IV therapy for weight loss involves administering vitamins, minerals, or medications directly into your vein. There are no official guidelines for its use in weight loss, and very limited research supports its use.
Intravenous (IV) fluid administration involves administering fluids directly into your bloodstream. These fluids usually contain nutrients or medications.
In IV therapy, a liquid solution hangs in a bag around head height. A thin IV tube is connected to it and leads down into a vein, usually in your hand or arm. This allows the solution to go directly into your bloodstream.
Some people claim that IV therapy can help support weight loss. This may include the administration of certain micronutrients or medications.
However, it’s important to note that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved any IV therapies for weight loss, and very
Keep reading to learn more about how vitamin and medication IV therapy can possibly help with weight loss.
A note on IV therapy for weight management
There are several claims that IV therapy can help manage weight loss, but very limited research supports them.
Weight loss is a journey that may include a combination of several factors,
- staying in a calorie deficit
- eating a balanced diet
- being physically active
- getting enough high quality sleep
- managing stress
- managing health conditions, such as diabetes and obesity
- taking certain medications, such as GLP-1 medications
If a doctor has recommended you lose weight but you’re not sure how to get started, consider speaking with a healthcare professional, a certified personal trainer, or a registered dietitian. They can help you develop a safe, effective, and sustainable weight loss program to help you reach your goals.
Learn more about safe and effective weight loss.
Some people claim that vitamin IV therapy, sometimes called a “
Some common vitamins and minerals that are part of IV therapies for weight loss include:
- B Complex vitamins: These vitamins help maintain metabolic function by
metabolizing proteins, fats, and carbs and using them for energy. - Vitamin C: Some research suggests that vitamin C supplementation may help reduce body mass index (BMI), but not body weight, fat mass, and cholesterol levels, among other markers.
- Zinc: A 2019 study found that zinc supplementation and a low calorie diet helped reduce body weight, BMI, and waist circumference. However, these effects may be largely attributed to being in a calorie deficit.
- Magnesium: A
2020 study found that magnesium supplementation helped reduce body weight and waist circumference in people with diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, but the results weren’t significant.
Despite these positive findings, it’s important to note that these vitamins and minerals were administered orally, rather than intravenously.
Some weight loss medications are available to help manage obesity and overweight by managing blood sugar levels and reducing appetite. These are known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1) agonists.
Although they’re becoming more popular, it’s important to note that GLP-1 medications are only administered by subcutaneous injection or orally (by mouth). No GLP-1 medication is approved by the FDA to be administered intravenously.
That said, some research and clinical trials have found that some IV medications may help support weight loss.
PYY agonists
Peptide YY (PYY) is a hormone secreted by your gut after eating and helps manage blood sugar levels and regulate appetite.
Some research suggests that
This is because people with obesity or overweight may have less PYY circulating in their system, increasing their appetite and leading to increased food intake.
That said, more research is needed to understand the role of PYY in appetite regulation and weight management.
Bimagrumab
Bimagrumab is a type of monoclonal antibody. It works by blocking the activin type II receptor (ActRII), which is a pathway that plays a role in skeletal muscle mass and muscle growth.
A 2021 study in 75 participants with diabetes and obesity examined the effects of administering bimagrumab once every 4 weeks intravenously compared to a placebo.
After 48 weeks, the participants who received bimagrumab lost an average of 20.5% of total body fat mass compared to a slight increase of 0.5% in the placebo group.
Similarly, a small
Despite these positive findings, more research is needed to understand the role of bimagrumab IV therapy in weight loss.
Some possible side effects of bimagrumab may
When is IV therapy used?
Micronutrient IV therapies should only be used in clinical settings under the supervision of a healthcare professional to treat underlying conditions and nutritional imbalances. These may be
- malnutrition
- malabsorption syndrome (difficulty absorbing nutrients from your diet)
- intestinal damage, such as from intestinal surgery or gastrointestinal conditions
- severe burns
- electrolyte imbalances
- chronic kidney disease
- alcohol use disorder
In some cases, intravenous fluid regulation may lead to some complications,
It’s unlikely that IV therapy for weight loss will be covered by insurance. There are currently no FDA-approved IV therapies for weight loss, nor are there any official guidelines about this type of treatment.
Consider speaking with a healthcare professional to see if you might qualify for other medical weight management treatments that could be covered by some insurance providers, such as GLP-1 medications.
If you have an insurance provider, you can also connect with them before speaking with a doctor to see whether any weight loss medications are covered. If any options are available, you can bring these to a doctor to see if any might be suitable for you.
It’s unlikely that a healthcare professional will prescribe IV therapy for weight loss unless you have a serious health condition that causes malnutrition or requires frequent fluid monitoring.
Although many private clinics, companies, and online websites advertise different kinds of IV therapies for weight loss, it’s important to remember that no vitamin or medication IV therapies are approved by the FDA for weight loss.
If you think you may need to lose weight, consider speaking with a general practitioner first. They can examine your physical and mental health and, if necessary, refer you to specialists who can develop a treatment plan, including:
- obesity specialist
- endocrinologist
- exercise personal trainer
- registered dietitian
IV therapy involves administering medications and micronutrients directly into the bloodstream via a small IV line.
Although some people claim that IV therapy may be beneficial for weight loss, limited research supports these purported benefits, and no official guidelines support its use.
Consider speaking with a healthcare professional if you think you may have to lose weight. They could help develop a weight management plan for you.