Unlocking the Benefits of IV Therapy For Muscle Recovery
No bigger population needs to focus on muscle recovery more than athletes do. As they’re constantly pushing themselves to their limits and challenging their bodies, they often end up with tired muscles, electrolyte imbalances, and depleted fluids and glycogen, to name a few outcomes. [1]
But everyone has muscles and uses them, whether for bringing groceries from the car to the kitchen or playing a recreational sport on the weekend. Muscle strains can happen to anybody if recovery is prioritized, and they need to be treated with ample rest, nutrition, and hydration. One method that stands out as an ultimate preventative solution? IV therapy, which we’ll be putting under the microscope as a prime muscle recovery method.
What is IV Therapy?
IV supplements might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of muscle recovery, but it certainly has a leg up over these traditional methods in more ways than one.
IV therapy has been a reliable way for healthcare providers to administer fluids, medication, nutrients, and other substances directly into the bloodstream through the veins. It completely bypasses the digestive system, avoiding the possibility of lost nutrition and making sure those substances are ready for immediate use. In this case, that means the body can instantly start up the recovery process – no wait needed.
What Happens During Muscle Recovery?
Recovery is a concept that can be hard to fully understand when it comes to exercise. Does it mean lying down for set periods of time? Drinking a protein shake? Eating a decent meal? And why is it that we need to recover? What happens when we don’t? Muscle recovery can be an elusive and confusing topic, especially because it’s so complex.
When we exercise, our muscle fibers contract and stretch and create minuscule tears within them, which is what we seek to recover for next time. The body requires rest and nutrients for those muscle cells to repair themselves and stimulate growth. That’s why those looking to gain muscle often take the post-workout window very seriously – it’s the prime opportunity to stimulate muscle hypertrophy (growth) through muscle protein synthesis (which is why people often drink protein shakes after they work out). [2]
Other than the muscle fibers repairing themselves, other things happen too:
- Our muscles go through glycogen replenishment when we eat carbohydrates.
- We reduce the amount of inflammation in our bodies.
- We remove the build-up of byproducts like lactic acid in our muscles that contribute to soreness.
- We rehydrate to get our fluids and electrolytes in balance again.
- We help our muscles become stronger and more resilient.
- We rest the nervous system.
- We return our hormone levels to baseline.
Traditional Muscle Recovery Methods
With so many tactics being passed around in the fitness circle, you might’ve heard of a million different muscle recovery techniques (strange or plausible), such as taking ice baths, stretching, foam rolling, getting a massage, drinking chocolate milk, eating cherries, or cupping – which seems to be all the rage recently. These are all fantastic ways to aid recovery, and doing two or more of the above will certainly help to bolster each other’s effectiveness.
What is IV Therapy?
IV supplements might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of muscle recovery, but it certainly has a leg up over these traditional methods in more ways than one.
IV therapy has been a reliable way for healthcare providers to administer fluids, medication, nutrients, and other substances directly into the bloodstream through the veins. It completely bypasses the digestive system, avoiding the possibility of lost nutrition and making sure those substances are ready for immediate use. In this case, that means the body can instantly start up the recovery process – no wait needed.
How IV Therapy Aids Muscle Recovery
Although IV therapy may sound like an aggressive recovery method for those who don’t participate in strenuous activities like marathon running, powerlifting, and other high-intensity sports, the beauty of it is that it can be personalized to fit individual bodies. These individuals might fare better with a more modest dose or a shorter session, for instance.
IV therapy in this context usually involves a bag of fluids containing vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and other materials that contribute to the recovery process. As you don’t want to waste any precious time in between bouts of exercise, IVs provide an efficient route to rapid replenishment.
Combining IV therapy for muscle recovery with other tactics, like foam rolling and massages can be a more comprehensive approach that compensates for what IV therapy can’t provide, like myofascial release.
Benefits of IV Therapy for Muscle Recovery
Curious about what IV therapy actually does for your body post-workout? Here are a couple of standout benefits:
- Provide Hydration – IV bags are primarily made up of saline, which is used to rehydrate the body. That’s typically the first order of business, as every single cell in our bodies needs water to function. Dehydration in itself affects our mental and physical performance, organ health, and electrolyte balance. [3] For muscle recovery, water helps to flush out toxins and aids in regulation. [4]
- Reduces Recovery Time – IV drips effectively flood your body with the minerals, nutrients, and vitamins you’re lacking. Substances like vitamin B complex, magnesium, vitamin C, and zinc all contribute with their own benefits to tackle every aspect of recovery. While magnesium helps muscles relax, vitamin C can boost immune function and reduce inflammation. [5][6]
- Boosts Energy Levels and Metabolism – As rest is the goal here, the combination of electrolytes, nutrients, and fluids will automatically give you an instant energy boost to fight against fatigue. Some research also says that certain solutions that feature NAD+ can boost metabolism, which can mean IV therapy for weight loss is also possible. [7]
- Customizable – Everybody and everybody is different, and the fact that IV solutions can be fully customized is a big perk of IV therapy. Whether a person needs a higher concentration of one specific mineral or could benefit more from less, this is all possible with IVs.
Types of IV Therapies for Muscle Recovery
The best IV therapy for you will depend on what your body truly needs for muscle recovery. You might struggle most with recovery time or consuming the right nutrients, or maybe your energy levels stay low a lot of time. Either way, you should find the right IV therapy to address your most pressing issues.
Private label supplement manufacturers that supply clinics with these valuable therapies often provide a wide selection, including IV bags that focus on high doses of a specific substance or a blend that aims to deliver more than one. Legere Pharmaceuticals, for example, has a Recovery & Performance IV Kit that works to reduce recovery time, enhance athletic performance, and improve overall wellness. It features an Amino Blend, Mineral Blend, B-complex vitamins, and vitamin C to support those goals.
How to Choose the Best IV Therapy Clinic for Muscle Recovery
Not just any clinic is qualified to provide IV supplements, which is why you should always do your due diligence and assess the providers at your disposal before settling on one. For one, the clinic should only employ licensed healthcare professionals and comply with your area’s hygiene and safety standards – as well as your own. Considering that your provider will be handling an IV, these factors aren’t compromisable.
Secondary to these must-haves, the variety of treatment options and the level of personalization are also important to consider, as certain people have more intense recovery needs than others.
To help inform your research, reviews, and testimonials from current and former patients could help you get a true idea of what your experience will be like.
Potential Risks and Considerations
IV therapy is considered a lot more invasive than other muscle recovery techniques like foam rolling and regular hydration, which means there are potential risks for temporary issues like allergic reactions or soreness at the injection site. All medical procedures come with considerations like this, but the more informed your healthcare provider is about any contraindications, the easier it will be to avoid those possibilities proactively. So long as you inform your provider of any prior medication usage or underlying health conditions, IV therapy has far-reaching potential in muscle recovery.
Dr .Taylor Froiland
President of Legere Pharmaceuticals
Taylor Froiland is the president of Legere Pharmaceuticals in Scottsdale, Arizona and serves on the Board of Directors for RK Logistics Group. He also owns and operates Medmetrics Compounding Pharmacy in Chandler, Arizona, specializing in various pharmaceutical services. Taylor holds a PharmD and has expertise in compounding, medicinal chemistry, and quality control.
