A friend tells a story about his little sister who, as a child, had kidney cancer. After surgery and chemotherapy she recovered completely and went on to have a totally normal childhood. At summer camp one year, she became confused when the counsellors warned campers about poison ivy. She wondered, how could an IV be poisonous?
Of course IV (intravenous) medications are meant to be theraputic and sometimes curative. But as with any treatment, there is always a risk of complication. Putting a needle directly into a vein can introduce infection into the blood stream and any blood infection is serious.
So I was surprised today when I picked up the Saturday Globe and Mail and read an article describing a new health trend in which healthy people are going for intravenous micronutrient therapy (IVMT). One person who has been getting these treatments was quoted, saying “‘there’s no downside’ to the procedure.”
The downside of IV therapy is outlined in this Slideshare document.
It says,
” Any break in the skin carries a risk of infection. Although IV insertion is a sterile procedure, skin-dwelling organisms such as Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus or Candida albicans may enter through the insertion site around the catheter, or bacteria may be accidentally introduced inside the catheter from contaminated equipment.
Infection of IV sites is usually local, causing easily visible swelling, redness, and fever. If bacteria do not remain in one area but spread through the bloodstream, the infection is called septicemia and can be rapid and life-threatening.”
A study conducted at Yale University that looked at treating fibromyalgia with IVMT was presented at the American Public Health Association’s 2006 Meeting and Exposition. The reserachers noted some improvement of symptoms but could not say whether the results were statistically significant.
With any treatment or procedure, whether it’s conventional or not, we each have to decide whether the risk is worth the benefit, but we have to make sure we know what those risks are.
I’ll choose to get my micronutrients the tasty way – with fresh, whole foods.
