Whenever starting an IV protocol, your ND will typically recommend, some initial blood work. In short, lab work helps your practitioner determine how to safely administer your IV treatments. It also allows us to make modifications according to your individual needs and ensure you get the best IV bag, designed for you.
Some of the markers we look for include:
- CBC: This stands for complete blood count. It gives us an idea of the health of your red blood cells and your immune function.
- Electrolytes: These electrically charged minerals play a very important role in hydration, muscle contraction, and heart function. They need to stay within a narrow range in order for these functions to happen. Before running an IV, we like to make sure they are within that proper range. It’s a marker of health, and helps keep us confident that your IV is safe.
- Kidney Function: IV nutrients are liquids. Before infusing them into your veins, we want to be sure that your kidneys will be able to handle the added fluid volume. GFR gives us an idea of how efficiently your kidneys are working. It tells us that you can safely handle the infusion, and allows us to know how quickly or slowly it should drip.
- Liver function: One of the key jobs of the liver is to help you get rid of toxins. One of the key nutrients that aids in this process is glutathione. And one of the best ways to increase glutathione levels is through IV therapy. It’s not well absorbed in supplement form. Our bodies can make it, but it as we age, we tend to make a lot less than we did when we were younger. So that means IV might play a key role in detoxification, immune function and anti-aging. Liver function tests help us decide if IV glutathione is right for you, and how much you should get.
- Nutrients: In some cases, the levels of nutrients in your personal infusion will be adjusted according to your nutrient status. Nutrients that we might test include B vitamins (primarily B12) and RBC Magnesium. These tests are not part of the standard IV blood work but are added when needed.
- G6PD: It’s a very small part of the population, but some people carry a gene that limits their ability to break down vitamin C. For these people, high dose vitamin C could be unsafe. The test for G-6PD tells us whether or not you have this gene.
This baseline blood is a great way to not only to ensure your protocol is safe but also effective. As ND’s we are able to requisition for this blood work and so can cover all needs from assessment, to treatment, to ongoing adjustments as needed. For more information connect with one of our NDs at Sprout.
In Health
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