The specially formulated cocktail used in IV hydration therapy depends on why the treatment is being given and will contain a mix of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and/or medication. For example, hydration therapy fluids used for athletes may contain magnesium, vitamin B6, multivitamins, and pain relief.

Fluids taken orally are mostly absorbed by the large intestine before the rest of the body can benefit; in addition, consuming large amounts of water too quickly can cause problems with the digestive system and may even cause sodium levels to drop to dangerous levels. When taking IV fluids, the benefits are seen much more quickly because the vitamins and nutrients go straight into the bloodstream and bypass the digestive tract.

In addition to more efficient absorption of nutrients, IV hydration provides many other benefits to overall health, such as:

– Quicker recovery – IV hydration can restore energy levels rapidly because of the direct administration into the bloodstream.

– Customized to the body – the cocktail used in an IV hydration treatment is customized to each individual’s own specific needs.

– Improved wellness – the optimal balance of vitamins and nutrients in IV hydration not only improves physical wellness but it can also boost the immune system and help fight anxiety and depression.

– Can help athletes by: Reducing recovery time, providing rapid and sufficient hydration, maintaining healthy muscle and tissue, helping muscles to recover, flushing and detoxing after intense exercise.

– Hangover relief and detox – an IV treatment for a hangover can contain vitamins, anti-nausea medication and anti-inflammatory medication, electrolytes, and a saline solution which not only replenishes the electrolytes and nutrients but also rehydrates and detoxifies the body.

Crystalloid solutions are the most common types of IV fluid in use due to their cost-effectiveness and wide availability; of these the most commonly used is regular saline, a solution of sodium chloride at 0.9% concentration. It is estimated that more than 200 million liters of crystalloid solutions are administered each year in the U.S. alone and are the recommended first treatment option for fluid replacement in patients with common critical illnesses such as sepsis, hemorrhagic shock, and cardiac arrest.

Crystalloid solutions contain water-soluble electrolytes that are able to pass easily from the bloodstream to the cells and tissues. There are three types of solution with varying levels of tonicity (the ability to cause water to move through cell membranes via osmosis) and because of this they are tailored for use in different situations.

The three types of crystalloid solutions are:

– Hypotonic: When the fluid outside the cells has a lower sodium chloride concentration (in the case of saline) than the fluid in the cells; water will flow from outside the cells to inside. Examples of hypotonic solutions are lactated Ringer’s (also known as Ringer’s lactate) and Ringer’s acetate and are commonly used in patients who have suffered significant burns.

– Hypertonic: When the fluid outside the cells has a higher sodium chloride concentration (in the case of saline) than the fluid in the cells causing water to flow out of the cells.

– Isotonic: Both the extracellular and intracellular fluids have the same concentrations, so there is no movement of water between them

If you would like to know more about the IV hydration therapies we offer, contact Smart Choice Medical Clinic today!  We are located at 3347 Old Jacksonville Rd, Tyler, TX 75701, and the office is open five days a week: Monday to Thursday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. We are also open second Saturday of the month from 9 AM to 1 PM. We serve patients from Tyler TX, Bullard TX, Troup TX, Jacksonville TX, Dogwood City TX, Whitehouse TX, Flint TX, and Gresham TX.