Intravenous Vitamin Therapy

With Jef Myrna, RN

Over the past 50 years, since noble-prize laureate Dr. Linus Pauling revealed new evidence on large-dose vitamin C therapy, the therapeutic use of vitamin C and other vitamins has been extensively studied. Therapeutic doses of vitamin C and B vitamins have been shown to have a number of remarkable health benefits.  Vitamin C increases immune response and speeds up detoxification, and aids in healing and fighting infection. Therapeutic administration of vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and folic acid have been thoroughly tested for safety. Intravenous administration of vitamin C and injection of specific B vitamins have been concluded as safe practices if done correctly by a health professional. At our clinic we provide intravenous vitamin administration services for those patients who seek to boost their immune system, want to speed the body’s detoxification process in response to infection or toxic overload, or have been prescribed intravenous treatment by their physician.

More on Vitamin therapies

What does vitamin C do?

What doses of vitamin C can be given safely?

What do B vitamins do?

Getting your Bs

What does Vitamin C do?

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid is a potent antioxidant. An antioxidant will enter the bloodstream and into cells and neutralize dangerous free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that are unstable because their molecular structures are not complete. Free radicals are either created in the body through metabolism or are introduced to the body by toxic chemicals, pollution, trans fats, or stressful dietary or environmental conditions. A free radical will oxidize another molecule by stealing an electron, for example. This oxidized molecule in turn will either itself become a free radical or if it is a working part of a cell or organ, will become damaged. Free radicals have been implicated in a number of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver and kidney disease and many others. Free radicals can alter the cell's DNA, causing mutations which can cause cancerous cells, autoimmune disorders and other complications. Vitamin C latches onto free radicals, escorting them to the liver, or will often transfer them to glutathione, which will work with the liver to break it down, escorting them out to the colon for removal.

Vitamin C is also used in over 300 metabolic functions by the body. It enhances iron absorption through chelation. It engages in the activation of essential substances such as norepinephrine. It protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation, which is implicated in atherosclerosis. Vitamin C is used in collagen production, which is a key binder for tissues around the body. As such it plays a big role in wound healing. Vitamin C also increases nitric oxide activity, which prevents spasms, increases blood vessel flexibility and increased heart muscle function. It also aids adrenal gland function, is required for bone tissue formation and the formation of dentin in teeth. It is also involved as a coenzyme in many other metabolic functions in the body.

Since vitamin C is needed in these various functions, its deficiency can be a contributing cause for a number of illnesses and complications. Bruising, cataracts, diabetes, heart and cardiovascular disease, gingivitis, glaucoma, infections, male infertility, scurvy are a few notable diseases that deficiency in vitamin C can contribute to.

What doses of vitamin C can be given safely?

Since vitamin C is water-soluble, and does not stay in the body for long, larger doses have been deemed as safe by a number of studies. Dr. Pauling proposed that an adult requires up to 3000-4000 mg per day for optimal health, although some physicians debate that a daily dosage of 200 mg may be enough. Higher doses have been shown to shorten the common cold and other illnesses. Higher doses taken orally can have a laxative effect however. Some people can easily take more than 10,000 mg without the laxative effect, while some experience the laxative effect with only a few thousand milligrams. Intravenously, therapeutic doses of 50,000 to 150,000 mg have been administered safely.

Why give Vitamin C intravenously?

As mentioned above, large doses of vitamin C cause a laxative effect if taken orally, and the amount of intestinal absorption is questioned at larger doses. There are a number of other reasons why patients may receive a higher benefit from intravenous vitamin therapy over oral vitamins. Some patients, for reasons of immune load, may receive benefit from the immediate blood-level boost of antioxidants such as vitamin C. Intravenous vitamin C allows the vitamin to be immediately available to organs and their cells for fast-acting detoxification effects. During periods of infection or high toxicity, these higher antioxidant abilities can act quickly.

Typically intravenous vitamin C is combined with magnesium. Magnesium helps relax tissues, to enable the further action of the vitamin C. Magnesium has its own benefical effects as well, aiding in muscle contraction and nerve cell transmission.

What do the B vitamins and folic acid do?

Thiamine (vitamin B1)

A functioning coenzyme, it participates in carbohydrate and glucose metabolism and removes carbon dioxide. It is involved in the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine production. It is important to circulation, carbohydrate metabolism, blood formation, and is involved in the production of hydrochloric acid which aids in the digestion of food in the stomach. B1 is also a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

An essential coenzyme in oxidation-reduction reactions. Riboflavin assists red blood cell formation, carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism and amino acid/protein synthesis. It facilitates cellular oxygen utilization. It aids in mucous membrane growth and health, plays a role in nail skin and hair tissue growth, and is a cofactor in triptophan and niacin metabolism.

Niacin: Nicotinic Acid, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)

Niacin is Involved in a number of enzyme reactions, such as NADP and NAD, which are necessary for cellular metabolism and oxidation-reduction. It functionally deaminates amino acids, is involved in fatty acids transformation, essential for steroid formation and red blood cell formation. It also aids in circulatory processes and is necessary for nervous system functioning.

Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)

Pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine together comprise B6. B6 is necessary for many metabolic functions in the body. It is one of the body’s most active nutrients. It is required for the production of hydrochloric acid, the absorption of proteins and fatty acids, is instrumental in maintaining the sodium/potassium cellular balance, is active in immune system functions, is necessary for RNA and DNA synthesis, is active in RBC formation, and is necessary for proper brain and CNS functioning. Essential for amination, deamination, desulfhydration, transanimation amine oxidation and participates in methylation.

Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)

B12 is critical to acetylcholine and other neurotransmitter production. It maintains fatty nerve sheaths, protein synthesis, RBC regulation, iron utilization, fertility functions, carbohydrate metabolism, methylation, fatty acid synthesis, and energy metabolism. B12 is linked to sleep patterns and cellular longevity. Deficiency of B12 has been linked to various nerve disorders, numbness and more.

Folate (Folic Acid)

Also known as monopteroylglutamic acid, folate is important to brain functioning, cellular metabolism and blood health. Folate functions as a coenzyme in DNA and RNA synthesis, cell division and replication, RBC formation, methylation of choline, serine, and histidine, and  between homocysteine and methionine. Involved in neurotransmitter production.

Getting Your Bs

Some people have difficulties assimilating certain vitamins, most notably various B vitamins. There are a number of assimilation factors necessary for successful B vitamin assimilation. Also medications and other toxins can interfere with B vitamin intestinal absorption.

At the clinic we give vitamin Bs in a “vitamin B cocktail”, which is typically composed of B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and folic acid. It is given usually in the gluteus or thigh regions.

Jef Myrna, RN is a registered nurse and certified as a chelation technician from the American College for Advancement in Medicine. Jef has been administering IV nutrition therapies to patients for over ten years.