Vitamin injections are controversial due to the risks associated with both the method of injection and the size of the dose. They are traditionally prescribed for patients unable to eat, but have become a health fad in recent years. Overdose can lead to serious health problems, particularly with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Vitamin injections are doses of one or more vitamin supplements injected directly into the body. They are used to give a dose that is too large to take by mouth. This type of therapy is controversial because injected vitamins can carry a number of risks related to both the method of injection and the size of the dose.
In general terms, humans are able to obtain the necessary levels of vitamins by maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. Oral vitamin supplements, usually in tablet form, can help increase intake of particular nutrients. The digestive process is capable of filtering out any excessive doses of such vitamins and processing the necessary amounts in a healthy manner.
Vitamin injections are traditionally prescribed in cases where a patient is unable to take food by mouth. They are accompanied by intravenous glucose treatments to provide calories as well. Unlike a vaccine where the dose is given as a single injection, vitamin injections are given as part of a saline mixture through an intravenous drip.
The body is much less able to deal with excess nutrients when injected directly into the bloodstream. As a result, vitamin injections must be strictly dosed. Digestion can clear out excessive amounts of a given vitamin when taken orally, but the same level of overdose can be toxic when injected.
Since the late 1990s, vitamin injections have increasingly become a health fad, originating from Hollywood celebrities and athletes. Common types of vitamins that are injected include A, D, K, and those on the B spectrum, such as B12. These vitamins, respectively, are known to help vision, bone density, blood clotting, and boost the immune system.
So-called vitamin cafes have sprung up since the 1990s, offering a casual place to receive IV drip packets. A variety of vitamin “packs” are offered that are advertised as boosting brain activity, metabolism, the immune system, and other bodily functions. These packets are marketed much like health drinks and other supplements.
Overdose of vitamin injections can lead to a number of minor and serious health problems. Jaundice, cramps, and nausea are some of the milder side effects. Liver and kidney damage, or death in extreme cases, can also occur. Health officials caution that the highest-risk vitamins are A, D, E, and K because they are fat-soluble and stored in body tissue instead of being broken down naturally.
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