IV Therapy: Why Every Athlete Should Try It
IV Therapy: Why Every Athlete Should Try It :
If you are an athlete, it’s likely that you’ve experienced the discomfort and pain of overdoing it at some point. When you overexert your body, you can experience everything from muscle aches, headaches, and extreme fatigue to uncomfortable gastrointestinal problems.
After a really intense session at the gym, a long-distance run, or an especially challenging bike ride, your body just wants to crash. You know you’ve overdone it because every muscle in your body hurts. And, if you’ve really overexerted yourself, you also wind up running to the bathroom as fast as your exhausted body can go, courtesy of very ticked off and vengeful stomach.
So, why does your body react this way when you do too much? During an especially hard workout, your body goes into survival mode. All of your blood is diverted to your muscles in response to your body’s fight or flight instinct. While that’s a great thing for your muscles, it’s not so good for your organs. For example, when blood is diverted away from your stomach, it becomes nearly paralyzed. Digestion basically stops when there’s no blood flow to stimulate it.
The result is severe stomach distress, and your body will need some time before it starts functioning normally again. Sometimes, drinking water to rehydrate is impossible after a certain point because you throw it right back up. This cycle is not only uncomfortable, but it could also be dangerous.
Why Athletes Should Try IV Therapy
According to NYC IV drip & hydration therapy experts, fluids and nutrients given intravenously are absorbed directly into the bloodstream where they can do the most good. You won’t throw them back up because they bypass your stomach entirely. Instead, the fluids go straight to your organs and cells, allowing them to recover faster and helping to restore proper function. Muscular aches and pains and fatigue will also be decreased or even eliminated once the body is adequately rehydrated.
Most athletes know how important it is to get correctly hydrated before any race or competition. Simply put, your performance will suffer if you are dehydrated. Even if you try to drink fluids, like water or sports drinks, during the event, it may not help if your body is already too dehydrated to recover quickly. Receiving an IV hydration drip right before your event will ensure that you are adequately hydrated, improving both your endurance and your performance.
Dehydration isn’t a problem only during competitions, either. It can be just as much of an issue during your daily workouts, too, and the results can be just as uncomfortable. Many athletes prefer to workout early in the day, before the temperatures heat up. What they sometimes forget to consider is that the body can become dehydrated overnight. It’s going to take more than a drink of water to get your body properly hydrated before you hit the gym or pavement.
When you are working out regularly, not only are you more likely to become dehydrated, your body could become depleted of essential nutrients as well. Nutritional IV therapy can help to keep your hydration and nutrient levels where they need to be. It’s important to remember that your body needs electrolytes and micronutrients that you just can’t from drinking water. When an athlete receives an IV drip, they get more than just fluids. They also get extra vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.
Additional Benefits of IV Therapy for Athletes
As an athlete, IV hydration and nutrition therapy could be your secret weapon for faster recovery times, greater endurance, and better performance overall. But, there are other possible benefits, too.
The benefits of IV therapy for athletes include:
- Less inflammation in the muscles and joints
- Increased energy levels
- Better muscle growth and repair
- Faster metabolism
- Fewer muscle spasms and cramps
- Better muscle tone and strength
- Less oxidative stress throughout the body
What to Expect from IV Therapy for Athletes
When you go to a reputable IV therapy clinic, the practitioner will tailor the treatment to suit your individual needs. A personalized IV cocktail will be created that includes the hydration, vitamins, and other key nutrients that an athlete’s body needs. These nutrients will give you more energy and improve your body’s performance. Your body will also be better equipped to heal itself after a workout. A qualified clinic may even run some lab work to make sure you are getting exactly what you need from the treatment.
Some of the ingredients that might be found in an athlete’s IV cocktail are:
- Amino Acids: Most athletes are already aware of the importance of amino acids. They are essential for building protein, which is required for organ function, the growth of muscles, energy production, and perhaps most importantly, cellular repair.
- Glutathione: This antioxidant is essential for athletes because it can help to reduce oxidative stress, allowing your body to recover faster after you work out.
- Magnesium: If you experience issues with muscle cramps, chances are good that you need more magnesium. This mineral also plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health, never health, and the production of proteins.
- Vitamin C: We all know that you should take vitamin C when you have a cold, but it’s also good for healing wounds, repairing cells, better circulation, enhanced muscle growth, and stronger bones.
- B-Complex: Athletes will notice a boost of energy from B vitamins. They are also useful for cardiovascular health and faster metabolism.
During your first visit to an IV therapy clinic, the practitioner will take a complete medical history and discuss any health concerns you may have while watching for any reasons the medical director might need to get involved. The two of you will work together to select the right nutrients for your particular needs. When the IV itself is administered, they will use the same type of medical grade equipment you would expect at a hospital, but in a much more comfortable setting. You should expect the treatment to last about half an hour.
When you walk away from an IV hydration drip, you should feel revitalized and energized. For the athlete, recovery times will be shorter, and performance will be improved. Every athlete should consider giving IV therapy a try!