Do you remember learning about the Kreb’s Cycle/Citric Acid Cycle in science class back in high school? This biochemical process is how our bodies convert food into ATP or cellular energy.
In order for the Kreb’s cycle to turn, the body requires many cofactors to act as electron donors, primarily B vitamins. This is why B vitamins are often referred to as “energy vitamins” – as they are essential to helping your body create its primary energy molecule ATP.
If any one of these B vitamins is deficient in the body, the entire process slows down, conserving the reserve of B vitamins for essential processes. With 30-50 billion cells in the body, this process can be very demanding, requiring constant access to vitamins and minerals in order for it to run smoothly.
Whenever our body experiences a stressor, such as suffering with an infection, running a marathon, or living with an autoimmune disease, the demands on our metabolic processes, including the Kreb’s cycle, are increased. Supporting the body with supplementation or, even better, an IV can help to diminish chronic nutrient deficits, accelerating the healing process.
How does an IV help?
Most of our IV formulas are variations of the classic “Meyer’s Cocktail” – a B vitamin-heavy nutrient bag. By supplying the body with a large dose of B vitamins, any pathway, such as the Kreb’s Cycle, that may be slowed due to insufficient B vitamins can then be accelerated, causing a boost in energy for patients.
During an IV, not only does one get a large quantity of nutrients, but they are delivered directly to the cell, passively. Normally, the extracellular space (aka the space around a cell) is less concentrated with nutrients than inside the cell (aka the intracellular space), and the body has to spend energy to pull more nutrients into the cell. However, during an IV drip, the extracellular space becomes supersaturated with nutrients, shifting the osmotic gradient allowing those nutrients to passively flow into the cell without requiring extra energy.
Therefore, an IV bag is a great way to boost energy and support the healing process. Not only does it give you a high concentration of nutrients, but it goes directly to the cell, where it’s needed most, requiring no additional energy for absorption.
In wellness,
Dr Chanel, ND
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