as often as with saline, and dry mouth more often after vitamin C.
The numbers and sources
- How common
- Very common: more than 1 in 10 people.
- Effect
- Two hours after infusion, itching or pain at the injection site occurred in 12.9% given vitamin C and 11.3% given saline, and dry mouth in 10% and 2.8%. Chest discomfort, palpitations and sweating occurred in single cases. Total adverse events did not differ significantly between groups [3].
- Population
- 141 office workers [3].
- Sources
- [3]
- Caveats
- One trial of a single infusion.
Bloodstream infection from contaminated infusions
Case reports: previously healthy women developed bloodstream infections with environmental bacteria after IV vitamin infusions given outside hospitals, one of them nearly fatal.
The numbers and sources
- How common
- How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
- Effect
- A previously healthy woman developed Rahnella aquatilis bacteremia right after an unlicensed IV vitamin infusion presumed to be contaminated [10]. A 52-year-old woman with no medical history had nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and a nearly fatal Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteremia after a naturopathic IV vitamin infusion given at home [11].
- Population
- Two women [10][11].
- Sources
- [10], [11]
- Caveats
- Case reports give no rate.
Kidney injury from high-dose vitamin C
Case reports: kidney failure attributed to oxalate after IV vitamin C, mostly in people with cancer, sepsis, burns or existing kidney disease.
The numbers and sources
- How common
- How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
- Effect
- A scoping review found 24 case reports of kidney failure presumed to be oxalate nephropathy after IV vitamin C. They occurred in people with cancer, sepsis or burns or other confounding conditions, and in most the kidney failure could be attributed to the illness or its treatment. Existing kidney dysfunction was a key risk factor for impaired clearance of large doses [12]. A systematic review lists oxalate nephropathy among the major risks of high-dose IV vitamin C, especially with very large or repeated doses [9].
- Population
- 24 case reports [12]. A systematic review of studies from 2010 to 2025 [9].
- Sources
- [12], [9]
- Caveats
- Case reports give no rate, and most patients were seriously ill for other reasons [12].
Hemolysis in G6PD deficiency
Case reports: red blood cells broke down after high-dose IV vitamin C, and every reported patient with G6PD deficiency developed hemolysis.
The numbers and sources
- How common
- How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
- Effect
- Two patients with colorectal cancer given 1 g per kg of vitamin C developed hemolytic anemia with hemoglobin below 50 g/L, and recovered after blood replacement. Their review of published cases found that all patients with G6PD deficiency developed hemolysis after high-dose IV vitamin C [13]. A systematic review lists hemolysis in G6PD deficiency as a major risk and suggests screening first [9].
- Population
- Two patients [13]. Published case reports [13].
- Sources
- [13], [9]
- Caveats
- Case reports at cancer-care doses, far above the 10 g used in the fatigue trial. G6PD deficiency is an inherited enzyme deficiency.
Claims tested and not found
Related
Sources
- Sivakumar A, Forman HP, Wang I, Lurie P, Ross JS. State Policies and Facility Practices of IV Hydration Spas in the US. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.5028
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. IV Infusions: Explanatory Note. 2026. https://www.usada.org/?p=38580
- Suh SY, Bae WK, Ahn HY, et al. Intravenous vitamin C administration reduces fatigue in office workers: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Nutrition Journal. 2012. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-11-7
- Ali A, Njike VY, Northrup V, et al. Intravenous micronutrient therapy (Myers' Cocktail) for fibromyalgia: a placebo-controlled pilot study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0410
- van Rosendal SP, Strobel NA, Osborne MA, Fassett RG, Coombes JS. Performance benefits of rehydration with intravenous fluid and oral glycerol. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2012. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31825420f4
- Sekiguchi Y, Ky AT, Benjamin CL, et al. Oral Rehydration Improved Exercise Performance and Decreased Core Temperature and Heartrate Compared With Intravenous Rehydration in Recreationally Active Men. Sports Health. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1177/19417381261434047
- Li J, Mills T, Erato R. Intravenous saline has no effect on blood ethanol clearance. The Journal of Emergency Medicine. 1999. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0736-4679(98)00120-6
- Mackus M, Stock AK, Garssen J, Scholey A, Verster JC. Alcohol hangover versus dehydration revisited: The effect of drinking water to prevent or alleviate the alcohol hangover. Alcohol. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.07.006
- Alangari A, Arif J, Al Qureshah F, Alkhodairy F. Clinical benefits and risks of high-dose intravenous vitamin C: a systematic review. Journal of Medicine and Life. 2026. https://doi.org/10.25122/jml-2025-0176
- Benjamin A, Roy P, Pedersen N, Vidwans M. A Case of Rahnella aquatilis Bacteraemia After the Receipt of an Unlicensed Intravenous Vitamin Infusion, the First to be Reported in the UK. Case Reports in Infectious Diseases. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1155/crdi/8351893
- D'Souza G, Pandian E, Hosea S. A Nearly Fatal Case of Pseudomonas fluorescens Bacteremia Secondary to a Naturopathic Intravenous Vitamin Infusion. Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1177/23247096211026481
- Carr AC, Gupta S. Are oral and intravenous vitamin C implicated in oxalate-associated renal failure? Exploring the role of pre-existing renal dysfunction. Nutrition Research. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2026.09.009
- Wang SW, Zhang XW, Qu JX, et al. Hemolysis attributed to high dose vitamin C: Two case reports. World Journal of Clinical Cases. 2024. https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v12.i17.3168