When people get medication in a hospital, it’s often delivered via an IV. The reason for this is simple. An IV is the fastest, most efficient way to get something directly into your bloodstream.

But IVs aren’t just for people who are ill or in surgery. They can also be used on a regular basis to deliver nutrients, and to support your overall health.

So, what kind of nutrients can you expect to get from an IV drip? It depends on the drip! Here’s everything you need to know about IV drips, how they work, and where to access them.

What Is in an IV Drip?

The contents of an IV drip can be just about anything, from vitamins to electrolytes. However, the most basic part of an IV drip is saline solution. This is a sterile saltwater mixture that can be delivered safely into your bloodstream, and which other ingredients can be blended into.

In fact, some IV drips don’t have any other ingredients at all. Saline solution can be used for hydration, when you’re preparing for a high-performance athletic event. It’s also an effective hangover remedy, since dehydration is a major part of what makes you so miserable when you’re hung over.

IV drips are also an excellent way to deliver vitamins. There are a variety of vitamin blends available, just as you’ll find a wide variety of multivitamins on your pharmacy shelf.

That said, the most popular vitamins are energy-boosting blends and immune-boosting blends. Energy-boosting blends are great for pre-workout, and include an array of B vitamins. Immune-boosting blends will be higher in vitamin C, to help improve your immune system performance.

Electrolytes are another popular choice. These are various salts such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, bicarbonate, chloride, and phosphate. They’re essential for your nervous system to function, as well as for regulating your blood pressure, and improving muscle function.

There are a couple of specific reasons you might want an electrolyte drip. The first would be after a heavy workout, when you’ve sweat out a ton of electrolytes. The second would be after a night of heavy drinking, since alcohol strips your body of electrolytes.

But why not just take all of these same nutrients the old fashioned way, by mouth? In fact, there are good reasons to prefer an IV fluid drip.

Benefits of an IV Fluid Drip

The major benefit of an IV drip is that the nutrients go directly into your bloodstream. Because you don’t have to wait for them to process in your digestive system, your body will start absorbing them almost instantaneously. The result is a feeling of well being that hits you almost instantly.

Along the same lines, many vitamins aren’t easily processed in a multivitamin. This means you sometimes have to take 10 or 20 times the recommended daily value, just for enough of the vitamin to get into your system. Because it goes right into your blood, an IV drip delivers 100% of the nutrients it contains.

A related benefit is for people who have digestive issues. If you have severe dietary restrictions, it can be next to impossible to get all of your nutrients in your diet. An IV drip won’t affect your digestive system, so you won’t have to worry about getting the right balance of vitamins and minerals.

Finally, IV fluid drips are a non-invasive alternative to pills for many people. If you hate needles, this might sound laughable. But many people have an aversion to taking pills, or are physically unable to do so. If taking a pill is painful or uncomfortable, an IV needle will be easier to manage.

Of course, an IV requires you to sit still, or walk around with a big awkward tree while you’re receiving treatment. If you get infusions regularly, this might get frustrating. What if you want to take your IV treatment on the go?

What is a Portable IV?

A portable IV is similar to a standard IV in that it puts nutrients directly into your veins using a drip system. However, a traditional IV relies on gravity. The IV fluid simply drips out of the bag, runs down the tube, and into your vein.

With a portable IV drip, on the other hand, the drip needs to be pressurized. This way, the bag doesn’t need to be held up overhead, and you have more freedom of movement.

So, how exactly does this work?

How Does a Portable IV work?

A portable IV needs to strike a balance. On the one hand, it needs to be pressurized, or it’s not going to work. On the other hand, too much pressure could cause the fluid to come out too quickly, which would be painful.

To strike this balance, portable IVs make use of an elastomeric membrane. The fluid is squeezed and held under pressure, but it can only leave at a limited rate. The result is a slow, controlled release of IV fluid, similar to what you’d get from an ordinary drip.

But all of this sounds complicated and exotic. Where can you find an IV fluid drip for health and rejuvenation, outside of a hospital?

Where to Get an IV Fluid Drip?

There are a variety of services that provide IV fluid drips, whether in a clinic or at your home. Check out Reset IV for a great example of IV delivery done correctly.

They come directly to your address to administer treatment. When you place your order, a registered nurse will bring your IV drip directly to your home, hotel, or office. Service is available 24/7, although only in certain geographic areas. Currently, Reset IV is serving Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and south Florida.

Reset IV offers a variety of IV drips, including pre- and post-workout, pre- and post-hangover, immune support, and overall wellness. They also offer ordinary saline drips for rehydration.

Treatments take around an hour, from the time the nurse arrives until they leave. That’s an incredibly convenient way to get whatever IV treatment you require.