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What are the risks of IV vitamin therapy?

Any time you insert a needle into a vein to deliver a treatment, there are potential risks.  

First, there are the standard risks that come with any IV therapy, such as bleeding and infection. We see those sometimes even in a medical setting. But they¡¯re more dangerous if you¡¯re getting an infusion at a facility that¡¯s run by people without significant medical experience, or who don¡¯t have the expertise to manage the infusions properly. 

Second, as I discussed with ., in a recent Cancerwise  episode, supplements aren¡¯t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That means the quality, consistency and potency of the infusions you get may vary widely, and they could be contaminated. 

The IV bags themselves may also have unwanted solvents or bacteria in them, which could lead to infections or other problems. That can happen anywhere, but it¡¯s more likely when IV bags are used outside of a hospital or health care setting.  

Finally, there¡¯s always the risk of overdosing. You might assume that if a little bit of something is good, then more is even better. But that is often not the case. IV infusions can cause very high levels of vitamins in the blood, at concentrations more than 100 times higher than if you were taking them orally. And, while B vitamins, for example, are good for the body in appropriate amounts, excess B-6 can be toxic and cause serious health problems.  

Even becoming overly hydrated can be dangerous if you bypass the body¡¯s natural process for managing its fluid balance. Excess hydration can result in conditions such as fluid overload, electrolyte imbalances, or even heart and kidney failure. 

So, I do not recommend receiving any IV therapies without discussing them with your physician first, nor do I recommend receiving IV therapies outside of a medical setting unless they¡¯re delivered by a licensed and experienced provider.  

Can IV vitamin therapy interfere with my cancer treatment?

Yes. Everything has the potential for interaction with cancer drugs or the cancer cells themselves ¡ª even products being touted as ¡°natural.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter if it was just plucked off a tree or pulled from a shelf. 

With cancer treatment, the main risks involve efficacy and toxicity. If an interaction prevents a cancer treatment from reaching its therapeutic dose, it may be ineffective. But if an interaction changes how your body metabolizes the active agent, a treatment could become toxic. 

Patients often ask if antioxidant supplements can ease side effects during radiation therapy or chemotherapy. While antioxidants help protect healthy cells from damage, in very high doses, they might also protect cancer cells, potentially making the cancer treatments less effective.  

That¡¯s why we tell patients NOT to take antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment ¡ª and for at least a month afterward. We still encourage them to eat foods high in antioxidants, though. Research has shown that a diverse diet of food-based antioxidants is not only safe but also quite beneficial. 

What¡¯s the difference between a vitamin shot and a vitamin infusion? 

Usually, a shot is given ¡°intramuscularly,¡± or injected into a muscle, while an infusion is put directly into a vein. That means an injection¡¯s effect won¡¯t be quite as immediate. It has to be absorbed gradually by your muscle tissue first, before it can enter the bloodstream. 

Unless you have a malabsorption issue, though, an oral B-12 supplement is just as effective as an injection. And, unless you have a condition that causes a deficiency, the amount of B-12 your body needs is actually quite small, especially when compared to the high doses offered in oral B vitamin supplements. 

What¡¯s the one thing people should know about IV vitamin therapy? 

As a species, we have evolved to obtain the nutrients our bodies need from whole foods because their various components work together. The prebiotic and probiotic fiber, antioxidants and vitamins in a piece of fruit, for instance, all contribute to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. 

The microbiome is the powerhouse of our immune system. So, when you bypass it by using IV vitamin therapies, you are missing a golden opportunity to work in partnership with the rest of your system. When we try to isolate one compound from a food source and take it out of its natural environment, we run the risk of eliminating many other very beneficial components of our food. That is the opposite of ¡°natural¡± and does our bodies a great disservice. 

, is a physician in MD Anderson¡¯s Integrative Medicine Center.  

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