Maximizing Your Vitamins
Jacob Farin, N.D.
Many patients ask us why we do intravenous nutrional therapy. The answer is simple: maxium absorption. Did you know that the body can absorb only 1,000 mg of oral vitamin C an hour? Did you also know that the common magnesium tablet found at grocery stores have an absorption rate of only 30-40%? That means from a standard 250 mg tablet, only 75-100 mg of magnesium are actually entering the body. With high quality mineral tablets, absorption rate doubles. Of course, you can increase the amount of magnesium you are already taking, but not without the risk of intestinal upset and diarrhea, which reduces absorption rate.
With many illnesses, ranging from the common cold and flu to cancer and other chronic conditions, it is sometimes difficult for the intestines to absorb nutrients as the body shunts energy from the digestive process to the immune system. This can compound the problem of nutritional insufficiency associated with diseases. With many individuals, we have found it necessary to bypass the intestines with the use of intravenous nutritional ther-rapy.
Intravenous nutritional therrapy (or IV therapy) is one of the many tools we use at the Center. The goal of IV therapy is to infuse a high dosage of vitamins and minerals for immediate use by the body. By literally bathing the tissues with high amounts of nutrients, we give the body the opportunity to replenish depleted stores and optimize bodily function. IV therapy also ensures that a specified amount of nutrients enters the body and takes the guess work out of what the intestines can actually absorb.
The standard formula that we use consists of calcium, magnesium, niacin and vitamins B12, B6, B5, B2, B1 and C. To this, we may add selenium, zinc, copper, manganese, and chromium. We may also increase any of the standard ingredients which allows us to customize a formula for a patient's individual needs. Often these nutrients are at dosages that are nearly impossible for the intestines to absorb.
Since 1997, we have performed thousands of IV treatments. Many individuals have experienced increased energy and a stronger immune system. Others have experienced relief of symptoms that have plagued them for years. Numerous cases of acute bouts of bronchitis, flus and colds have also been rapidly resolved with use of IV therapy, sometimes with as little as one treatment. If you would like to know how you may benefit from IV nutritional therapy, please contact the Center.