First time I heard about IV-drips in this new wellness context was a few years ago when one of my favourite places in New York, Clean Market, opened up and offered IV drips by NutriDrip. Luckily enough, my fear of needles was suppressed by my fascination and passion for new health trends, so overall, I found it all very exciting. I have always liked the thought of just getting a drip into your body when in need of an extra energy and vitamin boost, e.g. when feeling sick and tired and when you for some reason aren’t able to get enough nutrients through your food. I love to try new nourishing foods and boosters like adaptogens and vitamins. And since this new wellness concept really is a next-level vitamin boost, it seemed so interesting and I have been so eager to try since this first discovery. Like with most hip trends born in the States, this new phenomenon spread over the Atlantic, and finally hit Europe not that long ago. To my delight, one IV Drip salon called Release Co. actually opened up just a few blocks away from my apartment here in Stockholm and there was no doubt it – I had to book a session and try. Is it just a new wellness trend, or do these IV drips actually work?

Entering the salon was like coming into a fancy hotel lobby – the sophisticated and cool interior, the dimmed lightening, and incredibly welcoming staff immediately raised my expectations a lot. I forgot that I was soon about to get a needle into my arm and the whole experience felt really exciting so far. I filled out some last things in a health protocol I had received upon booking the session, and I was then led into a small room (there were also bigger rooms available for group treatments – quite a fun thing to do with your friends!) with a big, comfortable armchair, a TV, and a rack with the drip bag. The drip bag full of liquid was really big and I was amazed that the whole thing was supposed to get into my body! The friendly nurse helped me set everything up and the next 45 minutes were spent relaxing in the room – reading, listening to a guided meditation, and watching some TV – while the drip bag slowly emptied into my blood. I got a drip called “The Signature”, which is their most extensive vitamin treatment that consists of substances that are supposed to boost our immune system, protect our cells from oxidative stress, promote a normal metabolism and reduce fatigue. The vitamins are also said to support our collagen production (resulting in healthier skin, hair, and nails) as well as our nervous system. Some of the included vitamins are Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B9, and vitamin C.

The needle didn’t scare me that much

The nurses came and checked on me several times during the treatment and answered any questions that I had and also explained the process a little bit further. For example, they told me that it was completely normal to feel a bit cold after a while since the temperature of the liquid is a bit lower than our normal body temperature. I started to feel that sensation after a while, but it felt good to know that it was normal. The nurses also came to my room and helped me remove the drip when the bag was empty and had me stay for a few more minutes to just relax if I wanted to. Then, the treatment was done, and I had just experienced my first IV drip session.

The overall experience felt very exciting! The needle didn’t scare me that much (it was just a little uncomfortable), and I loved how I both got some time to just sit still and relax but also got such an amazing vitamin boost directly into my blood. Then, I wouldn’t say I felt a huge difference when it comes to my energy level or anything afterwards, but just knowing that my body had received all those nutrients made me feel a little extra good next day! It definitely felt like something I would like to boost my body with every now and then, and I would for sure do it again. What I really liked about it all was that it felt so professional and safe. I was required to fill out a quite extensive health form prior to my session and the people working there are nurses and doctors. To find out a little more about intravenous therapy and its benefits, I talked to one of the doctors and asked some questions:

Who can benefit from IV drips?

These vitamins that are injected are beneficial for pretty much everyone, though they should only be considered as supplements and not substitutes for a healthy lifestyle with nutritious food, rest and exercise. However, a boost of vitamins can definitely be a great addition and the vitamins in our IV drips can for example help reduce fatigue, boost our immune system over time, as well as support our collagen production and hence promote healthy skin, hair and nails.

What are the immediate and the long-term effects from this kind of treatment?

How you feel after a treatment is very individual but some immediate effects can be increased energy, reduced stress and some can also feel an increased mental focus. Over time and along with a healthy lifestyle, IV drips can help promote a healthy nervous system and boost our immune system.

Ok, that sounds great! Is there anything we should keep in mind when doing this?

Yes, it is always good to reflect over your own lifestyle and habits, especially your diet, and see if there is any possibilities for improvement. One thing that our service also help people with is to awaken the interest for health and wellness, and look at it from a holistic point of view.

 So, what do we think? Are IV drips here to stay or just a temporary craze? Well, I definitely don’t think this is just a trend, and I hope that it also will expand and develop even further with more types of different vitamins included. Maybe we will see drips that are tailored to one’s unique needs and different vitamin boosts depending on season? I believe and hope that more and more people become more interested in health and wellness since it is so important for both ourselves and our planet. And the more ways this message can reach more people and resonate with them, the better. Talking about health from a holistic point of view is in my opinion not just only the optimal way of portraying what health really is, but it also opens up for more ways to get people’s attention and increase their interest for it. So, let’s hope that IV drips can be a part of that – opening up more people’s eyes and show that wellness is essential, holistic, exciting, and can be integrated into our lifestyle in many different ways.

Passionate about health and nutrition, Matilde Wergeland is a Holistic Health Coach, Pilates Instructor and Reiki Healer in Stockholm at her own coaching clinic, Health by M, as well as being one of Nordic Wellth’s head Health Coaches.